June 2021 - Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance

4 ways you make running harder than it should be and how to fix them

Posted on June 23, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

We are always looking for ways to get faster while running, but instead of looking at the things to make you faster, let’s focus on the things that are slowing you down — and work to minimize their effects.

Sitting too much:

We spend a lot of time sitting: sitting in the car, sitting at work, sitting at school, and sitting in front of the TV. The list goes on and on. Sitting may be comfortable and a useful low energy position, but it can be killing your running ability. By sitting on your glutes, you are deactivating the most powerful and important muscle for running. You are putting your hip flexors in a shortened position which will reduce your ability to extend your hips, another key part of running.

The Fix:

Get up and move!! This is one of the easiest ways to combat too much sitting. Get up and move around every 20 min or so, add some deep squats, lunge anything to get you out of that seated position for a litte. This is where a sit-to-stand desk can come in handy, allowing you to spend time in alternate positions. Also, shoot for a minimum of 5000 steps a day. These can add up quickly: Just walk to places you would otherwise drive to, park a little farther away or go for a short walk during your lunch break.

Slumping while sitting:

As if sitting by itself wasn’t bad enough, we tend to sit in a slumped posture with our heads jutted forward to try and be closer to the computer screen or looking down at a desk all day. This will make everything mentioned above worse, plus it affects your upper body posture. Your head will move forward, which will place more strain on your lower back as you try to hold your “bowling ball” with outstretched arms instead of close and stacked over your pelvis. Your shoulders are rounded which will reduce your ability to complete a natural arm swing motion while both running and walking.

The Fix:

Again, getting up and moving around is the most important fix. No posture is truly bad, the only bad part is how long you stay in any given posture. Check the ergonomics of your desk, and make sure you bring your computer screen towards your face — not your face towards the screen. Stretch your pecs in the doorway or while lying on a foam roll to balance out the rounded posture.

Bad footwear:

Many people spend a lot of time discussing the importance of X or Y type of running shoes and why each one is special or “faster”. But no one really puts much focus on the shoes they wear most of the day. You can wreak havoc on your feet by wearing hard, stiff, lifted heel shoes all day that stiffen up and weaken your feet’s joints and muscles, making it hard for your feet to complete their job as your initial contact to the ground while running.

The Fix:

Try and get shoes with thin and flexible soles that allow your feet to move freely on the ground and adjust to variances in terrain and make the muscles of your feet work. Even better: Try to fit in some barefoot time every day. You can add a little bit of barefoot running in grass or sand to the end of your runs to help your feet remain strong and flexible, allowing you to run better.

You just run to run:

Running is a great way to exercise and improve your overall fitness, but there are many things outside of running you can and should do to prepare yourself to run further, better and faster. Ideally, you get into running with some level of fitness behind you or you build your way slowly and with the proper progressions. Instead, you run the same speed, distance, and/or route over and over.

The Fix:

Get your running form looked at by a professional to optimize your stride and become more aware of how you’re running. It’s also to mix up the distances and paces at which you run to create varying stresses that your body must adapt to in order to make you a stronger and more resilient runner. There are also plenty of great strengthening and alternative aerobic training activities that can greatly improve your running.

Also, remember that physical therapy can also be a preventative approach! A licensed physical therapist can help evaluate and assess you for any mobility restrictions or muscular imbalances and recommend a proper program!

Clay Simons

clay@rauschpt.net

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us to! (949) 276-5401

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! RauschPT.net

Seven Scapula-Focused Exercises to Help You Swim Faster

Posted on June 23, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

Most overhead athletes, especially swimmers, know that strengthening the rotator cuff is important for performance. While rotator cuff strengthening is a vital part of maintaining shoulder joint stability and proper joint mechanics, many swimmers, unfortunately, overlook the shoulder blade, the scapula. All that work on stabilization at the shoulder joint/rotator cuff is pointless if the shoulder blade itself is not stable.

Understanding the Scapula

The scapula contains the glenoid fossa, where the humeral head sits and is actively anchored in by multiple structures, mainly the rotator cuff musculature. Because it does not have a direct articulation with the spine or ribs like a typical joint would, the scapula must be controlled by multiple muscles that anchor it to the axial skeleton to provide a stable platform for the humerus (arm) to move on.

