Tennis elbow, known as lateral epicondylitis, is often caused due to overuse of tendons near the elbow joint. You might be experiencing tennis elbow if you feel pain while lifting something, opening a door or making a fist. Apart from sports such as tennis, fencing or weight lifting, tennis elbow can also affect people with different jobs and activities where repetitive arm movements are required, such as carpentry or painting. Tennis elbow can be managed with physiotherapy that includes specific therapeutic exercises to reduce pain and limitations. Physiotherapy can also help with inflammation and reoccurrence of pain. Count on Clayton Heights Sports & Therapy Center for professional physiotherapy in Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley. We also offer alternative practices such as acupuncture, cupping and cranial sacral therapy.
Treatment for Tennis Elbow Though tennis elbow will get better with time without any treatment, some non-surgical treatments can aid in healing and help improve the symptoms. Some of the treatments that can help tennis elbow are: · Ensure your injured arm gets enough rest by stopping the activities that caused the problem for the time being. Even for a minor injury, proper rest will make sure the irritated tendons and muscles are rested · Holding a cold compress, such as ice or frozen peas against your elbow, can reduce the pain and swelling. You can apply the compress three to four times a day. While applying ice, avoid direct contact with your skin as it might lead to frostbite · Using an elbow strap can support your muscle and help relieve pain while performing daily activities · Change work habits or sporting equipment that can contribute to pain · High energy shockwaves can be passed to relieve pain and promote movement in the affected area · For severe cases, physiotherapy is recommended as it can relieve the pain in the affected area. Your physiotherapists might recommend a range of motion exercises to increase flexibility and blood flow in your arm. Manual therapy, such as massages and manipulation, can also help strengthen your muscles. Some of the physical exercises that can help stretch your muscles are: 1. Wrist Turn With or Without Weight The exercise can be performed with or without weights. You have to bend the elbow at a right angle and twist the palm gradually facing down and facing up. 2. Towel Twist This exercise is performed by twisting the towel by moving hands in opposite directions. 3. Fist Clench You can improve your grip strength by performing a fist clench that can help build the forearm muscles. 4. Ball Squeeze Squeeze a rubber ball in your hand and release it after some time. Perform this activity for at least 10 -15 times. 5. Elbow Bend Move the arm upwards until it touches the shoulder. Maintain the same position for a few seconds. · Surgery is usually the last resort where the damaged part of the tendon is removed to relieve pain. Physiotherapy is based on the assessment of your illness, injury or disability. Your physiotherapist might recommend changing the way of performing your daily activities or playing sports. Some movements might cause pain, so determining these movements will be necessary with physiotherapy. Professional physiotherapists at Clayton Heights Sports & Therapy Center have an advanced understanding of how to restore full mobility. We have a wide range of medical practitioners, including massage therapists and chiropractors, who can help you regain mobility. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our professional physiotherapists.