Tennis elbow can cause pain and discomfort and disrupt daily activities. Fortunately, guidance from a physiotherapist, the appropriate treatments, and tennis elbow exercises may help.
Best Ways to Overcome Tennis Elbow
The right combination of treatments and tennis elbow exercises can help reduce pain and strengthen forearm muscles to reduce your chance of re-injury. Our tennis elbow specialists are here to get you started on the road to recovery with our top 10 exercises for tennis elbow.
Key Summary: Our 10 Best Exercises for Tennis Elbow
- Towel Twist
- Fist Clench
- Eccentric Forearm Extension
- Wrist Turns
- Wrist Turn With Weight
- Elbow Bend
- Wrist Extensor Stretch
- Wrist Extensor Flex
- Wrist Extension
- Wrist Flexion
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, technically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful type of tendonitis. It involves inflammation and pain that result from damaged tendons near the outside of the elbow. Symptoms can be mild to severe and typically involve tenderness and pain in the elbow and arm.
How Do You Get Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is caused by inflammation of the forearm muscles that attach to the elbow. It is usually the result of overuse or repetitive activities that involve gripping and twisting motions.
Along with tennis, here are some examples of sports and activities where tennis elbow is commonly seen:
- Racket sports, such as racquetball, squash, and pickleball
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
- Painters
- Workplace injuries
- Baseball
- Bowling
- Golf
- Weight lifting
- Gardening
- Bricklaying
Tennis Elbow Treatment
The biggest priority in tennis elbow treatment is resting the injured area to allow it to heal. This includes avoiding any activity that stresses it, along with other activities that may irritate the injured tendon. Applying an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day can help reduce pain and inflammation.
Physiotherapy for tennis elbow involves a range of treatments that complement each other. For instance, we often combine icing, taping, massage, and home tennis elbow exercises to help promote healing and reduce your risk of recurrence.
Along with the standard treatment of ice and plenty of rest, here are some tennis elbow treatments to consider:
- OTC Painkillers — Your doctor may recommend taking over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers to reduce pain and discomfort associated with tennis elbow.
- Tennis Elbow Brace — Depending on the severity of your injury, a physiotherapist may recommend a tennis elbow brace. A quality brace may help support the joint and provide much-needed rest to facilitate healing.
- Tennis Elbow Strapping — Physiotherapists often utilise tennis elbow strapping to stabilise the elbow joint. This joint immobilisation can help hasten healing and reduce pain.
- Tennis Elbow Massage — Massage therapy for tennis elbow can complement other treatments, reduce pain, and promote healing.
- Tennis Elbow Shockwave Therapy — Shockwave therapy for tennis elbow is a non-invasive physio treatment that can reduce pain, manage inflammation, and decrease swelling.
10 Physiotherapist-Approved Tennis Elbow Exercises
Once the swelling from the initial injury has subsided, consider adding gentle tennis elbow exercises to your routine. Tennis elbow exercises can strengthen forearm and wrist muscles to help prevent future tennis elbow injuries.
Remember to always check with your doctor, healthcare provider, or physiotherapist before trying any tennis elbow exercises.
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #1. Towel Twist
The towel twist is an effective way to work the wrist flexors and wrist extensors. Strengthening these muscles can help reduce strain on the tendons and improve wrist and forearm function.
How to do the towel twist:
- Sit in a chair and hold a small towel between both hands (loosely roll up the towel lengthways)
- Keep your shoulders relaxed
- Using one hand on each end, twist the towel in opposite directions (we find it helps to visualise wringing out water)
- Repeat a total of 10 times, then repeat 10 times in the opposite direction
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #2. Fist Clench
This fish clench exercise for tennis elbow can help strengthen the forearm muscles and improve grip strength.
To perform the fist clench:
- Hold a tennis ball, rolled-up towel, or sock in your palm (feel free to rest your forearm on a table)
- Grip your fingers around the towel or ball to make a fist
- Squeeze the ball/towel tightly for 10 seconds
- Repeat a total of 10 times with each hand
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #3. Eccentric Forearm Extension
Eccentric forearm extension helps fortify the forearm muscles to protect the elbow from injury and manage tennis elbow pain. You’ll need a lightweight dumbbell and a desk or table to complete this move.
How to do eccentric forearm strengthening:
- Hold a lightweight (under 3 lbs) dumbbell in your hand
- Rest your forearm on a desk or table, palm facing down
- Use your other hand to help lift your bend your hand back toward your forearm
- Slowly lower the weight back down in a controlled motion
- Repeat 10 times for a total of 3 sets, making sure to perform this exercise on each side
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #4. Wrist Turns
How to perform a wrist turn:
- Bend your elbow at a right angle
- Extend your hand outwards with your palm facing up
- Gradually twist your wrist around until your palm is facing down
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat a total of 10 times for 3 sets
- Make sure to repeat this move with your opposite hand as well
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #5. Wrist Turn with Weight
Once you are comfortable with regular wrist turns, you can add a lightweight dumbbell. This will further strengthen your wrist and grip strength.
- Bend your elbow at a right angle, holding a small weight in your hand
- Extend your hand outwards with your palm facing up
- Gradually twist your wrist around until your palm is facing down
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat a total of 10 times for 3 sets
- Make sure to repeat this move with your opposite hand as well
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #6. Elbow Bend
How to perform an elbow bend:
- Stand upright with your arms resting at your sides
- Slowly bend your right arm upwards until your hand touches your right shoulder
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds
- Repeat for a total of 10 times
- Repeat on the left side
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #7. Wrist Extensor Stretch
This wrist extensor stretch is similar to the eccentric forearm extension. This tennis elbow exercise can help improve wrist strength and flexibility.
How to perform the wrist extensor stretch:
- Raise your left arm straight out in front of your body
- Keeping your left palm facing down, slowly bend your wrist downwards
- Use your right hand to gently stretch your left hand back towards the body
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds
- Repeat again before performing this move on the opposite side
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #8. Wrist Extensor Flex
This tennis elbow exercise is the opposite of wrist extensor stretch. This simple move helps strengthen the wrists and forearm muscles.
To perform the wrist extensor flex:
- Raise your left arm straight out in front of your body
- Keep your left palm facing down as you slowly bend your wrist upwards
- Using your right hand, gently pull your wrist down
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds
- Repeat on the right side
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #9. Wrist Extension
This exercise helps improve grip and wrist strength, especially if you focus on isolating the movement to your wrist.
How to do a wrist extension with weights:
-
- Sit in a chair with your elbow resting on your knee
- Hold a lightweight dumbbell, palm facing down
- Curl the weight toward your body to extend your wrist
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat this exercise 10 times on each side
Best Tennis Elbow Exercises #10. Wrist Flexion
The wrist flexor muscles are susceptible to overuse, leading to inflammation and pain. This exercise helps gently strengthen wrist flexor muscles to reduce overuse injuries.
- Sit in a chair, palm facing up and elbow resting on your knee
- Holding a lightweight dumbbell, flex your wrist to curl it toward your body
- Return to the starting position before repeating the exercise
- Repeat 10 times on each side, focusing on keeping your arm still and isolating the movement to your wrist
Tennis Elbow Specialists
Tennis elbow is a painful, fairly common injury that often results from overuse. It is important to treat tennis elbow in its early stages to ensure your best chance at a full recovery.
The right tennis elbow exercises and treatments can help facilitate healing and strengthen your forearms to prevent re-injury.
Our tennis elbow specialists can personalise a recovery program according to your injury, movement goals, and abilities. Contact us to schedule your appointment at one of our convenient clinics in Floreat or Como and start your journey to recovery.
