Tennis Elbow Exercises and Stretches: How to Fix Lateral Epicondylitis

This is a summary of the initial protocol I give my patients as a tennis elbow treatment. Week 1 & 2: Start with postural awareness and neck/arm stretches. Week 3 &4: Continue with stretches but add strengthening When you perform these stretches you can start with 15 to 20 second holds and progress to 30 second holds. If any of these tennis elbow exercises and stretches become painful, back off of the movement and try a gentle stretch. Posture and Stretching Routine (Week 1-2) 1. (0:25) Address your posture (scapular squeezes!) 2. (1:36) Stretch your neck - Specifically the upper trapezius. Gently bring your ear towards your shoulder and hold this position for 15-20 seconds progressing up to 30 seconds as you can. You can increase the stretch by gently pointing your nose towards the ground. 3. (2:00) How to Use Ice Massage (3-5 minutes) 4. (2:38) Wrist Extensor Stretch - Extend your arm keeping your elbow straight and shoulders back in good posture as previously highlighted. Curl your fingers down into a fist and gently bring your hand towards your body. You should feel a stretch along the back of your wrist. Hold this for 15-20 seconds, progressing to 30 seconds as you are able. 5. (3:10) Wrist Extensor Stretch with ulnar deviation (turn pinky side towards ceiling) - Perform as above but modify by turning the wrist so the pinky points closer to the ceiling. This may be difficult to perform at first, so start with stretch #4 and progress to this movement once you can tolerate holding this position for at least 15 - 20 seconds. Strengthening Exercises: (Week 2-3) Aim for 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions with these exercises 6. (4:30) Eccentric Lowering of Wrist Extensors (no weight)- Start with your arm supported on a table or your leg. Using your opposite hand, assist the hand of your painful arm so the wrist moves up towards the ceiling. Release the hand and lower the wrist so it returns to a flexed position. (Progress to 1-2# as long as it’s pain free) 7. (6:00) Eccentric Lowering of Wrist Extensors - Perform with a 1-2# weight to start. Assist the wrist into flexion so it moves up towards the ceiling. Hold for 1-2 seconds and slowly lower the wrist back to a flexed position (towards the ground) 8. (7:24) Scapular Retraction with resistance band: Squeeze shoulder blades together using a resistance band. Keep the wrists neutral to avoid excessive extension. 9. (7:55) Activity Modification: Keep the wrists neutral with everyday tasks. Pay attention to pain with gripping or lifting items. Is your wrist extending upwards? If so, try to modify and turn your wrist so the palm faces upwards. 10. (9:05) Soft Tissue Massage with “The Stick” - You don’t have to use a tool like this, but it can be helpful to provide soft tissue massage to the area. A review of the most effective stretch: (9:54) Always consult with your physician or PT before starting any exercise routine