Healthy Life: Elbow Exercises (642)
Healthy Life：Elbow Exercises
蘇鎮邦 (Christopher So)：
舒整物理治療師 (Manipulative Physiotherapist) 人類工程師 (Ergonomist)
There are two common conditions affecting the elbow: Lateral Epicondylitis on the outside usually called Tennis Elbow and Medial Epicondylitis on the inside usually called Golf Elbow.
Tennis elbow is the more common of the two because the muscles on the back of the forearm connecting to the outside of the elbow or the lateral epicondyle are fewer and weaker than the muscles on the front of the forearm. It is more susceptible to repetitive actions involving these muscles. It can happen in people who play tennis or do repetitive activities e.g weekend gardening, once in a while. In actual fact, 90% of patients with tennis elbow do not play tennis.
Two common causes are: (1) repetitive movements or activities, (2) easily knocked into objects such as doors, shower screen, wardrobe e.g. when you have shopping in both hands the outside of the elbow is the part of the body that you would use to open door.
Golf elbow is commonly caused by repetitive activities. Even though this is the stronger side of the elbow, muscles still can be affected if the workload exceeds their limits. Limits are not related only to the quantity of the load but also its leverage. The leverage or moments can be greatly increased increased through leverage such as reaching out actions. Lifting up a book or folder or file with outstretched arm can hugely increase the load on the elbow. Thus, heavier loads must be handled closer to the body and preferably with both hands. Once the joint becomes abnormal even normal daily activities such as using the mouse, cutting up vegetables, wringing of towels, opening caps or driving, will cause discomfort.
The following two basic exercises are reasonably safe and useful for most patients. If in doubt, you should consult a physiotherapist.
The first exercise is squeezing exercise. It aims to maintain the gripping power in the elbow muscles while the joint is under repaired.
The second exercise is bending and straightening exercises used to maintain the normal range of movements in the elbow.
