The best way to prevent tennis elbow is to stretch and strengthen your arm muscles so that they are flexible and strong enough for your tennis game.
Try warm-up activities for your arm: finger oppostion: touch your thumb to each finger, one finger at a time. Repeat 20 times.
Next place your forearm on your thigh, palm up in a very light fist and make slow controlled circles. Repeat 20 times. Lastly, place your hand palm down on your
thigh. Flip your hand over so the back of your hand rests on your thigh and your palm is up. Repeat 20 times.
Next is a stretching exercise:
- Extend your arm in front of you with your palm up.
- Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor.
- With your other hand, gently bend your wrist further until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm.
- Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
Strengthening exercises are:
Ball or sock squeeze
- Hold a tennis ball (or a rolled-up sock) in your hand.
- Make a fist around the ball (or sock) and squeeze.
- Hold for about 6 seconds, then relax for up to 10 seconds.
- Repeat 8 to 12 times.
- Switch the ball (or sock) to your other hand and do 8 to 12 times.
Wrist deviation
- Sit so that your arm is supported but your hand hangs off the edge of a flat surface, such as a table.
- Hold your hand out like you are shaking hands with someone.
- Move your hand up and down.
- Repeat this motion 8 to 12 times.
- Switch arms.
- Try to do this exercise twice with each hand.
Wrist curls
- Place your forearm on a table with your hand hanging over the edge of the table, palm up.
- Place a 1- to 2-pound weight in your hand. This may be a dumbbell, a can of food, or a filled water bottle.
- Slowly raise and lower the weight while keeping your forearm on the table and palm facing up.
- Repeat this motion 8 to 12 times.
- Switch arms, and do steps 1 through 4.
- Repeat with your hand facing down toward the floor. Switch arms.
If you are feeling soreness or elbow pain, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sherry Madding, MS. MA, RPT, ATC
415-279-0092