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Today my lesson is inspired by a student of mine who is suffering from tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, at the moment.
It is usually an overuse injury resulting from the performance of repetitive motions with the hand and forearm, such as swinging a tennis racket or a hammer. Or, in my student's case, changing to a racket that is significantly different from their usual one - weight, width and head size.
Repetitive motions can cause inflammation of the muscles of the forearm. The symptoms include pain, soreness and weakness in the muscles on the outside of the forearm.
Pain that increases when bending the wrist back is also indicative of tennis elbow. The pain also increases when gripping, so shaking hands may even be painful. A feeling of weakness or muscle fatigue in the forearm muscles is also an indicator of tennis elbow.
People with tennis elbow should avoid the activities that cause forearm pain (for example, playing tennis) until the injury heals. Rest will often correct it in a matter of weeks. In addition, the use of ice and anti-inflammatory medications can ease pain and promote healing. Physical therapy and heat therapy may also speed up the healing process.
When returning to the game, wearing an elbow and forearm brace can prevent recurrence of tennis elbow. Elbow braces help prevent the injury by restricting movement and use of the elbow and can be found at sports stores and some chemists.
Because treatment and recovery can be a long, frustrating process, prevention is the best strategy. For tennis players, several equipment adjustments can help prevent the injury. Players should select a racket with a mid-sized head of around 90-105 square inches and the racket should not be too stiff, a flex rating lower than 65.
This information can usually be found when buying a racket and is even found on the internet. Additionally, players who are prone to tennis elbow should string their rackets with softer strings such as synthetic nylon or natural gut at a lower end of the recommended tension range, don't use a polyester or Kevlar. Last, but not least, players should ensure that the grip of their racket is not worn, neither too large nor too small.
Besides equipment adjustments, tennis players and others attempting to prevent the injury can follow several guidelines related to physical activity.
Firstly, strengthening the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm is perhaps the best way to prevent tennis elbow. Strengthening these muscles helps reduce strain on the elbow itself.
Exercises you could try are wrist curls and extensions with very light weights, squeezing a tennis ball in the palm of the hand, or placing a rubber band around the fingers and extending the fingers.
These are all very effective exercises. In addition to strengthening exercises, it is important that players consult a tennis professional to ensure that their strokes are efficient, correct and are not placing undue strain on the elbow.
While tennis elbow is a potentially debilitating injury, taking appropriate preventative measures and consulting knowledgeable professionals can help limit the negative effects.
