The Elbow

Tennis elbow

Pain on resisted extension of the wrist indicates a lesion of the wrist extensors

In practice clinical examination always discloses a lesion in the radial extensors of the wrist

Four different localisations can be differentiated via careful palpation

In case of doubt, a lesion of the other wrist extensors (extensor carpi ulnaris and extensors of the fingers) can be excluded:

...and a lesion in the radial extensors can be confirmed:

Resisted radial deviation

Pattern:

As a rule:
tenniselbow positive resisted extension of the wrist; and the nine other tests negative.
Exceptionally, the passive extension of the elbow is painful at the end.
If the passive extension is limited then the conclusion must be that we are not dealing with a classical, uncomplicated tennis elbow.
Should other resisted movements be painful as well, then the underlying lesion is not considered being a genuine "tennis elbow".

It should be remembered that the resisted extension of the wrist should be tested in a technically correct way in order to avoid false-negative results.

After the clinical diagnosis of a tennis elbow is confirmed, the exact localisation of the lesion is revealed by local palpation.