Top Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a painful condition of your elbow joint that is caused by repeated use and inflammation of your tendons. Repetitive activities like playing tennis, golfing, or using a hammer, can predispose a person to this condition.
If you’ve been struggling with the discomfort of tennis elbow but you are wary about undergoing surgery, the good news is there are non-surgical techniques to help less severe cases of tennis elbow recover.
1. Modified Rest
One of the first things you may want to try when experiencing elbow pain is to limit, or avoid, activities that aggravate your pain. You do not want to give your elbow total rest, but try to modify your daily activities to limit any pain and reduce tendon inflammation.
When it simply is not possible to avoid activities using your elbow, try alternating your arms, or resting periodically during uses of extended activity, so that your elbow does not overexert itself.
2. Physical Therapy
Your elbow is a complex joint that relies on many connective tissues and tendons for support. So, when there is a problem in one area, you need to focus on healthier areas in your body to help provide protection.
Physical therapy can help stretch and strengthen the muscles surrounding your wrist and elbow, taking the pressure off your tendon. There are a number of stretches and strengthening exercises, such as wrist extensions and fist clenches, that you can do to help improve your tennis elbow.
See more physical therapy exercises here >>> Physical Therapy Activities for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
3. Ice
Applying ice to your joints may provide short-term relief from elbow pain and stiffness. Using ice or a cold pack for 15 minutes, three to four times per day, can help after exercise or repeated movement of the elbow. Cold packs can also help reduce inflammation and swelling, and in some cases, may be useful for flare-ups.
4. Brace
Wearing an elbow brace can help take pressure off your tendon and allow your muscles to rest. A brace can decrease pain and allow movement within a safe range of motion. A brace shouldn’t be used to bypass your other treatments, but it can help accelerate healing and allow a person to return to normal physical activity sooner.
Our 2-in-1 Brace
The Lonnie Brace was invented to help treat mild cases of tennis elbow and cubital tunnel syndrome. The Lonnie Brace can be worn at any time, day or night, to cushion and alleviate strain on the elbow and decompress the ulnar nerve. It has a rigid hinge attachment for extra relief during sleep if needed. Our goal is to treat elbow pain quickly and effectively and to protect it from reinjury. The brace properly allows the elbow’s tendons and ligaments, along with the ulnar nerve, to heal quicker and more efficiently. This allows for a faster recovery and avoidance of potentially unnecessary surgery.