Executives Cautioned on ‘Briefcase Elbow’

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Dr. David Hough, a sports medicine specialist at Michigan State University, said Wednesday that executives who tote heavy briefcases can “end up getting something similar to tennis elbow.”

Hough said that “briefcase elbow” is caused when a weighty load tears the forearm muscle slightly. To avoid this, he suggested that executives lighten their loads, switch arms and avoid carrying heavy bags for long intervals.