Prognosis

Overall, the chances of recovery from tennis elbow are good. As a rule, conservative measures are sufficient and if surgery is necessary, the prognosis is good even after surgery. Nevertheless, there are cases in which no or only little relief is achieved, but this is rare. The better you participate in conservative therapy, the higher the probability that your pain will improve.

Prophylaxis

As with most clinical pictures, tennis elbow can be prevented to a certain degree. Of course, there is never 100% protection, but if you pay attention to a few things, you can reduce the risk of developing tendon attachment irritation. Monotonous strain on the forearm muscles should be avoided if possible.

However, if your job requires constant strain, make sure you have a clean technique and correct posture. Avoid incorrect strain! Short breaks, regular stretching and a targeted training of the stressed muscles is also recommended. If necessary, it is also possible to influence the health of the muscles and their tendons through diet and thus prevent tennis elbow.

Stretching exercises

You can and should support the physiotherapeutic treatment by doing your own exercises at home. A few examples of exercises for stretching the affected forearm muscles can be found below. Always carry out the exercises according to your own feeling.

This means that if your body signals to you through pain or discomfort that the exercise is not (yet) suitable for you, do not perform the exercise or only to the extent that your body tolerates it.The times and repetitions in the description are approximate values and do not necessarily have to be achieved. If you are not sure about the execution of an exercise or if you do not know whether you are allowed to perform the exercise, please talk to your doctor and/or physiotherapist. Stand up straight with your legs spread about shoulder width apart.

Make sure that your shoulders remain at the same height and that you do not twist in the body while performing the exercise. You can also perform this exercise while seated. Even then, keep an upright posture and place both feet firmly on the floor.

If necessary, stand or sit in front of a mirror to check your posture. If you want to stretch your right arm, bend your right elbow so that the palm of your hand is facing the floor and make a loose fist. Grab the right hand from above with your left hand and press it down slightly.

Fix the right hand in this position and then slowly extend the arm forward. You will probably already feel a pull in your right forearm and possibly also in your wrist. Make sure that the fingers of your right hand remain bent.

If you want to increase the pull, turn the right arm in a stretched position so that the fingertips of the right hand are pointing outwards. To weaken the pull, bend the elbow slightly. Hold the stretch for about 60-90 seconds and repeat the exercise 3 times.

Stand up straight, legs spread about shoulder width. Make sure that your shoulders remain at the same height and that you do not twist your body while performing the exercise. You can also perform this exercise while seated.

Even then, keep an upright posture and place both feet firmly on the floor. If necessary, stand or sit in front of a mirror to check your posture. If you want to stretch your right arm, bend your right elbow so that the palm of your hand is facing upwards and stretch your fingers.

Grasp the right hand/finger with your left hand from above and press it down slightly. Fix the right hand in this position and then slowly extend the arm forward. You will probably already feel a pull in your right forearm and possibly also in your wrist or fingers.

Make sure that the fingers of the right hand remain extended and that you have included the thumb. If you want to increase the pull, turn the right arm in the stretched state additionally so that the fingertips of the right hand point inwards. To decrease the pull, bend the elbow slightly. Hold the stretch for about 60-90 seconds and repeat the exercise 3 times. For further exercises please refer to the articles Tennis Elbow Stretching Exercises and Exercises with Tennis Elbow.