The pain you feel is caused by the continuous repetitive movements that place stress on the tendon that often leads tenderness, irritation, actual tearing. and eventually extensor carpi ulnaris tendinitis. ECU Tendinitis is a condition common among patients who play golf, tennis, any type of racquet sport or basketball.
We know how important having pain-free hand and wrist motion and function is for our patients. As well as the ability to do daily activities, including work, self-care, sports. We are here to help you. Our advanced care orthopedic practice specializes in hand & the upper extremities treatments and surgery, as we offer state-of-the-art non-surgical and surgical care to treat a full range of hand and wrist injuries and conditions.
ECU tendonitis symptoms become worse by combined wrist motion towards the pinky side and moving the palm up and down. If you play golf, when the wrist motion towards the pinky side occurs slightly just before hitting the ball, and as it occurs at a faster speed while the wrist is under high degrees of stress this will cause alot of pain. Golfers with a tendency toward ‘casting’ are at risk of developing this inflammation.
Pain in the wrist area may also be a sign of a more severe injury, it could indicate the rupture of the tendon sheath that holds the ECU tendon in place.
If the pain is more on the pinky side of the forearm than in the wrist, this may indicate a tear, and the tendon is no longer supported and can roll in and out of the tendon groove. This problem known as subluxation.
ECU subluxations are rare. They can be caused when the sheath that contains the ECU ligament gets pinched between the radius and ulna. This type of damage is most often caused by the repetitive motion associated with playing golf or tennis, but it can also be the result of trauma to your wrist or forearm.
If the patient’s symptoms do not improve with non-surgical treatments, surgery may be necessary to repair the ECU and surrounding tissues.
