Exercises for tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow to support your therapy
Exercises that support your therapy can promote the healing process for tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow (also known as medial or lateral epicondylopathy or elbow tendinopathy). Through eccentric training of the forearm muscles, patients can actively contribute to their recovery.
Regular stretching reduces the tensile force at the tendon attachment, thereby relaxing the muscles. In order to get the best possible benefit from the therapeutic exercises, you should ideally do them three to four times a week.
Please consult with a medical professional prior to the training to ensure that the exercises are suitable for you.
Quickly to the appropriate exercises:
Tennis elbow: strengthening exercise
Aim: Strengthening the forearm
Starting position: Sit on a stable seating surface such as a chair. Forearm is placed on the table and the wrist lies freely over the edge of the table. Make a fist with the palm of the hand, and point your hand towards the floor.
Exercise:
- Stretch out the wrist of the affected hand as far as possible.
- Grasp the hand to be trained from above using your free hand.
- Apply measured pressure on the back of the hand to be trained.
- Gradually (in slow motion!) release the stressed wrist.
- You may feel some mild pain while performing the exercise.
3 sets x 15 repetitions
Note:
- Pressure should be applied gradually so that it is possible for the hand being trained to release slowly.
- Perform the exercise slowly and in a controlled manner.
Tennis elbow: Exercise to stretch
Aim: Stretching the forearm
Starting position: Standing: Stretch out the arm to be stretched in a forwards position at shoulder height. Make a fist with the palm of the hand, and point your hand towards the floor.
Exercise:
- Grasp the fist at the side from above, using your free hand.
- Bend the wrist of the affected arm as far as possible.
- Apply gentle pressure on the closed fist using your other hand until you feel tension in the area of the forearm extensor muscles.
- To increase the stretching effect, you can also slowly turnthe affected arm outwards.
3 sets on each side, hold for 20 seconds respectively, 30 seconds rest in between sets
Golfer’s elbow: Exercise to strengthen
Aim: Strengthening the forearm
Starting position: Sit on a stable seating surface such as a chair. Forearm is placed on the table and the wrist lies freely over the edge of the table. The palm of the hand points up toward the ceiling.
Exercise:
- The palm of the hand points up toward the ceiling.
- Grasp the hand to be trained from above using your free hand.
- Apply measured pressure on the palm of the hand to be trained.
- Slowly (in slow motion!) release the stressed wrist until the fingertips point toward the floor.
3 sets x 15 repetitions, 30 seconds rest in between sets
Note:
- The fingers and palm should always be in a straight line.
- The pressure should be applied in a way that it is possible for the hand being trained to release slowly.
- The free hand covers the hand being trained around the knuckles and fully encloses the fingers.
- Perform the exercise slowly and in a controlled manner.
Golfer’s elbow: Exercise to stretch
Aim: Stretching the forearm
Starting position: In a standing position, stretch out the arm to be stretched in a forwards position at shoulder height. Make sure that the palm is facing upwards.
Exercise:
- Enclose the entire fingers of the arm to be stretched with your free hand.
- Bend the wrist of the affected arm to the farthest it will go.
- The tips of the fingers point toward the floor.
- Apply gentle pressure on the enclosed hand using your other hand until you feel tension in the area of the forearm flexor muscles.
3 sets on each side, hold for 20 seconds respectively; 30 seconds rest in between sets
