What is Tennis Elbow?

First of all, this condition does not apply only for Tennis players. Anyone who often performs physical activities which use wrist and arm movement repetitively can be prone to tennis elbow.

What Causes Tennis Elbow?

Also known in medical term as lateral epicondylitis, it is often occurred due to overstrain of tendons and muscles at the forearm as well as Elbow joint^[1][2]. There will be soreness and pain at the elbow’s outer part. For the tendons which are involved in the movement of wrist can also be painful from inflammation.

This condition usually happens to people from 35 to 65 of age. Also it is extremely common for people who play sports such as squash, badminton, racquetball, fencing, weight lifting and especially tennis. Not only sports, people who have hobbies or jobs which requires repetition in movement such knitting, raking, painting, typing or carpentry. Most importantly, this condition mostly injures the dominant arm.

Symptoms

The intensity will be different from one to another. Common symptoms can be wrist and elbow pain, weak grasp, trouble with extending forearm fully as well as pain during bending or lifting the arm.

This condition might last for couples of week to month; particularly there is case which lasts for years due to the extremely slow heal of tendons. Normally, this condition often heals itself. All you need to comply is resting your injured arm well.

Here are the top 20 most effective home remedies for tennis elbow which are easy for you to apply in order to get rid of painful elbow as well as strengthen your tendons and muscles.

1. Ice

This is the easiest and simplest method from the list of home remedies for Tennis Elbow but it can alleviate swelling and pain. Furthermore, it can help you prevent the condition from progressing. In case, ice is unavailable, you can opt for some frozen pea bags.

How to use:

• Take some ice cubes and wrap them in a towel.
• Use a pillow or cushion to rest the elbow.
• Apply the towel onto the affected area.
• Keep it for about 15 minutes.
• Perform couples of time per day.

Note: Do not directly put ice onto skin.

2. Contrast Hydrotherapy

A bit more complicated than using ice, this method from the list of home remedies for tennis elbow is the combination of cold and hot compresses. The heat will improve circulation of blood as well as alleviate pain while the coldness will soothe inflammation and swelling.

How to use:

• Take a hot bottle of water and wrap in a towel then take some ice cubes and use another towel to wrap them.
• Apply directly the hot compress onto the affected area for 3 minutes.
• Replace with cold compress for 1 minute.
• Continue the cycle for at least 15 minutes.
• Perform couples of time every day until there are positive changes.

3. Turmeric

The well-known curcumin compound is what makes turmeric essential to the list of home remedies for tennis elbow. It is also responsible for many other health benefits of turmeric. Considered the natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory agent, it even contains antioxidant property which helps you destroy those free radicals while improving the healing^[3][4].

How to use:

• Take a teaspoon of turmeric powder into some milk. Warm up the mixture and put in some honey. Consume twice per day for at least several weeks.
• Another way is taking turmeric in supplementary form of capsule for 250 – 500mg in 3 times every day. However, you still need to consult the doctor first.

4. Ginger

With powerful anti-inflammatory property, it is easy to understand why ginger appears in the list of home remedies for tennis elbow as it can effectively ease those symptoms of this condition^[5][6].

How to use:

• Take a piece of ginger into some boiling water for about 10 minutes. Then have it strained and put in some honey. Consume slowly for 3 times every day.
• Also you might make a ginger poultice to apply. You can take 4 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger and use a cotton bag to wrap it. Take the bag into some hot water for about 1 minute then take out and let it cool down. Apply the bag directly onto the affected area for about 15 minutes. Perform couples of time every day.

5. Massage

Using the either avocado or calendula oil to massage is the tip you should practice from the list of home remedies of tennis elbow. Those oils will be able to soothe your pain and inflammation^[7]. Moreover, massage will enhance the circulation of blood as well as ease the soreness of muscles.

How to do:

• Take some oil onto the affected area. Use your thumb to rub back and forth.
• Another way is perform some trigger-point massage by doing long and firm strokes.
• Massage for 2 – 3 times every day until there are positive changes.

6. St. John’s Wort

Containing analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory properties, this herb will be able to provide significant help for the treatment of tennis elbow.

How to use:

• Take 2 teaspoons of dried herb into some hot water and steep for about 10 minutes. Then have it strained and add in some honey. Consume 2 cups every day.
• Also you can take the essential oil of this herb to apply onto the affected area for couples of time per day in several days.

Note: Avoid using this herb in case you are having prescription medications.

7. Fenugreek

This wonderful seed contains effective anti-inflammatory property that is capable of ease inflammation and swelling^[8][9]. Therefore, it is no surprise that fenugreek is included in the list of home remedies for tennis elbow.

How to use:

• Take 1 to 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds into some milk to forma paste. Use the paste to apply onto the affected area and keep it on for about 1 – 2 hours. Then cleanse off using warm water.
• Also you can consume a teaspoon of grounded fenugreek seeds with some warm water every early morning.

Perform those methods once every day until there are positive changes.

8. Garlic

Abundance in selenium and sulfur, garlic is capable of alleviate inflammation and pain effectively which make it suitable for the list of home remedies for tennis elbow^[10][11].