Your posture has a big effect on scapular stabilization. For example, the common “forward head/rounded shoulder posture” forces the scapula to alter its path as it moves over a more rounded rib cage into a more forward position (adducted.) This causes the scapular stabilizers to sit in a stretched position, causing the muscles to fire outside of their optimal position and weaken them through the prolonged stretch.

Before you can start working to improve your scapular mobility for a stronger stroke, you first have to learn how to properly recruit the muscles of the scapula. I suggest reading my colleague Sean Swopes, PT, DPT, CSCS article, How to Activate Your Scapular Muscles to Alleviate Pain, to learn how to do this correctly and achieve optimal posture.

Seven Scapula-Focused Exercises to Help You Swim Faster

Once you understand exactly how the scapula needs to move, you can begin an exercise program that helps improve your scapular mobility and posture, creating a stronger platform for your shoulder to help you swim faster.

FR: T/S Extensions and Supine Angels
Serratus punches/push-ups
Rows (isometric scap)
I’s, T’s, Y’s
Prone 90/90s
While lying on the SB in the same position as for I’s, T’s, or Y’s, raise your arms to shoulder height with good scapular squeeze then rotate your shoulders 90 degrees so that your arms are even with your shoulders and hands up next to your head, hold this position for 2-3 sec then lower your hands down toward the floor and relax your arms. 3×10
SB walkouts
Step overs
Hold a good plank position with hands directly under your shoulders, step your hand sideways up onto a small step then step up with the other hand and down on the other side. 3×10

Clay Simons

clay@rauschpt.net

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us to! (949) 276-5401

Pre-surf warm-up for Hips and Lower Back

Posted on June 22, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

Surfing requires a lot of flexibility and strength. Generating strength and power for turning requires joint mobility and muscle flexibility to transfer your momentum from your legs to your trunk and upper body. Joint mobility refers to how much your bone moves in the joint capsule before the slack is taken up by the surrounding capsule, ligaments, and tendons. Muscle flexibility refers more to muscle length and elasticity. Dynamic flexibility is your ability to actively move a joint through the full range of motion. Limitations in either joint mobility or muscle extensibility will affect your ability to move freely.

A lack of muscle flexibility and joint mobility is a big risk factor in developing muscle injuries. When it comes to flexibility and mobility, you either use it or lose it. Since the majority of us work 5 days a week, most of us can’t surf every day. Sitting for 6-8 hours per day will certainly lead to muscle restrictions and joint stiffness through your hips and your back.

Spinal rotation and hip mobility are key to generating powerful turns. As you move through your turn, joint stiffness and muscle restrictions will limit the power of your turn. Turning requires a significant amount of joint mobility as well as flexibility through the hips and ankles which then transfers to your upper body through your lower back up your spine to your shoulders and neck. Forcing a restricted joint through a powerful turn can lead to injury. Tight hips can increase torque to your lower back or knees and overload the joints and muscles which can result in pain, injury, or instability. Similarly, a tight or stiff lower back may result in excessive strain on the surrounding muscles, joints, and discs. A warm-up specifically targeting your hips and back before surfing will help your body move freely and reduce the risk of injury while transitioning through powerful turns.

Before getting in the water for a 6 AM dawn patrol Saturday morning, you want to make sure your body is moving freely to prevent injury. After 40 hours at the office during the week, take the time to spend 5 minutes before paddling out to free up the joints that have not been moving all week.

Here are a few warm-up exercises to loosen up the hips and back to you moving before getting out in the water. You want to make sure your whole body moves freely before forcing it into a big hacking turn.

Pigeon stretch

Start on hands and knees, bring the front leg into external rotation keeping the knee in line with the hip, aim to keep the shin perpendicular to the thigh. Keep the back leg straight with hips square with equal weight in both hips. Perform on both sides.

This is a great stretch for the external rotators and hip flexors to open the hips. I do not recommend this stretch for anyone with a knee injury since it does put stress on the knee. This is easily modified to do in the water between sets, you can do it with your leg on your board or by crossing your leg over your knee in the water bringing your knee towards your chest while floating in the water.

Bretzel stretch

Lay on the side, keep the bottom leg in line with the trunk with the knee bent 90º, the top leg bends 90º at the hip with the knee flexed 90º. Place your arms into a ’T’ to rotate your spine. Perform on both sides for 30″-1′.

This is a great stretch for opening up the lumbar and thoracic spine as well as the shoulders. You may feel tighter on one side than the other. Doing 5-8 deep breaths while doing this stretch will help the body relax and enable the back and shoulders to open up.

