What Are the Top 3 Tennis Elbow Exercises I Can Do at Home?
To effectively address tennis elbow at home, you must incorporate specific exercises that target the affected muscles. Among the most beneficial are gentle forearm stretches, wrist extension exercises, and eccentric wrist flexion.
Gentle forearm stretches improve flexibility and alleviate tension, while wrist extension exercises strengthen the extensor muscles and reduce pain. Eccentric wrist flexion, focusing on controlled muscle lengthening, is vital for healing and strengthening.
Understanding how to execute these exercises correctly can greatly aid in rehabilitation and the prevention of further injury. So, what specific techniques should you follow to maximise the benefits of these exercises? Let’s find out in our latest blog.
Gentle Forearm Stretches
These stretches are foundational tennis elbow exercises that help enhance muscle flexibility and reduce strain. For effective tennis elbow treatment at home, it is vital to integrate these stretches into your daily routine.
This not only teaches how to fix a tennis elbow, but also prevents further injury by maintaining muscle elasticity.
When addressing tennis elbow, incorporating gentle forearm stretches, such as extending the fingers and pulling them back, is essential for improving flexibility and alleviating tension in the affected muscles.
To perform this stretch, extend your arm fully in front of you with the palm facing down. Using your other hand, gently pull back on the fingers until you feel a stretch along the forearm. Hold this position for 30 seconds, ensuring not to overextend or cause pain. Repeat this exercise three times on each arm.
In addition to the finger extension stretch, another beneficial movement is the wrist flexor stretch. To perform this, extend your arm with the palm facing upwards and gently pull back on the fingers. This targets the muscles on the underside of the forearm, providing thorough relief.
Here is a useful video tutorial from POGO Physiotherapy showing you how to perform both stretches:
These stretches are foundational tennis elbow exercises that help enhance muscle flexibility and reduce strain. For effective tennis elbow treatment at home, it is vital to integrate these stretches into your daily routine. This not only teaches how to fix a tennis elbow, but also prevents further injury by maintaining muscle elasticity.
Regular practice of these exercises for tennis elbow fosters gradual healing and improved function.
Wrist Extension Exercises
To effectively strengthen the forearm muscles and alleviate symptoms of tennis elbow, wrist extension exercises are essential components of a rehabilitation routine.
Extensor muscles in the forearm, often strained in individuals with tennis elbow, are the target of these exercises. Proper execution of these exercises can aid in reducing pain and enhancing muscle strength.
Here is a step-by-step guide to performing wrist extension exercises at home:
1. Seated Wrist Extension
- Sit on a chair with your forearm resting on a table, palm facing down.
- Hold a light dumbbell or a small, weighted object in your hand.
- Slowly lift the weight by extending your wrists upwards.
- Lower it back to the starting position and repeat for 10–15 repetitions.
Here is a useful video tutorial from Ortholndy North West explaining how to perform.
2. Resistance Band Wrist Extension
- Attach a resistance band to a stable object and hold the other end.
- With your forearm resting on your thigh, extend your wrist against the band’s resistance.
- Perform 10–15 repetitions for each wrist.
Here is a simple video from PhysioMax Wellness on how to perform the exercise.
3. Isometric Wrist Extension
- Place your palm down on a flat surface and press against it without moving your wrist.
- Hold the pressure for 5–10 seconds and repeat for 10–15 repetitions.
These exercises, when performed regularly, can significantly contribute to the rehabilitation process.
Eccentric Wrist Flexion
Eccentric wrist flexion is another pivotal exercise for tennis elbow rehabilitation, focusing on controlled lengthening of the forearm flexor muscles to enhance strength and promote healing. This exercise is particularly effective in addressing the microtears and inflammation associated with tennis elbow, offering a structured approach to muscle recovery.
To perform eccentric wrist flexion, you will need a light dumbbell or a resistance band. Begin by sitting comfortably with your forearm resting on a table or your thigh, palm facing upwards. Keep the weight or resistance band in your hand.
Using your non-affected hand, assist the affected wrist to flex upwards. Once you reach the peak position, slowly lower the weight back down without assistance, allowing the wrist flexor muscles to elongate under tension. This controlled lowering phase is essential as it stimulates muscle repair and strengthening.
Another simple but effective exercise for tennis elbow, check out this video tutorial from Victory Performance and Physical Therapy to see it in action.
Repeat this movement for 10–15 repetitions, ensuring you maintain a slow, steady pace to maximise the eccentric contraction‘s benefits. Perform this exercise 2-3 times per day, progressively increasing the resistance as your strength improves.
Consistency in practice is key, as it fosters gradual adaptation and recovery of the forearm muscles, ultimately alleviating symptoms of tennis elbow.
FAQs
In Closing...
To sum up, integrating gentle forearm stretches, wrist extension exercises, and eccentric wrist flexion into a home rehabilitation regimen can measurably alleviate the symptoms of tennis elbow.
A study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy found that patients who performed these exercises saw a 70% improvement in pain levels in just four weeks.
Such a structured approach not only facilitates healing but also strengthens the forearm muscles, thereby preventing future injuries.
Ignoring an injury never cures it. Take control today and get rid of your injuries once and for all by booking in online or call (03) 6152 8737 to get leading sport physio injury therapy at our clinic.
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