How to use:

• Take 4 cloves of crushed garlic into 2 tablespoons of mustard oil and heat up until the garlic is brown. Then have it strained and let the oil cool down to warm. Use the oil to apply directly onto the affected area. Gently massage for couples of minute and keep the oil on for several hours. Perform twice every day for couples of day.
• Also you can consume 2 to 3 cloves of garlic every day. In case you cannot stand the garlic’s smell, you might take garlic in supplementary form but you need to consult the doctor first.

9. White Willow Bark

This herb is presented in the list of home remedies for tennis elbow due to its salicin compound which can act an efficient natural painkiller.

How to use:

• Take a teaspoon of dried bark into some boiling water and steep for about 15 minutes.
• Then have it strained and consume warmly.
• Perform every day.

10. Comfrey Leaves

Containing some certain chemicals which can assist the healing capabilities of your body, it is acknowledged as a mild painkiller which can support the treatment of tennis elbow rather well.

How to use:

• Take some comfrey leaves and soak in hot water until soft.
• Then apply the warm leaves onto the affected area.
• Use a cloth to wrap and hold the leaves.
• Keep it on overnight.
• Perform every day until the symptoms are gone.

Also you might comfrey oil to run gently onto the affected area twice every day for couples of week.

11. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

In order to alleviate the inflammation from tennis elbow, you will need to consume more omega-3 fatty acids which can be obtained from tuna or salmon^[12][13]. This nutrient is something you cannot ignore in the list of home remedies for tennis elbow.

12. Cabbage

This common vegetable can be your perfect cure from the list of home remedies for tennis elbow. You just need to take some cabbage leaves and soak in water for about 30 minutes. Then apply directly onto the affected are. Use a cloth to wrap and hold for overnight.

13. Potato

Potato – a familiar ingredient of our daily meal – is another wonderful tip on how to heal tennis elbow fast. It has cooling quality that is beneficial for dealing with pain and swelling caused by this problem. Potato is also effective to cure tennis elbow or forearms.

All you need to do is to keep some baked potato in a thin and soft towel. Then, apply the towel on painful and swollen areas caused by this problem.

However, you ought not to use too hot potato which might have negative impacts on the skin. Warm potato is effective enough.

14. Coconut Oil

Among tips on how to treat tennis elbow at home, essential oils also make up for a relative percentage. And coconut oil is one of the most common and available types that you can find easily.

You are suggested to use it directly on the skin and massage it for a while so that the risk of inflammation or swelling will be much lower. Do not forget that coconut oil even provides generous advantages for our skin conditions.

15. Pineapple

Are you excited to see pineapple among natural home remedies for tennis elbow? For me, it’s yes. Not only does pineapple possess wonderful taste, but it also provides a variety of health benefits.

Scientists have pointed out that most benefits of pineapple come from its richness of nutrients, especially bromelain. This is unique and strongly anti-inflammatory.

To accelerate tennis elbow treatment, the suggestion is to consume it or its juice every day.

16. Avocado Oil

Avocado is absolutely an amazing fruit. It can be used raw in salad or made into flavorful smoothie. In every way, avocado does wonder for our health.

In the treatments for tennis elbow, you are recommended to use avocado oil which helps to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling. It also provides nutrients that you will find in raw avocado to nurture blood circulation inside our body. This helps to ease the sore muscles very well.

17. Celery Seeds

The quality of anti-inflammation is what makes celery seed one of the best tips on how to cure tennis elbow. Furthermore, you also benefit a lot from its abundance of nutrients. For example, the time it takes to heal tennis elbow will be much shorter.

By mixing some juice of celerey seeds and warm water, you will have one of the most effective home remedies for tennis elbow. Remember to consume it a few times per day.

18. Tendon Exercise

This tip is the one you must definitely follow in the list of home remedies for tennis elbow as it will strengthen your muscles and tendons against the damage of repetitive motion. You can practice some exercises like wrist flexor or wrist extensor as they are highly effective for the healing process of tennis elbow.

19. Supportive Brace or Sling

You can put on a sling or brace for supporting the treatment for tennis elbow as they can elevate the arm which will prevent the arm from any unwanted exertion that can pressurize the muscles.

20. Take a Rest

The main reason for the occurrence of tennis elbow is the repetition of physical activities without any good rest. Therefore, it is necessary to take rest in periodic interval to decrease the stress as well as pain on elbow.

Even when tennis elbow does not happen to you yet, a rest plays an important role in your schedule as it helps your muscles to recover and develop more effectively.

How to Prevent Tennis Elbow

As there is no specific cause for tennis elbow, it is not simple to give detailed instructions on how to prevent tennis elbow. The best advice we could come up with for you is to maintain a healthy diet and avoid over-exercising.

Regarding nutrition, you should bear in mind that omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for the fight against inflammation in the body. They are present in many foods, especially fish and nuts…

In order to avoid injuries when doing exercise, you have to perform some simple activities to warm up the body. Otherwise, the risk of injuries will be much higher.