Elbow injuries are common with people that work completing repetitive wrist and elbow motions. These injuries can occur in those who work construction, mechanics, those who do a lot of lifting, playing sports, and even mothers. Yes, that repetitive motion of picking up your child can cause these injuries! There are simple exercises to help prevent these injuries.
The most common elbow injuries that are not caused by trauma are medial or lateral epicondylitis. The “itis” on the end of a word means inflammation.
Medial Epicondylitis or Golfer’s Elbow
An overuse injury caused by excessive flexion of the wrist. Resulting in inflammation of the tendons that attach to the inside of the elbow. Pain can be located along the inside of the elbow down to the wrist.
And just the opposite is:
Lateral Epicondylitis or Tennis Elbow
An overuse injury caused by excessive extension of the wrist. Resulting in inflammation of the tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow. Pain is located on the outside of the elbow down to the wrist.
Reasons
Why is it that excessive wrist motion causes pain in the elbow? It is because the muscles that move the wrist begin in the elbow on either side depending on which motion, they perform.
Yes, these injuries are named for sports but are not always caused by performing the sport. These injuries are predominantly in those who repetitively perform gripping and twisting motions with the hand and wrist.
Either one of these conditions can have symptoms that include weakness in the elbow and wrist, difficulty with gripping, pain at the spot on the elbow, and inflammation or swelling at the spot as well.
Exercises:
- Wrist flexion stretch: Straighten arm out in front of you. Grab hand with fingers facing up and pull hand back to your shoulder. You should feel the stretch in the inside of the elbow and maybe down to the wrist.
- Wrist extension stretch: Straighten arm out in front of you. Grab hand with fingers pointing downward, pull hand toward your body. You should feel the stretch in the outside of the elbow down to the wrist.
These stretches should be done 3 times holding for 30 seconds each time. See my post on how long to hold stretches here: https://moveyourashpt.com/?p=246
- Pronation and Supination with weights: If you do not have dumbbells at home you can use a hammer for this exercise. In fact, I have patients use a hammer in the clinic to as an easy reminder of how to perform the exercise. Hold hammer at the bottom of the handle. Rest arm on table or arm rest of couch. With hammer pointed up at the ceiling and keeping the elbow flat on the surface, bring the hammer down on one side then back up to the top, then go to the other side. You will feel the muscles in the forearm working.
- 4-way wrist with weight: You can do this with a hammer too or even a can of something from your pantry. Rest your arm on the table or arm rest. Move your wrist in the 4 directions it goes that the pictures below show.
- bicep curls: Using a dumbbell or can of something in hand, in standing position with arm down to your side bend elbow and bring the weight up to your shoulder.
- triceps extension: if using a band, secure the band to the doorframe, keep elbow at your side and bent, then straighten it down pulling the band. If using a can or dumbbell, raise it above your head. Starting with elbow bent then straighten it out high above your head.
Perform these strengthening exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Completing 30 in total.
Icing
Other things to perform on yourself to help with the inflammation in the elbow is to ice or even ice massage.
Icing should be done with an ice pack for 10-15 minutes every hour if needed to reduce the inflammation.
Homemade Ice Pack
Now if you do not have an ice pack at home, you also do not need to buy one unless you want, but instead make one. Get 2 zip lock bags, rubbing alcohol and water. Pour 3 cups of water and 1 cup of rubbing alcohol into a zip lock bag. Put that inside another zip lock bag to ensure it does not spill if it rips. Put into freezer. The rubbing alcohol will ensure the water does not harden when frozen, instead it will be moldable around any body part.
For ice massage: In a small paper cup, freeze water up to the top. Once frozen, tear away the top of the cup until ice is exposed. Rub the ice on the specific spot of pain for about 5 minutes or until your skin is red. You can continue to use this cup until the ice is completely gone.
The exercises listed above should be used to help prevent or treat the condition, however making sure you take frequent rests while performing the twisting and gripping activities will also help prevent the injury.