What Causes Tennis Elbow?

As we covered above, tennis elbow is the result of repetitive movements similar to swinging a tennis racket. This overuse causes inflammation of the muscles and tendons that extend to the wrist and can be a real nuisance.

The name “tennis elbow” is misleading in that most people afflicted by tennis elbow don’t play tennis at all. Many activities can lead to tennis elbow, from playing similar sports like pickleball to sitting at a desk all day with incorrect posture. Those with manual jobs, such as plumbers or construction workers, are more susceptible to tennis elbow as their work may require them to repeatedly perform movements that cause wear on the elbow tendons. The pain can interfere with everyday activities and is usually felt on the outside of the elbow, right where it meets the forearm.

When you come in to see a physical therapist for tennis elbow, they’ll first locate the source of your pain and determine the severity. They’ll work with you to perform stretching exercises specific to your pain, customizing treatments that consider your unique body and incorporate any daily tasks or occupational activities that you frequently perform. They may also use techniques such as:

• Strengthening Exercises to target weakened areas along your arm that may be contributing to pain symptoms.
• Manual Therapy to reduce pain and increase range of motion through the use of skilled, hands-on techniques.
• Movement Education to improve form while performing daily activities.

While there are other tennis elbow treatment methods available, physical therapy for tennis elbow can be the best solution for a personalized plan of care that incorporates your work/daily duties into recovery. Your PT will work the affected muscles and prescribe strengthening/stretching exercises so that the problem doesn’t come back. They’ll also help to strengthen secondary areas of the body, such as weakened forearm muscles or poor posture, that may be contributing to your tennis elbow pain. As you work one-on-one with your physical therapist, they will ensure that they uncover the root of your issue and correct it for the long-term.

Tennis elbow recovery time will depend on the severity of your issue but generally, you’ll see an improvement pretty quickly after beginning treatment. With regular physical therapy for tennis elbow treatments, your injury will likely be fully recovered after 8-10 weeks.

Physical therapists can provide the necessary tools to prevent and/or treat tennis elbow, allowing you to return to your favorite activities pain-free and stronger than ever.

What are the Typical Treatments for Tennis Elbow?

If you’ve had tennis elbow, it’s important that you prevent re-injury if the tendons have not healed properly or if your muscle strength is weak, or if joint mobility is lessened. Returning to activities or sports before you’ve fully healed may result in chronic pain or put you at risk for re-injury. That’s why it’s important to have a physical therapist to help you determine the best plan for your return to pain-free activities and sports.

Here are some exercises and stretches that we’ve found effective at treating tennis elbow:

Wrist Stretch

1. Extend your arm in front of your body with your elbow straight and your palm down. 
2. Lightly push your hand downwards with your unaffected hand until a stretch is felt in the wrist or forearm area. 

Hold this position for 30 seconds before releasing it and complete 2 -3 repetitions. Do this 5 x daily. 

Wrist Isometrics

1. Sit upright with your arm resting on a table and your palm hanging off the edge. 
2. With your palm facing downwards, lift the back of your hand towards the sky. 
3. Using your other wrist, match the pressure on the back of the hand lifting towards the sky, preferably not allowing the wrist to move. Apply enough pressure to feel a strong muscle contraction in the forearm on the table, but not so much you are in pain. 

Hold this for 45 – 60 seconds before relaxing and completing 2 -3 reps. Do this a couple of times a day. 

Extension Eccentrics

1. Begin with your arm comfortably resting on a table and your downward-facing palm hanging off the edge. 
2. Move your wrist upwards towards you. 
3. Extend the wrist, then place a 1lb can of soup or beans in the hand with your palm facing down. Focus on slowly lowering the wrist with the weight in it. 
4. Remove the weight from the hand when it’s fully flexed in the bottom position and repeat.

Perform three sets of 10 repetitions of the eccentrics each day. 

Supination Eccentrics

1. Start with your arm and palm resting comfortably on a table. 
2. Rotate your forearm so that your palm is facing upward and make a fist with your hand. 
3. Using your unaffected hand, apply force to the affected fist as you attempt to turn the palm downward. 
4. Over a duration of about 3 seconds, slowly let the unaffected side “win” as the forearm rotates inwards. 

Before you try any of these exercises, it’s important to get treatment as early as possible with a physical therapist. Left untreated, tennis elbow may become chronic and last for extended periods of time. This is especially true if you only address the pain and don’t address the muscle weakness and repetitive activities that may have led to your condition originally. 

We hope you found this information helpful — and — if you are experiencing tennis elbow, please reach out to us. We’ll look forward to helping you get back to your normal activities without pain and without risk of re-injury.