Physiotherapy for tennis elbow !

Question

help my elbow really hurts some times and i have tennis elbow has any body got some good exercises to make the bone stronger x

Answer 1

The problem comes from one of the muscles that is attached to the elbow.  The muscle suffers from what are called micro-trauma or just very tiny tears.  The tears are so small that the body doesn't scar over them and so they continue to generate pain.  You can use a counter-force brace but that will not help in the long run for nothing is going to improve at the elbow level.  Ice will help to stop the pain but again it is not going to change the origin of the problem.  Stretching is not going to do anything for it either.  Strengthening the area is the only real way to make any inroads into the problem short of surgery and that is something that you just don't want to do.  Get a referral to a physical therapist and have them work on the problem with you.  There are a few things that you can try at home to see if they help.  Squeeze a tennis ball throughout the day as this will help to increase strength.  Take a small dumbbell and place the forearm on a surface that will support it.  Bring the wrist down while holding the weight and slowly bring it up.  The palm of the hand should be facing the floor when doing this movement.  Do the movement ten times rest for thirty seconds and repeat the cycle twice more.  Then use ice for fifteen minutes.  You can also make a device that will help to strengthen the forearms.  Take a dowel of about one inch diameter and place a rope or heavy twine around the center of the dowel and secure it.  Have enough of the rope or twine to have it dangle about two feet to one yard.  One the other end place a small weight, one or two pounds, and secure it tightly.  With your arms fully extended out from the shoulders slowly roll up the weight and then slowly unroll the weight back to the starting position.  Try to work up to ten times in each direction.  That will help to significantly increase the strength of the forearms.  Again use ice post exercise.  If there is no improvement after a few weeks then get a referral to a physical therapist.  If they are familiar with this movement ask them to do a Mill's maneuver.  This is something that is used for tennis elbow.

Answer 2

If it really is "tennis elbow" (lateral epicondylitis), you can get what's called a "counter force brace" or tennis elbow brace. This is worn just below your elbow to take the pressure off the underlying muscle & tendon.

After the pain goes away (wait at least a few weeks), you can start some stretching & strengthening. See the below link for instruction.