How Do You Get Tennis Elbow?
Something that a lot of people don’t know about tennis elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) is that it’s a type of tendonitis, and it doesn’t ONLY occur from playing tennis. It is also commonly known as golf elbow, and can occur from any activity that pulls the forearms tendons repetitively over time. This includes carpentry, painting, squash, weightlifting, and of course- tennis and golf.
Even though the damage is in and/or around the elbow, the pain can also be felt around the wrist, hands and all around the forearms. According to Knox Orthopedic, symptoms of tennis elbow typically include pain or burning on the outer part of your elbow, and weak/painful grip strength. So for everyone out there struggling with this right now, here are some simple exercises to help reinforce your tendons so you can recover from tennis elbow in no time!
Tennis Elbow Exercises
- This is probably the simplest exercise that exists. All you need is a rubber band. Wrap the band around your fingers and thumb and the pull your fingers away from your thumb for as many sets as you can- twice a day if possible.
- To straighten grip, professionals recommend you use a small, soft, object (putty, stuffed animal/ball) and squeeze continuously for 10-15 minutes up to 3 times a day.
- The next two are for less severe elbow injuries, or injuries that are further along in the healing process, as they require heavier weight. First, you're going to need to find a chair with an arm about the length of your forearm, so that your wrist hangs over the edge of the armrest. Then you're going to need to hold a light 2-5 lb weight or whatever you have around the house to substitute. A hammer, can of food, bottle of water, etc. Any of these objects will work. Rotate your forearms to twist the object side to side 10 times or as many times as possible and repeat 1-2 times per day.
- Lastly, REST. And to aid recovery in times of rest- many athletes swear by the use of electrical nerve stimulation. TENS Units, when applied correctly, help send electrical waves to the injured and overstretched muscle to help restrengthen the tendon. If you're still in the search for one, I recommend this one because it has 12 different modes, so depending on your pain level you can start small and slowly increase the strength over time.
Happy Healing!