Low Lunge

Start in a push-up position, bring your right foot forward between hands, keep your knee stacked over the ankle. Keep left leg back extending while sinking the hips by driving your heel to the ground. Make sure to keep back flat and feet pointed forward. Perform a series of 5 on each leg alternating sides.

Crescent Lunge Twist

From the low lunge position, move your right hand inside of the right foot, look up towards your raised left arm. Raise the left arm and gaze up while twist body to the left. Repeat on the opposite side.

The Low Lunge and Crescent lunge twist are good hip openers and provide dynamic mobility to the spine for standing up on your board.

Downward dog to upward dog

Start on hands and knees with hands directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips. Lift your hips up and back to bring your body into an inverted ‘V’ while driving heels to the ground and keeping back flat. Press your hands to the floor pushing your shoulders away and gently rotating outward into your hands. Keep your head/neck relaxed.

The transition from downward dog to a push-up position, hold for 2-3 seconds, then transition to upward facing dog position by shifting weight forward to lower the body while keeping elbows squeezed against the rib cage. Turn feet pointing down into plantarflexion, then press up keeping shoulders stacked over hands and squeezing shoulder blades together to open the chest. Legs should be engaged ‘hovering’ over the ground, not resting on it. Repeat this sequence 5 times.

Be careful to avoid over-extending through your lower back, don’t move through pain.

This sequence is helpful to mobilize the spine, wake up the shoulders and your core.

Clay Simons

clay@rauschpt.net

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us to! (949) 276-5401

RauschPT

Strategies for Ocean Swims

Posted on June 22, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

Assess the conditions

As summer approaches, many triathletes are swimming in open water to prepare for upcoming races. Training in the pool is great to work on distance and technique. It is important to incorporate ocean water training to be confident in the conditions on the day of the race. Practicing a few swims at the race site will help you prepare mentally by becoming familiar with the surrounding environment and potential hazards. The more experience you have swimming in different ocean conditions, the more prepared you will be for race day.

Assessing ocean conditions is critical for successful swimming. One week before your event, check out the surf report! It is important to mentally and physically prepare for your upcoming ocean swim. Surfline.com is a great site for accurate forecasts.

Getting in the water before the race has several benefits. First, you can assess the bottom to look for any inshore holes or rocks to avoid while entering during your race, the last thing you need is to sprain your ankle or twist your knee. Second, you can assess the power of the waves while also assessing the strength and direction of the ocean current. Assessing the current is one of the most critical things to do before an open water swim. This will help you gauge where you start on the beach to make the best water entry to hit the buoy without having to swim up the current. Assessing the current takes time and experience in the water, spend time getting comfortable in the ocean and getting a ‘feel’ for it. Third, taking a quick dunk in the water will help to avoid that initial shock when you hit the water at the start of the race. Lastly, I suggest asking local lifeguards about any possible hazards to be aware of during your water entry and exit to avoid possible injury.

Water Entry

Arguably, one of the most important parts of a competitive ocean swim is your water entry, not the amount of time you put in swimming laps. A good water entry starts with gauging were to enter the water after assessing the current.

A quick and efficient water entry through the surf line will separate you from the rest of the pack. Use high knees when running out through the surf line. As it starts getting more difficult to run, you want to start ‘dolphining’ through the surf line. ‘Dolphining’ is a technique used to get through the ‘impact zone’ efficiently. Start ‘Dolphining’ in waist-deep water by diving with both arms over your head, grab the sand bottom to pull yourself forward while bringing your legs underneath your body to explode out of the water through the surf. Continue ‘Dolphining’ until the water gets too deep, then begin your swim. Swim with your head up through the surf line to keep an eye out for waves. In the case of an approaching ‘set’ of waves, it is always safer to swim toward the wave than away from it. Once past the waves, periodically take a few strokes with your head up to keep your eye on the buoy marker.

Rip currents

Rip currents can make or break you. While we are all taught to ‘stay out of rip currents’, these currents can be used to your advantage in getting through the impact zone more efficiently. Swimming with the outgoing rip current can save time and energy to swim faster through the surf line where waves generally don’t break. This technique should only be used by experienced ocean swimmers with good ocean knowledge and awareness.

