Hello. I am Dr. Dongkyu Lee, an orthopedic specialist. Tennis elbow primarily affects people who use their hands and arms frequently. Golfer's elbow causes pain on the inner side of the elbow, while tennis elbow causes pain on the outer side of the elbow extending down toward the wrist muscles.
The medical term for tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis. It earned the name tennis elbow because pain occurs during the backhand motion in racket sports like tennis. Repetitive stress on the muscles connected to the tendon on the outer side of the elbow causes micro-tears, resulting in pain. In other words, it is damage from repetitive overuse of elbow ligaments and muscles. Prolonged repetitive use and sudden strong forces that overload muscles and tendons can cause tennis elbow symptoms in anyone. The most common groups affected include office workers who use keyboards, chefs, and homemakers. Tennis elbow treatment involves minimizing elbow use, reducing inflammation, and performing stretches to increase blood flow to the damaged ligaments and help them regenerate faster. Here are some tennis elbow stretching exercises that can help with treatment. Tennis Elbow Stretch 1)
1. Fully extend the affected elbow. 2. Bend the wrist downward. 3. Gently press the bent hand with the other hand. 4. Hold this position for about 30 seconds, release, and repeat 5 times. Tennis Elbow Stretch 2)
1. Hold a ball, light dumbbell, or small water bottle. Rest your arm on a table with your wrist hanging over the edge. 2. With your palm facing up, move your wrist up and down. 3. Reverse so your palm faces down, and move your wrist up and down. 4. Perform 10 repetitions per set, 3-5 sets. These are simple tennis elbow stretching exercises. However, stretching is primarily a preventive measure. If pain is severe and examination reveals significant ligament or muscle tears, additional treatments may be necessary, so early treatment is always recommended.
