Lateral epicondylitis, also referred to as "tennis elbow," is a very common cause of elbow pain. It is considered a cumulative trauma injury that occurs over time from repeated use of the muscles of the arm and forearm, leading to small tears of the tendons (Tendonitis).
In racket sports, overuse of the forearm muscles and repeated impact can increase the risk of tennis elbow developing. Other factors that may contribute to tennis elbow include lack of strength, poor technique, and more duration or intensity of play. There is some controversy over the racket's string tension being related to higher impact forces on the forearm muscles. There is little evidence of any relationship between racket grip circumference and tennis elbow symptoms.