Lateral epicondylitis is the medical term for which common condition?

• A. Tennis elbow
• B. Golfer's elbow
• C. Runner's knee
• D. Shin splints

Answer: (A)

Lateral epicondylitis is a tendinous overuse injury at the outer elbow where the forearm extensor tendons attach to the lateral epicondyle. It’s most often linked to repetitive wrist extension and forearm movement, which is why it’s commonly known as tennis elbow—the backhand stroke in tennis is a frequent trigger, though the condition can occur in other activities that repeat these motions.

This name fits best because the pain and tenderness sit on the outer elbow and are driven by overuse of the wrist extensors, whereas the other conditions refer to different locations and problems: golfer’s elbow is medial epicondylitis at the inner elbow, runner’s knee involves knee joint pain around the patella, and shin splints describe tibial stress injuries in the lower leg.