Lateral Epicondylitis (also known as tennis elbow) is an overuse injury, usually attributed to repetitive motion. Commonly seen in 30-50 year olds with physical work requirements, pain often presents on the outside of the elbow as a dull, achy throb or burning sensation.
Here are the top 4 exercises to restore pain-free elbow function and get you back in to tip top shape!
1) Wrist Extensor Stretch
Perform 3 stretches in total. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
2) Weighted Supination/Pronation with a Hammer
Perform 15 of these back and forth slowly to tolerance.
3) Resisted Wrist Extension
Perform 10 of these slowly and to tolerance.
4) Gripping Exercise
Perform 20 of these consecutively, holding the squeeze for 2-3 seconds before releasing.
TIP: As for most inflammatory conditions, ice can help decrease pain, swelling, and inflammation. Try applying a cold pack to the outside of the elbow for 10 minutes after these exercises. Make sure to avoid placing directly on the skin for prevention of freezer burn.
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As always, if these exercises increase your pain at all, or if they don’t improve your symptoms after a few days, you will probably benefit from a 1-on-1 evaluation with a physical therapist. If you’re interested, you can hit the Request an Appointment button at the top of this page and we will get in touch with you!
