Prevalence of Tennis Elbow Among Tannour Chefs in Lahore: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55735/hjprs.v5i2.341Keywords:
Elbow tendinopathy , Lateral epicondylitis , Prevalence , Tendinosis , Tennis elbowAbstract
Background: Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is a condition caused by repetitive stress on the tendons of the forearm, leading to pain and functional impairment. Tannour chefs, due to the continuous use of their hands for kneading and handling dough, are at high risk of developing this disorder. Objective: To determine the prevalence of tennis elbow among Tannour chefs in Lahore and associated occupational risk factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted over four months in Lahore. The study included 179 male Tannour chefs working in bakeries and restaurants. Participants were recruited using a simple random sampling method. All participants provided written informed consent before enrollment. Male Tannour chefs aged between 20-60 years with at least one year of professional experience were included in the study. Participants were excluded if they had a history of recent upper limb injuries or fractures, previous elbow surgery, neurological conditions affecting upper limb function, or systemic musculoskeletal disorders. Data collection was performed using the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation form that assesses pain and functional disability. Cozen’s test is used for the physical examination to confirm lateral epicondylitis. Descriptive statistics, T-tests, and chi-square tests were applied to assess relationships between variables. Results: Results showed that the mean age of participants was 35.28±8.98 years, with a mean work experience of 11.8±7.7 years. A total of 157 chefs (87.7%) were right-handed, while 22 (12.3%) were left-handed. Cozen’s test was positive in 25 participants (14%), indicating the presence of tennis elbow. Pain scores showed that 83.2% of chefs reported no pain or functional impairment, and 3.4% experienced mild symptoms. About 11.7% had moderate pain and functional limitations, and 1.7% reported severe pain and disability. Conclusion: This study found a 14% prevalence of tennis elbow among Tannour chefs in Lahore, confirming that repetitive manual labor significantly increases the risk of lateral epicondylitis. This highlights the need for workplace modifications and occupational health interventions, including ergonomic modifications and physiotherapy-based preventive strategies.
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