Dr. Sheelu Sharma

Tennis elbow is a condition, which is characterized by the inflammation of the tendons occurring in the elbow region due to excess use of the muscle groups present in the overarm. Tennis elbow can cause a lot of distress once it occurs so it is best to perform certain exercises to strengthen the muscle groups in your overarm so that muscle strain does not occur during your physical activities.

Read on more to find about all the different ways to strengthen your muscle groups to prevent tennis elbow:

1. Staying in good physical shape overall tones your body and strengthens your muscle groups, thus reducing the likelihood of tennis elbow.
2. It is also important that the physical activities, which are performed by you are done using proper technique as otherwise undue strain might cause unnecessary discomfort and pain.
3. You should try strengthening the muscles in your shoulder, arm and upper back to reduce the stress your elbow undergoes during physical activity.
4. In a sports player in cricket or in tennis players, it occurs with repetitive stress on structures with continued faulty technique. So, in order to prevent tennis elbow specially in players, it is very important to know correctly gripping of a racket or cricket bat or playing a particular stroke.
5. Using a counterforce brace for activities, which include twisting or grasping of the arm can also help. The use of a counterforce brace is to distribute the pressure throughout the arm, which reduces the stress on the elbow. The brace is highly recommended for people who are likely to develop tennis elbow. One should consult a doctor before opting for a counter brace. 

However, it is not a substitute for rehab exercises. If repeated arm movements or certain physical activities are causing discomfort or pain in the elbow region, check for alternative ways of performing the task. If you have taken up tennis, cricket or golf as a sport, it is highly recommended that you take proper lessons in technique as these sports involve twisting and grasping your arm, which can cause injuries if you do not follow proper techniques. Also keep in mind to choose sports equipments which are at par with your physical fitness, flexibility and strength.

For daily activities, take a note of the activities, which involve putting stress on your elbows. In such instances follow techniques or different ways to perform the tasks, which will put minimum stress or pressure on your elbows. Also, Apart from strengthening the extensor muscle group, it is also important to stretch those muscles to offload the pressure developed during particular task. Hold extensor group for 30 sec at a time on a stretch, 10 repetitions twice a day will definitely prevent the person who involved in job which requires tight gripping, wrenching, shaking, wrist extension and a lot of writing. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Physiotherapist.