Tennis elbow is a musculoskeletal condition that includes pain around the outer part of the elbow. It is clinically known as lateral epicondylitis. Tennis elbow is mainly caused due to repetitive overuse of muscles and tendons of the forearm near the elbow joint which causes the tiny tear in the tendons of the forearm. Pain and weakness due to tennis elbow can hamper daily activities such as shaking hands, holding a cup, or turning a doorknob.
EXERCISES THAT CAN HELP IN TENNIS ELBOW:
The first step in treating tennis elbow is reducing inflammation and resting the irritated muscles and tendons. Once the inflammation subsides, you can begin with these gentle exercises. Tennis elbow exercises help in decreasing the pain in your elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. They also help in strengthening your arm muscles and prevent further injury.
1. Wrist Extension Stretch:
• First step is to straighten your arm and bend your wrist back as if signalling someone to “stop.”
• Then use your opposite hand to apply gentle pressure across the palm and pull it towards you until you feel a stretch on the inside of your forearm.
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and then perform this stretch on the other arm.
2. Wrist Flexion Stretch:
• Straighten your arm with your palm facing down and bend your wrist in order that your fingers point down.
• Gently pull your hand toward your body till the time you feel a stretch on the outside of your forearm.
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and then perform this stretch on the other arm.
3. Towel Twist:
• To perform this, hold a loosely rolled-up towel lengthways, with one hand at each end.
• Keep the shoulders relaxed.
• Then twist the towel by moving the hands in opposite directions, as if wringing out water.
• Then repeat by twisting the towel in the reverse direction.
4. Fist Clench:
• Sit on a chair and place your forearm resting on the table.
• Hold a small softball in your hand.
• Squeeze the ball in your hand and hold for 10 seconds.
• Switch and do the other arm.
5. Fingers stretch:
• Hold your fingers close together with your thumb.
• Then put a rubber band around the outside of your fingers and thumb.
• Spread your fingers along with the thumb apart and then slowly bring them together without letting the rubber band fall off.
• Then Repeat it again several times.
Try the above- suggested exercises to help ease pain and prevent reoccurrence. You can start with 10 reps in a day. If doing them 10 times hurt, start with five. If doing these exercises every day feels like a strain, try every other day and work your way up.
Also Read: Tennis Elbow / Lateral Epicondylitis
For more information, you can visit NCBI and HealthLine.
