Strengthening and Stretching Exercises To Prevent Elbow Pain
Both athletes and people who work with their hands without practicing sports should maintain their arm muscles flexible and strong. That’s an excellent way to prevent elbow pain because stronger muscles protect the articulations from damage. There are different strength exercises to improve elbow function. Here are three of them you could include in your daily schedule:
- Wrist extensor flex: Stand straight and take your hands in front of you with the palms facing forward. In this starting position, it looks like you’re making a stop sign to someone in front of you. Now, take the other hand to your fingers and pull them back toward your body. Hold the position for half a minute and repeat five times on each side. This exercise will help you stretch the articulation’s tendons and other soft structures.
- Towel twist: This is a strengthening exercise you can do with a small towel. Hold it in front of you with your hands on each side. Now, start making twisting movements in opposite directions with your hands. Feel the tension for a few seconds and release. Repeat 10 times every day.
- Half dumbbell curls: This exercise is excellent for your forearms and elbows. You need to take a small weight, which can be a 2-pound dumbbell or something similar. Take the weight with your hand and your arms on each side of the body. Raise the forearm flexing the elbow 90 degrees, and return to the original position. Repeat ten times.
If you follow these recommendations in your daily life and as an athlete, you will reduce your chances of long-term elbow problems. Still, you might not be completely free from elbow pain. So, talk to your doctor about any symptom that keeps coming back before it becomes a really bad problem.