Elbow Pain

Elbow Pain: Prevention

• Reduce how much time you spend doing the activity that causes the pain.
• Warm up slowly. Stretch the forearm before, during, and after exercise.
• Use an elbow "sleeve" to help keep your elbow warm while playing.
• Use ice or anti-inflammatory medication (for example, ibuprofen) after the activity to prevent swelling and pain, if you have had an elbow injury in the past.
• Prevent tennis elbow by using the correct grip size, a two-handed backhand, and racquet strings that are not too tight.
• Wear a "tennis elbow band" over an injured or rehabilitated area to prevent further injury and reduce pain.
• Perform regular stretching and strengthening exercises (given to you by your physical therapist or doctor).
• To prevent nursemaid's elbow in children, do not pull on a straightened arm. Also, avoid lifting or holding the child up by the hands or forearm. Children who get nursemaid's elbow once can easily get it again. Usually this is outgrown by about age 4.