What physical therapy for tennis elbow?

Luckily, there are a few different physical therapies that are able to help you with tennis elbow. These include special tests, corticosteroid shots, and exercises to help ease the pain.

Exercises to help relieve pain in our area

During physical therapy for tennis elbow, you may want to perform a number of exercises to help relieve pain. These exercises are designed to improve flexibility, increase range of motion, and strengthen muscles that support the elbow. During exercise, you should avoid gripping the elbow.

The supinator muscle is a large muscle in the forearm that turns the palm up. It is often injured in tennis elbow. When you exercise the supinator muscle, you will find that it can help relieve pain.

This exercise involves a dumbbell that weighs about one to two pounds. Hold the dumbbell vertically and rotate your wrist a small amount. It should take about 15-20 repetitions to achieve an isometric supination.

The forearm muscles are important to keep your elbow flexible. However, they are not always as flexible as they should be. For more information on how we treat tennis elbow, visit our specializing in telehealth physical therapy treatment options and corrective exercise solutions page.

Special tests

During physical therapy for tennis elbow, special tests are used to evaluate the patient’s pain and range of motion. These tests are standardized and are described in many physical therapy manuals. A physical therapist should also review the anatomy of the elbow. If there are other potential causes of the symptoms, X-rays or neurovascular tests should be performed.

Cozen’s test, also known as a resistive tennis elbow test, is used to examine the lateral epicondyle. It involves positioning the patient’s forearm into radial deviation and pronation. This can be performed seated or standing. The therapy thumb is applied to the lateral epicondyle, and the wrist is held in extension. This results in pain and discomfort. The test is performed to diagnose Lateral Epicondylitis.

The Mills test is also used to diagnose lateral epicondylitis. This simple test involves the physical therapist holding the elbow in flexion and bending the forearm downward. The examiner then hooks one finger beneath the biceps tendon. Learn more about our team of board certified specialists.

Corticosteroid shot

Glucocorticoid injections may be effective in the short term to treat lateral epicondylitis, but they have some downsides in the long term. Some studies suggest that corticosteroid injections may be more effective when accompanied by physiotherapy. Nevertheless, corticosteroid injections have been used for decades to treat tennis elbow. However, studies suggest that repeated injections can have negative effects.

The short-term effect of corticosteroid injections is that they reduce acute tendon injuries. However, in many patients, the pain returns soon after the injections are administered.

Physiotherapy is a more conservative treatment. It has shown a better outcome than waiting for the corticosteroid shot to wear off. This is especially true when it comes to the elbow.

Another study, from the University of Queensland, found that steroid shots were less effective than waiting for them to wear off. However, exercise and manipulation were also effective.

Wrist extension and wrist flexion

Increasing the range of motion of the wrist is one of the most important components of physical therapy for tennis elbow. This can be accomplished through stretching, strengthening, and flexibility exercises. These exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home, and are a great way to increase your health and fitness.

Tennis elbow is a common injury that is often caused by repetitive stress. Whether the cause is a specific activity or repetitive grasping of a finger, the symptoms are the same: pain on the outside of the elbow.

Symptoms can be mild or intense. If you are experiencing pain, you should talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend a corticosteroid injection to reduce pain. Then, ice therapy can be used to help reduce the pain. Eventually, you can gradually return to your previous level of activity. Let our specialists in our area help! Contact us today.

Weighted wrist rotation

Using weighted wrist rotation as part of physical therapy for tennis elbow is a great way to increase flexibility and strength in the wrist. This exercise involves raising and lowering your hand while rotating your wrist from palm down to palm up. You can perform this exercise at home or in a fitness facility.

The supinator muscle, located in the forearm, is often involved in tennis elbow movements. A small 2 pound dumbbell weight can be used to work out the supinator muscle. If you do not have weights, you can use a ball of socks or a tennis ball to do this exercise.

You can also get a tennis elbow brace to help reduce the strain on your elbow. However, you should consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program. You can also try ice compressions for temporary relief.