Water Exit

Once you round the buoy, use landmarks on the beach to swim straight. Make sure to avoid any rip currents swimming towards shore, getting stuck in a rip will cost you time and energy. If you find yourself swimming in sandy or foamy water not making any progress, chances are you are in a rip current. Swim parallel to shore to the blue water, then continue swimming towards shore.

In the impact zone, keep your head on a swivel by turning on your back or looking over your shoulder to look for oncoming waves. Bodysurfing can save a lot of time and energy in the impact zone. This takes time and experience to learn but can be a huge asset at the end of a swim. Continue swimming until your hand hits the sand, then start with high knees to exit the water. Remember, running is faster than swimming. Don’t fight the current, it will be faster to run back than to fight the current swimming.

Tips for ocean swims

Check conditions before your swim
Minimize your time in the ‘impact zone’
Use landmarks to help swim straight
Avoid rip currents on your way to the beach
Practice ‘ins and outs’ to have faster water entries and exits
Always swim with a partner

Clay Simons

clay@rauschpt.net

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us to! (949) 276-5401

RauschPT

Weightlifting: Knee Injuries and Pain

Posted on June 22, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

Overuse, injury, accident, or surgery – those are some causes of knee pain and injury. Whenever and wherever you have pain, physical therapy can help! Learn more about some common injuries related to knee pain and weight training by reading below. At Rausch PT, we will provide you with the best care possible so you can get back to doing what you love as soon as possible.

The lower back, shoulder, and knee are the big three “injury”‘ joints for active people. Even the inactive will inevitably have a mild or serious injury to one or more of these joints over a lifetime. However, adding regular weight training into your routine can improve knee strength and prevent injury. Safety is critical when weight training because strain and injury can occur.

Weight Training and Knee Injuries

While it may seem like weight training could contribute to knee injuries, this is not the case. Lifts like deadlifts and squats do place high forces on the knee joints, but these forces are applied mostly vertically and not horizontally or rotationally (twisting). The knees cope with vertical forces much better than high-impact horizontal and twisting forces.

While weight training is generally very safe for the knees, this is dependent on whether you practice proper form and follow the correct guidelines for each move. Even so, knee injuries do occur in weight training and in the very high forces of Olympic weightlifting, and if you have an existing knee injury from another activity, inappropriate weight training exercises could make it worse.1

In general, weight training is safe for the knees as long as proper form is practiced. The body is designed to manage vertical forces on the joints. However, sudden twisting movements, poor alignment, and pre-existing injuries may put you at risk for an injury.2

Common Knee Injuries

In each of the knee ligament injuries below, the damage can range from a sprain to a slight tear or a complete tear in the most serious cases. Here’s what you need to know.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

This ligament ties the femur bone of the thigh to the tibia or shin bone of the lower leg and controls excessive rotation or extension of the knee joint.3 Anterior means at the front. A rear (posterior) ligament is also present. ACL injuries are seen mostly in athletes. Severe damage to the ACL usually means surgical reconstruction and up to 12 months rehabilitation.

In the gym, be careful not to allow twisting knee movements under excessive load, intentionally or accidentally.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)

The PCL connects the femur and tibia at different points to the ACL and controls any rearward motion of the tibia at the joint. The PCL is mostly injured with high-impact forces as a result of accidents and sometimes in sports activities where a sharp blow to the knee occurs.

Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)

This ligament keeps the knee from bending too far to the inside (medially). Damaged MCLs mostly occur from an impact to the outside of the knee, or even from an accidental bodyweight force when the leg reaches an unusual angle.

Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)

This is the opposite ligament to the MCL. It’s on the outside of the knee and controls excessive movement outward. This ligament connects the fibula (the smaller bone of the lower leg) to the femur. Similarly the LCL is injured when a force pushes the knee outward.

Cartilage Injury

Cartilage prevents bones from rubbing together and cushions impacts. The two knee menisci (meniscus single) are cartilages that cushion the inside and outside of the knee joint. Other types of cartilage protect the ends of the thigh and shin bones. When cartilage is torn or damaged, surgery with an arthroscope may be necessary. (An arthroscope is an implement that allows a surgeon to see and fix cartilage injuries with a small incision.)

Tendonitis

Aggravated and overused tendons of the knee can cause disabling knee injuries. A related injury called “iliotibial band syndrome” (ITB) causes pain to the outside of the knee, often in runners, but it can occur in any overuse situation. Rest, stretching, and a short, two-week course of anti-inflammatory medication is often recommended. Longer duration of medication usage can result in more side effects than benefits. For pain lasting longer than two weeks, consult a physical therapist. Anti-inflammatory medication is often recommended for these types of injuries.4

Prevent Weight Training Knee Injuries

There are steps you can take to minimize your risk of knee injury and pain while weightlifting. If you have an existing knee injury, take the advice of your doctor or physical therapist in the first instance.

