In physiotherapy/physiotherapy, the first step is to determine the cause of the development of tennis elbow. Movement patterns are controlled and possible causal activities and strains are identified. By means of various provocation tests it is examined which of the above mentioned types is present, i.e. which muscle is affected where.
Posture and cervical spine, as well as nerve tracts are also included. The patient is informed and together goals and a treatment program for physiotherapy/physical gymnastics are determined. Before and after the individual sessions, success is checked with repeated tests.
Physiotherapy – Stretching exercises tennis elbow
First priority should be given to pain reduction. Acutely against the inflammation and pain, the affected area can be cooled. Later there is the possibility to combine cooling with stretching.
For this, patient and physiotherapist sit opposite each other, the affected arm lies on the treatment bench, so that the hand can hang down freely. Now the physiotherapist strokes the affected area and the entire muscle with an ice lollipop to cool it. Immediately afterwards, the forearm is brought into a passive stretching position via the hand, held for a few seconds and the entire procedure is repeated several times.
Muscles are always stretched against their functional direction. In the case of the forearm, it should be noted that most muscles run across several joints – fingers, wrist and elbow.
- The functions of the forearm extensors are the extension of fingers and hand, and the flexion in the elbow.
A stretching is therefore caused by movement in the opposite direction: Bending of hand and fingers, and stretching of the elbow. To stretch himself passively, the patient stretches the arm to be stretched straight forward, the hand hangs down. The other hand now grasps the back of the hand and gently presses it further down into the flexion.
On the outside of the forearm, a slight stretching sensation should be felt – but no pain. Now hold the arm in the described position for at least 30 seconds and possibly increase the pressure after some time.
- Another stretching exercise is to stretch the entire arm turned inwards to the back and again bend the hand and fingers. For support, the back of the hand can be placed on a table at the correct height
