What Exercises Can Help Alleviate Elbow Pain?

Reviewed by Tomas Diaz, MD

Emergency Medicine

Exercises like isometric holds, eccentric strengthening, and gentle stretching can help ease elbow pain but specific recommendations require evaluation by a physical therapist.

Explanation

Exercise recommendations for elbow pain depend on the underlying cause. However, some exercises may be helpful no matter the cause. These include

Isometric exercises where you contract muscles without moving the joint
Eccentric strengthening exercises that focus on slow, controlled movements
Gentle stretching of the forearm muscles and tendons

These exercises help reduce pain and improve function by strengthening the muscles, tendons, and joints around the elbow. For exercises tailored to your specific needs, seek evaluation and guidance from a physical therapist.

(References)

Wallis JA, Bourne AM, Jessup RL, Johnston RV, Frydman A, Cyril S, Buchbinder R. Manual therapy and exercise for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024 May 28;5(5):CD013042. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013042.pub2. PMID: 38802121; PMCID: PMC11129914.
Stasinopoulos D. Isometric Exercise for the Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy. J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 22;12(1):94. doi: 10.3390/jcm12010094. PMID: 36614894; PMCID: PMC9820871.
Pathan AF, Sharath HV. A Review of Physiotherapy Techniques Used in the Treatment of Tennis Elbow. Cureus. 2023 Oct 26;15(10):e47706. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47706. PMID: 38021828; PMCID: PMC10674892.

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