At MRP, we treat many patients for tennis elbow. It often results from repetitive motions like gripping, lifting, or twisting, which strain the muscles and tendons around the elbow joint. While it’s commonly linked to tennis and other racket sports (as the name suggests!), it can also develop from everyday activities like typing, gardening, or manual labour.
Symptoms include pain and tenderness on the outer elbow, forearm weakness, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. Here are some tips from our expert physiotherapist and cricket star, Erin Burns.
It’s always a good idea to combine your physio appointments with at-home exercises.
Isometric Exercise:
1. Start by holding a light weight in your hand. Rest your forearm flat on a bench or surface, with your wrist hanging over the edge.
2. The weight should be light, just enough to create slight tension in your elbow
3. Hold the weight with your wrist straight for 10-15 seconds.
4. Put the weight down and rest for 10 seconds before repeating.
5. Repeat 10-12 times. The pain level should not exceed 2-3 out of 10.
Stick broom Handle Exercise:
1. Start by grabbing a broomstick or golf club.
2. Grip the stick in the middle and hold it horizontally in front of you.
3. Anchor your shoulder blade and keep your elbows tight against your rib cage.
4. Rotate your forearm evenly by twisting the stick from side to side, making sure not to move your elbow away from your ribs or let your shoulder come forward.
5. Repeat up to 30 times.
6. For more intensity, adjust your grip slightly higher on the stick.
Eccentric Exercise:
1. Hold a light weight in your hand and rest your forearm flat on a bench or surface, with your wrist hanging over the edge.
2. The weight can be slightly heavier than for the isometric exercise, but still light.
3. Slowly lower your wrist downwards (around 5 seconds), letting it flop.
4. Use your non-working hand to assist the wrist and weight back to the starting position — intentionally avoiding using the working wrist to lift the weight.
5. Focus on slowing the exercise down deliberately.
6. Repeat 15 times.
