It is known as tennis elbow, but you don’t have to pick up a racket to suffer from this niggling injury. It occurs when the tendons which connect your elbow bones to your forearm muscles become inflamed. Repetitive movements, such as tennis strokes, painting, and heavy tool usage, can lead to these muscles and tendons being strained.
Common in those aged between 30 and 50, it is said that tennis elbow affects 1% to 3% of the population. The injury is a persistent one, with it typically lasting between six months and two years.
For those hoping their recovery is closer to the former number of six months, this guide is here to help. The following information will teach you the best approach to take when treating tennis elbow.
Rest
It’s a simple enough first step on paper, but also an important one – you should try and rest your tennis elbow as much as possible. This condition is a result of overuse and repetition, so the less you use your elbow, the more beneficial it will be for
If the injury was due to a certain hobby, switching to one which is less taxing on your elbow should be easy enough. However, if work causes the problem, it’s going to be tough to ease off as you typically cannot walk away from your tasks.
Whatever situation you find yourself in, it’s important you try and learn to place less strain on your elbow. This can be done by relying more on your upper arm muscles and shoulder.
Brace support
For that added support where less pressure is put on the tendons in your elbow, it is highly recommended to utilize a brace. With it generally worn on your forearm, this remedy is also an effortless one. After a while, you can pretty much forget you’re even using a supportive brace.
However, it’s vital you select a high-quality brace that is proven to deliver positive results. This can be done by purchasing the product from a reputable source like podobrace.co.uk.
Managing the pain
If you’re currently suffering from tennis elbow, you know it can be painful. Fortunately, there are ways to ease the pain while on the road to recovery.
One method is to use ice. Whether it’s cold packs or a bag of frozen peas, placing a cold source on your injured elbow can assist with reducing pain and swelling. Ideally, you should do this several times throughout the day, 10-15 minutes at a time.
Over-the-counter pain relievers are another option to deal with mild-to-moderate pain. Options such as naproxen and ibuprofen – known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – are known to help.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy is a great addition to any recovery program for tennis elbow. By working with a professional therapist, they can increase blood flow to the damaged tendons, something which can speed up the healing process.
Even once your therapy is complete, remember to continue the momentum and put into practice what you have learned. This should help prevent tennis elbow from happening again in the future.
