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5 tips for a tennisarm
Tennis elbow is a common complaint. Because people have started working at home more in and after the corona period, noticeably more tennis arms have arisen. This is mainly due to the use of less correctly adjusted desks and work chairs. The medical name for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis. Tennis elbow is an inflammation of the tendon on the outside of the elbow and is caused by overload. The tendon is connected to the extensors of the wrist and fingers. When this tendon becomes overloaded, inflammation can occur at the attachment of the tendon to the bone. This does not mean that the tennis arm is caused by overloading while playing tennis. Watch our information video here !
Tip 1: Are you sure it is tennis elbow?
It is important to first find out whether you actually have tennis elbow. Of course, the best way to find out if you have tennis elbow is to have it examined by a doctor or physiotherapist. However, you can test yourself in a simple way whether your complaints are caused by tennis elbow. To do this, place your forearm flat on the table, raise your hand and press against the back of your hand. Apply counter pressure with your palm against your other hand. If you experience severe pain or shooting pain in the elbow/forearm, then you have confirmed that the muscles involved in tennis elbow are causing your pain. If the complaints do not worsen, it may be a golfer’s elbow, or the complaints may be caused by radiation from the neck/shoulder region.
Tip 2: Don’t overload your arm
Continue to use your arm, but within the pain threshold. Make sure that you no longer have any complaints before you start using the arm again. It is better to wait a little longer to use your arm than to start too early. It is important that you do not use a sling. Immobilizing your arm and elbow completely will be counterproductive to your complaint.
Tip 3: Exercises for your tennis elbow
By doing stretching and mobility exercises, you can begin your tennis elbow recovery.
- Keep your arm at your side and press your elbow into your side with the thumb turned out. Bend and then pull your elbow. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
- Keep your arm at your side and press your elbow into your side. The forearm is at a right angle to the upper arm. Then rotate your palm back and forth without lifting your elbow from the side. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
- Keep your arm at your side and press your elbow into your side with the thumb turned out. Now make a movement in and out with your forearms so that you make a rotation with your upper arms. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
- Extend your arm (knuckles up) and press your wrist down with your other hand (so that your wrist is in maximum end position). Repeat this for 10 x 10 seconds three times a day. It is important that you ensure that the muscles and tendons you are stretching are completely relaxed during the stretch. You may during the stretch never feel pain on the elbow itself!
Do you suffer from a tennis arm? A tennis elbow can best be treated by means of stretching exercises in combination with a tennis elbow brace .
Tip 4: Don’t keep going with complaints
Do not wait too long, if you feel that the symptoms are not going away or are getting worse, it is best to contact your GP or a physiotherapist. The physiotherapist will investigate exactly where the complaint comes from and will give you an exercise program for this. If the complaints do indeed arise from the attachment of the joint extensor tendon of the forearm and your complaints have been present for much longer, the physiotherapist can advise you shockwave in combination with a brace and/or exercises. Shockwave can break the chronic cycle of tendonitis.
Tip 5: Wear a tennis elbow brace
Wear a tennis elbow brace to relieve the pain. An elbow brace is a temporary solution, but certainly in the initial phase provides more rest and therefore less pain. The pressure of the tennis elbow brace ensures that you experience less pain. Pull the band to avoid pinching your arm just too tight. Check our website for a suitable elbow brace on our injury page. We recommend the following elbow braces in combination with tennis elbow complaints:
- Thuasne Tennis Elbow Strap
- Bauerfeind EpiPoint
- Thuasne elbow bandage
These elbow braces are specially designed for tennis elbow or golf elbow . The band puts pressure on the tendon attachment. This pressure reduces the symptoms. A tennis elbow brace will not be reimbursed by your insurer. You will therefore have to pay for the tennis elbow brace yourself.
