3 Tips to Reduce Strain and Prevent Elbow Pain

Like any other region of the body that’s used frequently, the elbow is also vulnerable to a number of injuries and conditions that cause pain. Elbow pain is not nearly as prevalent as other conditions like lower back pain, neck pain and knee pain, but it’s particularly common in people that perform activities involving the wrist on a regular basis.

Elbow pain will usually get better with some basic changes over time, but it can interfere with many of your daily activities if it’s not managed properly. Prevent elbow pain from developing in the first place by following these tips:

Improve your form

If you play golf or tennis regularly and are not completely certain you’re using proper form, consider taking lessons from a sports trainer or someone with experience to help you make necessary adjustments to improve your swing or stroke. Also make sure that you’re using the right equipment for your body size, abilities and strength. In addition, athletes of these sports and non-athletes alike should try to avoid too much time using your arm and wrist with repeated movements such as sweeping, gardening or typing and switch arms whenever possible.

Do wrist curls every day

Strengthening the forearm with wrist curls using a light hand weight will help to keep muscles in that region strong and prevent elbow pain. For wrist curls:

• Hold the weight in one hand while sitting and resting your forearm on your thigh with the weight beyond the front of your knee
• With your palm facing upward, bend your wrist and slowly curl the weight up as far as you comfortably can, then reverse your movement
• Do three sets of 10 repetitions for both arms.

Wear a brace

If you notice elbow pain starting to develop or if you frequently engage in activities that can lead to it, wearing an elbow brace can be a smart precautionary measure that may halt it in its tracks. A counterforce brace is designed to dissipate the force from forearm muscles before it reaches the elbow, which can reduce or prevent pain. If pain is severe and/or also present in the forearm, a wrist immobilization brace can provide additional help, and can be worn during most physical activities.

You may not notice how much you actually use your elbow until you experience pain within it that makes simple actions much more difficult. Avoid this trouble altogether by modifying your activities and taking steps to prevent elbow pain before it develops.