What is Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis?
Symptoms of Lateral Epicondylitis
- pain that radiates into your forearm and wrist
- difficulty holding objects or rotating the wrist
- stiff elbow
- weakness in the hands, wrist, or forearms
How is Lateral Epicondylitis Diagnosed?
- manual tests
- muscle weakness
- sore muscles are gently tensed and stretched to identify the exact location of the problem
- muscle weakness
- x-rays are rarely used to diagnose tennis elbow
How do we treat Lateral Epicondylitis?
- rest the arm by avoiding certain activities that cause the pain and modify others
- 10-20 minutes of ice treatment
- elastic bandages to take pressure of the effected muscles
- your physical therapist may recommend that you wear a brace or support
- this will protect the muscles while they heal
- this will protect the muscles while they heal
- depending on the severity of the injury, your physical therapist might give you a referral to see if medication may be needed such as injections of cortisone or surgery
- your physical therapist can make a specific treatment plan to speed up your recovery this will or may include
- a home exercises routine
- special therapy treatment for pain relief
- passive exercises
- early treatment when the pain is the most intense
- movements of the elbow and wrists without the use of the muscles
- early treatment when the pain is the most intense
- manual therapy
- this will help your joints and muscles move more freely with less pain
- this will help your joints and muscles move more freely with less pain
- strengthening exercises
- improves the strength in the wrist, forearms, supporting postural “core” muscles, and/or overall level of fitness
- when the muscles have strengthened and the symptoms have decrease, you can use weights and/or resistance bands to further increase strengthening
- improves the strength in the wrist, forearms, supporting postural “core” muscles, and/or overall level of fitness
- passive exercises
- ice and/or heat treatments
- modifying daily activities
- your physical therapist will help you remain active in your daily life by showing you how to modify daily activities at work, recreation, and/or home to avoid pain and re injury
- this will include modifications to lessen the strain put on your hands, wrists, and forearms by everyday activities and tools such as
- computer desk set-up
- kitchen devices
- sports equipment and/or training frequency
- gardening tools
- computer desk set-up
- your physical therapist will help you remain active in your daily life by showing you how to modify daily activities at work, recreation, and/or home to avoid pain and re injury
- a home exercises routine
Prevention for Lateral Epicondylitis
- maintaining a healthy fitness level
- using proper techniques during activities in play and work
- using equipment that is well designed and appropriate for your body type
- be extra cautious if you have had a previous injury, this increases the odds of re injury
- always consult a qualified professionals before engaging in any kind of activity that may put you at risk of injury
http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=32f9930b-798e-4bdc-b322-15ec6803d22b
How Purvottanasana Can Help Us Care for Our Tennis Elbow
Another way to intensify the stretch, if your arms and wrist are strong enough, is to place the hands closer together so that the shoulder blades are closer to one another as they wrap around your back. Thank you Maureen Lauer-Gatta for the great recommendation on which yoga pose that I could look into for this week's article! Maureen is the owner and a teacher at the Yoga Room in Niles Ohio. If you live or are in the area, stop by for a class, and you might see Maureen, me, or both of us. Here is the link to the Yoga Room's website: http://www.trumbullyogaroom.com/
Cautions
- check with your physical therapist or doctor if you are recovering from a wrist injury
- if you have a neck injury, you can use the wall our a chair to support the head
Technique
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight, feet flexed, and hands at the side of your waist (Dandasana or staff pose).
- Move your hands several inches behind your hips and bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor, heels should be a foot away from you buttock.
- With an exhale, raise your hips from the floor, so that your torso and thighs are about parallel to the floor. You will resemble a table.
- Straighten your legs out, so that your feet reach forward, and toes point. Raise your hips higher without tightening you buttock.
- If comfortable, slowly lower your head back.
- Hold this pose for as long as you are able with easy breathing.
- Release to the floor with an exhalation into Dandasana, and then relax.
Here is an article from yoga journal that provides a wealth of information on Purvottanasana. http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/upward-plank-pose/
This is a video demonstration of Purvottanasana by Esther Ekhart. She gives us some nice alignment ques and a good perspective on how Purvottanasana is a good preparatory pose for correct back bends and counter for Chaturanga Dandasana, push up, or plank pose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EuBcJ7ZZHw
I hope this article has provided you with some useful knowledge about how to identify and treat tennis elbow for yourself and the one's you love. Seek medical attention when you think it is necessary, and always be very careful when addressing bodily injury.
If there is ever anything that you would like to hear about please let me know in the comments area here or on the Facebook group “For the Love of Self.” I am always happy to hear comments on how to improve or to hear what you enjoyed about the current article. May your tennis elbow be relieved! :-) Have a wonderful week! Do your best to take care of your wrists, hands, and arms, so that you might be happy, healthy, and productive throughout your days! Aaron Szczurek <3 :-)