4 Exercises for Tennis Elbow and Forearm Pain

Take a moment to notice your posture. Are you reading this on a phone or a computer? Probably, since this is a blog. Are your head, shoulders and arms in their natural positions? For most people, the answer is no. One of the drawbacks to technology is getting injured because of long hours of inactivity and poor postural alignment.

Technically, problems like tennis elbow stem from a combination of certain muscles being too weak or too tight, which puts extra stress on tendons. This leads to microtears in the tendons and inflammation, a.k.a. tendonitis. Not fun.

Aches and pains are normal as we get older, but that doesn't mean you have to just put up with it. Try these stretches to improve mobility in your forearms and reap the benefits.

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Forearm Stretch with Internal Rotation

This stretch targets a hard-to-reach wrist extensor that can get very tight.

1) Bring your arm out in front of you, with the wrist bent and fingers pointing down.

2) Internally rotate your arm and support it with your other hand. Your fingers should be facing out to the same side as the arm you are using.

3) Apply pressure to intensify the stretch and hold for 30-60 seconds.

Wrist Extension

Do these to strengthen the forearm extensor muscles. High reps are best for this one, so think 1-2 sets of 25-30.

1) Sit in a chair with a resistance band under one foot. Hold the end of it with the same side hand, palm facing down.

2) Raise your hand (imagine bringing your knuckles through the ceiling).

3) Lower SLOWLY and repeat (a 4-count is ideal here).

Kneeling Forearm Stretch with External Rotation

The muscles that flex the forearm can become tight, which can lead to problems keeping proper form during upper-body exercises. Try this stretch to open up the range of motion in your wrist.

1) From all fours, turn one hand outward, then backward, externally rotating it as far as you can go.

2) Shift the hips back until you find a good stretch. Hold 30-60 seconds.

3) Make sure to do both sides!

Dumbbell Reverse Curl

In addition to regular bicep curls, reverse curls are a great way to keep the forearm strong. If you currently have forearm pain, it is best to start with a light weight and do 1-2 sets of 25-30 reps.

1) Hold the dumbbells with your arms at your sides, palms facing behind you.

2) Keeping your upper arms still, lift the dumbbells toward you.

3) Let them back down slowly.