Avoid certain gym workouts. Gym exercises that may be best avoided are the isolation exercises like the leg extension machine, and the leg curl exercises, either standing or on a bench. Heavy loads or deep squats should mostly be avoided.
Deep squat with caution. On the other hand, if your knee was perfectly healthy, with accurate technique under expert supervision and gradually progressive training load, current research shows the deep squat is a great exercise to protect against lower leg injury.2

Other Causes of Knee Injury

Knee injuries, especially to the knee ligaments, are exceedingly common in sporting communities. Knee injuries can result in pain, swelling, and immobility from minor to severe effects.

For weight trainers and physically active men and women, the knee joints endure a wide range of stresses and strains. For the most part, in younger years, the knee joints serve us well. However, in sports with twisting movements—such as football, basketball, hockey, and many others—ligaments that bind the complex bones of the knee joint together can be damaged, often severely.

In addition, as we age, normal wear and tear can result in osteoarthritis of the knee joints.5 In this condition, the cartilage that provides cushioning between bones deteriorates and causes bones to rub together resulting in pain and stiffness.

Closing Thoughts…

Weight training, when performed correctly, is generally safe for the knees. However, if you are concerned or have experienced a prior knee injury, you should talk to your doctor before beginning a new workout routine. Working with a personal trainer can be helpful in learning the proper technique and weightlifting form.

Take advice from our exceptional physical therapists to get the most suitable treatment for your knee pain. We will help help you recover better and fast. You don’t need a doctor’s prescription to see us, but we would be happy to convey your treatment and progress with your doctor if you would like. Visit our Rausch PT Dana Point Facebook Page or call us at (949) 276-5401 to book an appointment. There’s no prescription needed to see a PT.

Reference: {https://www.verywellfit.com/knee-pain-and-injury-in-weight-training-3498459}

An Overview of Tennis Elbow

Posted on June 17, 2021October 2, 2024 by rauschpt

Despite its name, “tennis elbow” does not solely occur in tennis players. In fact, it’s a very common issue to many athletes. Learn about how to identify the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. With physical therapy, you can both treat your injury and learn how to keep it from happening again. Your Rausch physical therapist will be by your side throughout your entire treatment.

Despite its name, “tennis elbow”, or lateral epicondylitis, does not solely occur in tennis players. Tennis elbow is actually the most common condition seen in patients experiencing elbow pain and is thought to be due to small tears of the tendons that attach forearm muscles to the arm bone at the elbow joint.

The diagnosis of tennis elbow is made through a medical history and physical examination. Additional tests may be ordered to rule out other health conditions that cause lateral elbow pain.

Treatment of tennis elbow is conservative and usually involves rest, wearing a forearm brace, and taking an anti-inflammatory medication.

Most patients with tennis elbow are between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Tennis elbow affects an equal number of men and women and occurs in the dominant arm in about 75% of people.

Causes

Tennis elbow occurs when there is a problem with the tendon (called the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle tendon) that attaches to the outside part of the elbow bone called the lateral epicondyle, thus giving tennis elbow the medical name ‘lateral epicondylitis.’ This tendon is the attachment site of the muscle that functions to cock the wrist back (called wrist extension).

It’s important to note that the tennis elbow is not simply a tendon “inflammation.” Rather, as a result of repetitive use, experts believe that incompletely healed microscopic tears develop within the tendon.1 This leads to a degenerative (“wear and tear”) process and subsequent pain and tenderness felt at the outside of the elbow.

While tennis elbow may occur on its own, there are two groups of people that are especially vulnerable to developing this condition:

Sports Participants: Athletes, especially racquet sport players, are prone to developing tennis elbow. About a third of amateur tennis players experience tennis elbow at some point in their careers. In addition to racquet sports, tennis elbow is seen in golfers, fencers, and other sports participants.
Manual Laborers: People who work with their hands are at greater risk of developing tennis elbow. Jobs that may lead to tennis elbow include plumbers, painters, gardeners, and carpenters.

