If you’re experiencing pain around the outside of your elbow joint, it’s possible that you might have developed tennis elbow, which is caused by inflammation in the tendons (the cords that connect muscle to bone).
The condition can be caused by activities that involve gripping objects and repeatedly twisting the wrist and forearm, such as playing tennis (hence the name!), manual tasks like using a screwdriver and computer work like typing.
Symptoms of tennis elbow include:
– Pain on the outside of your elbow
– Pain in the forearm
– Tenderness/swelling in the elbow
– Difficulty straightening your arm fully
How to treat tennis elbow
To help you manage your symptoms and ease any pain you’re in, it is advisable to reduce or avoid any activities that make it worse.
You can use paracetamol to ease the pain and consider applying a hot or cold pack on the affected area, applying it for up to 20 minutes every two hours or so.
If you’re still experiencing pain after a few weeks, despite resting the joint and trying at-home treatments, it’s advisable to seek medical guidance to help address the underlying cause.
Can physio help with tennis elbow?
One of the best options for treating tennis elbow is going to see a physiotherapist. They will be able to devise a tailored treatment plan to help resolve the issue, including massage therapy and different stretching and strengthening exercises for the wrist and forearm.
For example, you may be advised to carry out wrist extensor strengthening exercises where you rest your forearm on a table, then extend your wrist up with the palm facing down, holding the position for 15 seconds and repeating for a set of five.
Benefits of physio for tennis elbow include:
– Improved muscle strength
– Supported tissue healing
– Pain relief
– Restoration of the joint range of motion and function
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
