Did you know that Tennis Elbow can affect more than just tennis players? In fact, this common yet painful injury can arise from workplace activities like painting, carpentry, plumbing, and other professions that require repetitive activity that inflames the muscles in the forearms. If you find yourself suffering from Tennis Elbow, adding proper exercises and braces can help reduce recurrence, help you re-strengthen the affected muscles, and get you back to work, the court, or your favorite activities pain-free.
BEST EXERCISES FOR TENNIS ELBOW
With doctor or physical therapist approval, doing the following gentle exercises can help strengthen the muscles in the forearm to heal current tennis elbow symptoms and prevent future occurrences.
One common symptom of tennis elbow is poor grip strength. Fist Clenches are perfect exercises to improve grip strength by strengthening the muscles in the forearm.
Directions
- Sit at a table with your forearm resting on the surface.
- Hold a rolled up towel or small ball in your palm.
- Squeeze the towel or ball and hold for 10 seconds.
- Release your grip and repeat 10 times.
- Switch arms and repeat.
Supination with a Dumbbell
The supinator is a large muscle in the forearm that attaches to the elbow. It’s main function is turning the palm upward and is often involved in movements that can cause tennis elbow.
Directions
- Sit in a chair and hold a 2-pound dumbbell vertically in your hand. Your elbow should rest on your knee.
- Let the weight of the dumbbell help rotate your arm outward, turning the palm upwards.
- Rotate your hand back to the other direction until your palm is facing downward.
- Repeat 20 times on each arm.
Wrist Extension
The wrist extensors are a muscle group that bends the wrist. These small muscles connect into the elbow and often experience overuse, especially during racquet sports like tennis.
Directions
- Sit in a chair with a 2-pound dumbbell in your hand with your palm facing down. Rest your elbow on your knee.
- With your palm facing down, extend your wrist by curling it towards your body. If this move is too difficult, start with no weight.
- Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times on each side.
BEST BRACES FOR TENNIS ELBOW
In addition to exercises, wearing an injury-preventative brace will also protect your muscles from Tennis Elbow and allow you to play tennis and do other activities pain and worry free.
Sports Elbow Strap
For targeted elbow pain relief, consider adding the Bauerfeind Sports Elbow Strap to your wardrobe. With targeted compression during activities to counteract the overloading forces that injure the elbow, the Sports Elbow Strap gives wearers daily relief. Plus, with the Boa Closure System, the Sports Elbow Strap allows users to adjust the pressure of the strap to achieve their perfect level of comfort.