Tennis elbow is a painful condition that affects the tendons on the outside of your forearm, caused by overuse or straining those same tendons.
Tennis elbow can be prevented with the right precautions. These include avoiding repetitive arm movements and decreasing stress on your tendons.
Stretching
Stretching is an excellent way to improve your fitness level, make muscles and joints perform better, and prevent injuries. Be sure to stretch before and after exercise or physical activity so that your muscles are warm, supple, and pliable.
Stretches can be done anywhere and are an effective way to warm up your muscles and prepare it for movement, as well as reduce pain. But proper technique is key in order to get the most benefit from stretching.
Jessica Robichau, Ph.D. – an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of California-Irvine – recommends that as part of your warm-up before stretching you should engage in light walking, jogging or biking for 5 to 10 minutes. This increases core and muscle temperature while also helping ensure proper stretching technique, according to Dr. Jessica Robichau.
As part of your warm-up, focus on breathing slowly and deeply during stretches to prevent muscle tension. Many people unconsciously hold their breath while stretching, which can cause tension in the muscles and make it harder to perform the stretches properly.
If you experience tennis elbow, stretching the muscles on either side of your forearm is especially important. These are known as wrist extensors and they may contribute to symptoms by pulling on your wrist and creating pain.
To strengthen your wrist extensors, try this exercise:
Grab a weight with your affected arm and place it on a table or chair arm. Hang your hand over the edge of the table or chair, then slowly lower it before lifting back up again in its original position. Repeat this stretch 1-3 times on each side, holding for several seconds at a time.
Rest
Tennis elbow can be prevented by not overusing your arm’s muscles and tendons. Overuse is the primary factor in developing this condition, so do your best to limit how often these muscle groups are worked during physical activity.
One of the best ways to prevent injury is by practicing a proper warm-up and stretching routine before exercise sessions. This will help minimize potential injury risks and give your body time to adjust to new movements and stresses placed upon it.
Stretching can also improve flexibility, which is an effective way to prevent injuries like tennis elbow from occurring in the first place. This is especially helpful if you engage in athletics or other physically demanding activities that require you to use your arms and hands frequently.
Another way to protect your elbow is by getting enough rest, particularly during the healing process. This will aid in muscle and tendon recovery more rapidly.
It’s essential to keep moving if you have an injury such as tennis elbow. Doing so could cause your muscles to weaken and atrophy, while also hindering the healing process due to reduced blood supply and poor circulation in tendons when resting.
Avoid stretching your arms overhead or rolling them onto your body while sleeping, as this can put additional strain and irritation on the area. Furthermore, these positions tend to increase inflammation which will further slow down healing time.
Ice
The best way to prevent tennis elbow is to limit activities that put too much strain on the tendons in your arm. These connect muscles to bones and can become damaged due to repetitive strain if you regularly play racquet sports like tennis or squash, or do jobs requiring repetitive gripping.
If you experience tennis elbow, it is essential to apply ice on the affected area immediately in order to reduce inflammation and pain. Ice can also help improve range of motion and function in this joint.
Ice is an effective, cost-effective and straightforward remedy for tennis elbow. It works by relieving inflammation and expediting the healing process.
Ice can be combined with other treatments to provide maximum relief for this uncomfortable condition. A physical therapist may suggest a therapy program to increase blood flow to the tendons, for instance.
Another option is to massage the affected area. This can be accomplished with an automated device that applies instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) massage strokes to break up adhesions and scar tissue in the arm and forearm muscles.
Tennis elbow can be treated effectively with a combination of heat and ice, but only when absolutely necessary. Be careful not to overuse ice as this could actually stall healing processes.
Be aware that if you use ice frequently, the body can become dependent on it. This could lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like cravings which may be difficult to overcome. For this reason, consulting with your doctor, community health centre or drug support service is recommended before beginning any long-term usage of the substance.
Compression
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition that affects tendons on the outer side of your arm. It’s particularly common among tennis players but can affect seamstresses, hairstylists, carpenters and others who work with their hands regularly.
Tennis elbow can be helped with a support device that applies compression to the forearm. Physical therapy and other treatments may be combined with this support device in order to get your arm pain under control.
Compression sleeves help improve blood flow and circulation to the elbow, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the affected area, which accelerates healing.
Pressure can also help reduce swelling and the likelihood of blood clots, particularly if you are suffering from lymphedema, a disorder in which fluid accumulates in the body and cannot drain effectively.
Compression sleeves come in many varieties, all serving the same purpose of applying pressure to the elbow joint and its surrounding tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The increased pressure encourages better blood flow and circulation around the elbow which may help speed up healing time for this condition.
Compression sleeves offer another benefit, keeping the elbow warm. This can be especially beneficial for individuals recovering from injuries like tennis elbow.
To determine which compression device is suitable for you, consult a medical professional. They can diagnose the issue and suggest an appropriate product. It’s also essential that you adhere to a recovery plan created by either your doctor or physical therapist.
Surgery
Tennis elbow is usually treatable with rest, ice, compression and over-the-counter pain relievers. Surgery becomes an option when nonsurgical treatments don’t work or rehabilitation fails to improve the condition.
To determine whether you have tennis elbow, your doctor will examine your arm and ask about any symptoms you are experiencing. They may also take X-rays or imaging tests to look for arthritis, a broken bone or other issues on the inside of your arm.
Physical therapists can provide you with stretching and strengthening exercises to restore the range of motion in your arm. You’ll also need to wear an elbow brace while recovering, and avoid activities that aggravate the injury.
If non-surgical treatments fail to address your symptoms, your doctor may suggest surgery to release damaged tissue from the lateral epicondyle (where muscles of the elbow connect to upper arm bone (humerus). In this procedure, weakened tendon is removed or divided and stitched back together with dissolving sutures for healing purposes.
Most people feel much better after this surgery and can return to their regular activities within 6-12 weeks. After this period, you can start doing strengthening exercises with light weights to build arm strength.
Your doctor may suggest taking an anti-inflammatory medication for your elbow. Over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen can help reduce swelling and stiffness in your elbow.
While recovering, you may need to take time off from your job or activities that require extensive use of your elbow. You’ll likely require assistance with household tasks and may not be able to lift heavy objects or operate machinery safely.
Surgery should never be taken lightly. To make an informed decision, research surgeons and find one you trust. Consult with friends, family and your healthcare provider for guidance.