Besides activities that require repetitive gripping and grasping, trauma (in the form of a direct hit to the elbow which leads to tendon swelling) can also cause tennis elbow; although, this is a less common culprit.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of tennis elbow are:

An aching or burning pain over the outside of the elbow that is worsened by gripping or lifting
Pain starts at the elbow but then may spread to the forearm
Weak grip strength

The pain associated with the tennis elbow usually has a gradual onset, but it may also come on suddenly. Pain can be highly variable too, ranging from very mild to severe and debilitating.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of tennis elbow is made through a medical history and physical examination. Additional tests may be ordered to rule out other conditions that cause elbow pain.

Besides tennis elbow, there are several other causes of pain over the outside of the elbow including instability of the joint, elbow arthritis, radial tunnel syndrome, and cervical radiculopathy. These conditions are generally considered if the symptoms are not typical for tennis elbow, or if a person with presumed tennis elbow does not respond to treatment.

Medical History and Physical Examination

In addition to inquiring about the characteristics of your elbow pain (e.g., location and severity), your doctor will ask you about any potential risk factors, like whether you have participated in a certain job or sports-related activities or experienced a recent elbow injury or trauma.

Your doctor will also ask you about your medical history, like whether you have a history of rheumatoid arthritis or elbow nerve entrapment.1

During the physical exam, your doctor will press on your elbow at various sites to evaluate for tenderness. With tennis elbow, there is usually tenderness about one centimeter from the lateral epicondyle itself.

Your doctor will also move (flex and extend) your wrist while your arm and elbow are held out to see if this increases or reproduces your pain.

Other Tests

Various tests may be used to diagnose some of the above conditions. For example, while an X-ray should be normal with a tennis elbow, it may reveal changes consistent with elbow arthritis.

Likewise, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is also often normal, although in some individuals the affected tendon may show some abnormal changes. An MRI can also be useful for diagnosing radial tunnel syndrome

Other tests, such as nerve conduction study and electromyography (EMG), are sometimes conducted to rule out nerve compression.1 Blood tests may be utilized to help diagnose inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

When to See a Doctor

The following symptoms should be discussed with your doctor before initiating any treatment:

Inability to carry objects or use your arm
Elbow pain that occurs at night or while resting
Elbow pain that persists beyond a few days
Inability to straighten or flex your arm
Swelling or significant bruising around the joint or arm
Any other unusual symptoms

Treatment

Treatment of tennis elbow entails simple, non-surgical steps, and the good news is that with sufficient time, most individuals respond well.

Non-Surgical Therapies

For most people, one or more of the following treatments are effective for treating tennis elbow:

Rest and Activity Modification: Stopping or significantly limiting activities that trigger and/or aggravate the condition (oftentimes for several weeks) is a key first step to healing.
Medication: Under the guidance of your doctor, taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), can ease inflammation and pain.
Brace: Wearing a tennis elbow brace (a band worn over the back of your forearm muscle just below your elbow) can ease the stress on the tendon and muscle.
Physical Therapy: Performing exercises that stretch and strengthen your forearm muscles, as well as various techniques like ice massage, heat, or ultrasound, can help improve muscle function and speed up healing.
Steroid Injection: In certain cases, your doctor may opt to inject cortisone (a strong anti-inflammatory medication) into the area near your lateral epicondyle.

It is usually best to begin treatments in a stepwise fashion, advancing to the next treatment only if one fails to alleviate your symptoms. It is also important to remember that most patients take a few months from the onset of symptoms to the resolution of symptoms—it is rarely an overnight cure.

Surgery

A small percentage of patients diagnosed with tennis elbow will ultimately require surgical treatment. Generally speaking, patients may consider surgery if more conservative treatments are not effective after a period of six to 12 months.

A Word From Verywell

While “tennis elbow” or lateral epicondylitis is a painful and frustrating condition, be at ease knowing that you are not alone. This condition is common, and with proper time and treatment, the vast majority of people experience tendon healing and relief.

Reference: {https://www.verywellhealth.com/tennis-elbow-a2-2549917}

Performing exercises that address your forearm muscles can help speed up healing. At Rausch PT, our physical therapists can formulate a recovery plan to help get you back on track – and there’s no prescription needed to see a PT. Visit our Facebook page or call us at (949) 276-5401 to book an appointment.

If you find yourself in discomfort or think you could benefit from a personalized exercise plan, talk to a Physical Therapist.

Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary assessment. Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us? (949) 276-5401