Which of the following describes lateral epicondylopathy symptoms?

• A. Painful lateral elbow tenderness with numbness in the ulnar distribution.
• B. Numbness in the radial distribution.
• C. Lateral elbow tenderness, pain on wrist extension against resistance, and weakened grip.
• D. Pain during adduction of the shoulder.

Answer: (C)

Lateral epicondylopathy, often called tennis elbow, is a tendinopathy at the origin of the wrist extensor muscles on the outer elbow. The hallmark signs are tenderness right over the lateral epicondyle and pain when the wrist is extended against resistance or when gripping. This happens because those extensor muscles are loading the tendon at its damaged origin, so resisted wrist extension and grip tasks provoke the pain and can weaken grip due to pain inhibition. Sensory numbness in radial or ulnar distributions would suggest nerve involvement, not a tendon problem, and pain with shoulder adduction points to a different region. Therefore, lateral elbow tenderness with pain on wrist extension against resistance and weakened grip best describes the condition.