When the tendons in your elbow are strained due to repetitive movements of your arm and wrist, you will experience a pain, this condition is known as tennis elbow. This condition is called so because it has been observed that tennis players use a poor technique of playing the backhand stroke which further causes tennis elbows. More common among athletes, tennis elbow affects people in other professions as well. Plumbers, butchers, carpenters, and painters whose jobs involve frequent movements of the arms and wrists also develop tennis elbow over time. The pain caused by tennis elbow occurs in the elbows and the arms, specifically along the tendons that run from the forearm muscles to the bony bump on the outer part of the elbow.
Tennis elbow can be treated with rest and over-the-counter medications. If the pain persists for a long time, it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo effective physical therapy treatments. If you think your work or daily activities make you susceptible to tennis elbow, you can take some measures for the prevention of tennis elbows. Here are some tips that can help in the prevention of tennis elbow:
- One of the best techniques for prevention of tennis elbow is to strengthen the muscles of the forearm. Forearm exercises can help to make the forearm and elbow stronger. Strengthening these muscles will reduce the strain from the tendons of the elbows. With the help of a physiotherapist, the following exercises can be done: tennis ball squeezes, dumbbell or barbell wrist curls and extensions, wrist rollers, dead-arm hangs, deadlifts, and rows.
- Another way for prevention of tennis elbow is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and do regular exercises to stay in good shape. Along with strengthening the muscles of the forearm and elbow, it is essential to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder and upper back. This will help to take the pressure off the elbows.
- Consult a physiotherapist to learn the correct techniques and movements of the activities that you do in your daily life that are the core reasons for aggravating the symptoms of tennis elbow. First, identify these pain-inducing techniques and discuss with your physiotherapist the different alternative movements and correct postures. Avoid an overuse of the affected arms whenever you do repeated movements that may cause injuries to the tendons of the forearm. Use alternate hands while doing activities that can cause tennis elbows.
- Another good method for prevention of tennis elbow is to wear a counterforce brace. This is a strap that is worn around the forearm and just below the elbow. A counterforce brace can be worn while doing activities and tasks that require you twist your arms or grasp an object by twisting your arms. This brace distributes the stress from the muscle to the entire arm, and reduces pressure from the affected tendon.
- For the prevention of tennis elbow, it is best to avoid doing the activities that cause pain and put pressure on the tendons. These activities can be halted for a short duration to allow the tendons and muscles to heal. If these activities are unavoidable, learn the correct techniques to reduce the pressure on the affected muscles and tendons.
