3 Steps To Help You Recover Faster From Tennis Elbow
A tennis elbow is the result of a forearm muscle inflammation attached to your elbow. While common in racquet-related sports like tennis and badminton, this problem can also occur from any repetitive activity that works this muscular region hard. For instance, physical work like construction activities, plumbing and carpentry can also cause tennis elbow. If you're suffering from this condition, physiotherapy exercises may help you recover faster. Here are some steps to help you do that.
1. Watch Out For The Signs And Avoid Aggravating The Area
If you notice any warning signs of tennis elbow, it's important that you stop any physical sport or activity that can aggravate the area further and make your injury worse than it is. For example, if you have been typing excessively which has resulted in this condition, then you may need to stop this activity for a little while. Some typical tennis elbow warning signs include a burning sensation in the elbow region or inability to grip anything properly.
2. Wait For Inflammation To Reduce Before Undertaking Any Exercise Program
You need to reduce inflammation to the area by resting your muscles as much as possible before starting any exercise program to give yourself the best possible chance of quick recovery. Ice packs and cold compressions can also help to ease any pain and reduce inflammations in the area. If you feel pain after any activity (even mild ones), make sure you ice the area and make sure you consult a professional physio. You may need to keep icing the elbow region for a couple of days until you feel better. The physio may even be able to help you determine the movements that are causing you more pain than others so that you can reduce or stop them for a short period.
3. Follow Prescribed Physio Exercises
Once the physiotherapist has assessed your condition, you may be given a series of exercises to help strengthen the region. For example, repetitive fist clenching exercises using a light weight may help to improve grip strength through forearm muscle development. Similarly, a wrist extension exercise will help to strengthen your wrist extensor muscles that enable you to bend your wrist without any difficulty. Your physio may start with a few lighter exercises and may gradually upgrade the level of difficulty to help develop your muscles and prevent a similar injury in the future.
You may need to follow up with your physio regularly to give yourself the quickest chance of recovery from tennis elbow.