Once the doctor has told you that you have tennis elbow, your first thought will naturally be, “I won’t be able to play tennis, golf, work, etc.”
Not true. While rehabilitation is something that you will want to consider in the future, you can still work, play tennis or golf with the use of proper techniques. Using these techniques will then alleviate the pain from tennis elbow and may even arrest it.
Once you are pain free, you can the undergo a rehabilitation process that will cure the condition for good.
Most doctors will tell you that you should “rest” in order to cure the tennis elbow which is caused by tears in the elbow tendon.
That is what tennis elbow is - a tear in the tendon.
These are often
caused by overuse of the tendon and, in some cases, improper use.
While rest can heal the overused tendon and cure the problem, it is not always the practical solution. If you need to work, or need to play a sport, you cannot always take time off.
A professional golfer or tennis player may find that it is not feasible to stop their game. They may be scheduled for a tournament that they have to play in for the sake of their careers. But this does not mean that they have to endure tremendous pain in order to play the game. There are techniques that can be used before, during and after the games that can alleviate the pain and allow you to continue to play, even if you are suffering from tennis elbow.
Pre Game Techniques
Before any games, you should take some sort of anti-inflammatory drug such as an ibuprofen or naproxen. NSAIDs will help alleviate some of the pain and will enable you to perform better when you are playing the game.
The use of these drugs on a long term basis have been linked to problems with the digestive system. You should never rely on NSAIDs for a long period of time as they can cause ulcers and other stomach problems. Taking a couple of Tylenol, however,
prior to a tennis match or a golf game is more than fine. Just don’t get used to taking them on a long term basis.
In addition to the over the counter pain relievers, you should also do some stretching of your arms before the match. This includes basic stretching of the biceps, triceps, shoulders and forearms before you start to play. Actually, this should be a matter of course when you play tennis or any other sport. Many sports injuries are due to the fact that you do not limber up and properly stretch
before a match. Even if you do not suffer from tennis elbow, you should still stretch these muscles before a game or match.
Do not neglect your legs, either. Although you may not feel any pain in your legs and you are worried about your tennis elbow, you can do yourself a favor and give your legs a good stretching out.
In order to maintain proper circulation in your arms during the game, keep them warm as you warm up using stretching techniques. This can be done with a series of arm warmers.
Remember leg warmers that were used by dancers and other athletes at one time (and oddly enough became a fashion statement in gyms during the 1980s?) Well, they had a purpose.
They kept the legs warm during exercise and improved circulation.
You should do the same for your arms. Although you will not be wearing arm warmers during your tennis match, you should be wearing them while you limber up.
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