Tennis Elbow / Lateral EpicondylitisTreatment
Tennis Elbow can be a painful and consuming condition. If you find yourself with the diagnosis or suffer with this condition periodically try the following self care regiment. With consistent effort and care you will have reduced pain and greater mobility. Each individual will react differently to different treatments. You may want to wear a brace while recovering from tennis elbow or take a NSAID to help alleviate any inflammation that is present. Also be sure to rest your elbow in order to allow space for it to recover.
Isometric Extension
The best way of contracting the muscles isometrically (or statically – no movement) is to get a partner to resist your movement, or use your other hand or an object such as a table to resist movement.
Position the arm with the forearm and palm facing downwards and supported if possible.
Attempt to extend the wrist by lifting it back as if trying to point the fingers to the ceiling.
Maintain the contraction for 5 seconds. Rest and repeat 10-15 times.
There should not be any movement at the wrist joint.
Finger Extension
Bring all your fingertips together as if making a ‘beak shape’.
Place a rubber band over your fingers, holding the tips together.
Move your fingers away from each other against the resistance of the band.
Repeat this 10-20 times.
Dynamic Wrist Extension
When the above exercises can be completed comfortably without pain then you can move on to dynamic exercises.
This may be from 5 days onwards. Do not rush. If the injury becomes painful take a step back.
Dynamic exercises can be performed using a light weight (about 1 kg). Move the wrist from flexion to extension.
Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions daily and build up gradually up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
The same exercise can be performed using a resistance band.
Rest your forearm on your knee, pinning one end of the band under your foot.
Wrap the other end around your hand.
Start with the wrist in a flexed position (pointing down to the floor) and the band pulled taught.
Extend your wrist, keeping the forearm still.
Slowly return back to the start position and repeat 10-15 times.
Gradually increase the number of repetitions you perform.
Self Massage
Rest your forearm with your thumb facing upwards.
Wrap fingers of other hand around forearm to find the bone edge of forearm.
Move your fingers up towards the sky about an inch…here are your extensor muscles.
Gently massage the extensor muscles looking for any tender or touch spots, heeding them special attention.
Gently move wrist and forearm while massaging the muscles to improve blood flow and realign muscle tissue.
Ice Therapy
Apply a bag of ice to elbow up to 6 times per day for 15 minutes.
Freeze water in a Dixie cup.
Tear down sides of cup to access edge of ice.
Rub edge of ice into sore areas on arm for a minute.
Return cup to freezer and repeat above steps frequently throughout the day.