Tennis elbow. Golfer’s elbow. Little league elbow. All are names for various overuse injuries in the elbow–usually injuries that affect the ligaments and/or tendons. But tennis players, golfers, and little leaguers are not the only ones who get elbow pain. In fact, elbow tendinitis is a common issue among weightlifters–but elbow tendonitis rehabilitation will help you find relief.
“Weightlifter’s elbow” is yet another term for elbow pain. It specifically refers to triceps tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons in your upper arm that will typically cause pain in the elbow joint. If you’re a weightlifter struggling with elbow pain, you might have weightlifter’s elbow–or you might have some other overuse injury.
Regardless, the experts at REHABILITY NJ can help you pinpoint the exact nature and location of your impairment. More importantly, however, we help you find relief so you can get back in the gym.
When treating elbow tendonitis, we move through three basic steps:
- Managing pain and reducing further damage
- Improving mobility and range of motion
- Restoring strength to the surrounding tissue
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to stop lifting weights during your elbow tendonitis rehabilitation. However, you’ll likely benefit from using a lifting strap, which will alleviate pressure from the affected tendons as you move through your routine. We can provide you with more personalized guidance.
But continuing a lifting routine won’t actually resolve the issue with your elbow. That’s where our specialized elbow exercises come in. A dedicated regime of simple stretching and strengthening exercises will have you feeling better in no time.
Elbow Tendonitis Rehabilitation Exercises: Stretch
We’ll start with elbow stretches to restore or improve your mobility and range of motion while helping with pain. Here are a few examples:
- Wrist Flexor Stretch: Hold your arm in front of you with your palm facing up. Bend your wrist so your fingers point toward the floor. Then, bend your wrist with your other hand until you feel the stretch in your forearm.
- Wrist Extension Stretch: This stretch is the same as the above, except you’ll extend your arm with your palm facing down. Bend your wrist toward you to deepen the stretch.
Elbow Tendonitis Rehabilitation Exercises: Strengthen
As you improve, you’ll graduate to exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around the elbow, which will help support and stabilize the joint. Some of these movements will probably be familiar to you as a weightlifter, but you do want to use lighter weights to reduce the overall volume of loading. Your therapist will help you find the weight, reps, and sets that are appropriate for your specific situation.
Here are a few sample strengthening exercises:
- Wrist Curls: Lay your forearm flat on a table with your palm facing up and your hand hanging over the table’s edge. Slowly lift and lower the weight without moving your arm–let the movement come from your wrist.
- Forearm Twist: Again, lay your forearm on a table. Hold your dumbbell by one end rather than in the center. Gently rotate your forearm upward, then downward, going as far as you can without feeling pain.
Request Your Appointment at REHABILITY NJ Today
If you’re a heavy weightlifter, you might see your elbow pain as a nuisance more than a real injury. But it is an injury, and the pain will likely continue until you resolve the underlying issue.
Call our Freehold, NJ clinic to get started with your own customized elbow tendonitis rehabilitation program today!
