Persistent Tennis Elbow? Consider Orthopedic Rehab
Tennis elbow is common in tennis players, golfers, plumbers, and anyone else who performs repetitive movements with their arms. Often, if you catch this problem right away, you can rest for a week or two and the symptoms will subside. But in many cases, people go back to work (or sports) too soon, which results in persistent tennis elbow symptoms. If you're in this situation, you may want to consider going to orthopedic rehab for your tennis elbow. Here are some key ways your doctor can work with you to finally put an end to your elbow pain.
Cortisone Injections
Cortisone is a steroid that, if injected into a tissue, will cause a reduction in inflammation. Reducing inflammation in an injured tissue will better allow it to heal. While a cortisone injection alone is unlikely to heal your tennis elbow, it is a good starting point. One cortisone shot, administered in your orthopedist's office, should help get your pain under control and jump-start the healing process. With the pain under control, you will be better able to work through the exercises prescribed—which are further discussed below.
Strengthening Exercises
Tennis elbow often develops because of an imbalance of strength in the muscles in your arm and forearm. So, your orthopedic doctor will likely assess your muscle strength. Based on their findings, they will then recommend some strengthening exercises for you to perform. As you do the exercises, your muscles will grow stronger, which will take the strain off of the tendons in your elbow and allow them to heal. These exercises are usually simple. For example, you might be told to grip a tennis ball and turn it over in your hand a few times, or to curl a 2-pound weight in a certain way.
Ice Protocols
As you probably already know, icing sore and inflamed joints can help encourage healing and ease the pain. Your orthopedic doctor will probably give you some more specific instructions for icing your injured elbow. They may tell you how long to leave the ice on, and how often to ice your elbow. These details can make all the difference in your healing. The exact protocols you'll need to follow will depend on the extent of your injury, your schedule, and other details.
Sometimes tennis elbow goes away with just rest, and other times it does not. If your tennis elbow is being stubborn, don't hesitate to seek professional care; find an orthopedic injury rehab center near you.
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