What do professional tennis players and desk workers have in common? Both suffer from the incredibly common condition of ‘Tennis Elbow’. It is a condition of repetitive stress on the forearm muscles, causing pain and inflammation on the side of the elbow.
 
Although it is usually linked to tennis players, it more commonly occurs with desk workers due to repetitive tasks such as typing and clicking a computer mouse, or backhanding a shot in tennis.
 
Why does the pain occur at the elbow? The best analogy is to think of your forearm muscles like strands of hair attached to your scalp; as you constantly tug at the strands, their attachment site at the scalp becomes sore and painful. As you repetitively stretch your forearm muscles they tug on the elbow bone and cause pain.
 
In the acute stages, make sure to rest the area from the aggravating activity, follow this up with ice application to limit pain and swelling. If after 72 hours there is still pain consult one of our rehab specialists. Treatment for long-term tennis elbow includes therapeutic ultrasound, electrotherapy and physical therapy exercises.
 
To prevent severe Tennis Elbow:

• Limit the amount of typing and clicking you do in a day
• Don’t play racquet sports with excessively thick handle grip
• Avoid playing through the pain, and consult a chiropractor or therapist

In our previous post we outlined the most common running injuries we see in the spring. And what strategies you can use to prevent them. In part 2 we will show you 4 effective exercises and stretches to perform while getting back to running.
 
The exercises performed should be done on opposite days that you run. The stretches may be done after your run.
 
 
Glute Bridge

• Lying on your back, push through your heels and raise your hips off the ground. Squeeze your glute muscles and abdominals. Your body and thighs should form a straight line. Hold for 3 seconds, slowly lower the hips. Perform 12 times for 3 sets.

 
Heel Raises

• Stand facing a wall with knees straight. Slowly rise up on to the balls of your feet, lifting your heels. Slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Perform 12 repetitions for 3 sets.

 
IT Band Stretch

• Stand next to a wall, cross the leg that is closest to the wall, behind your other leg. Lean your hip towards the wall, feeling a stretch at the outside of your hip. Hold for 30 seconds, relax, repeat  on other side.

 
Heel Stretch

• Stand facing a wall with leg straight behind you, heel flat on the ground.  Press your hips forward toward the wall, feeling a stretch in your calf and heel. Hold for 30 seconds, relax, repeat on other side.