As a physical therapist, I focus on helping people make sure their bodies work without pain. Pain limits your quality and quantity of life and this is why you should come into physical therapy, to get rid of your pain and improve the quality of your life.
One major area of our body that gets a lot of arthritis and tendonitis problems is the elbow. Physical therapy offers a non-surgical elbow treatment that in most cases works just as well as surgery or other conservative treatments. For elbow arthritis, tennis elbow, golf elbow, and partial elbow tears, physical therapy is a crucial part of the healing process.
Physical therapy is a well planned, individualized exercise and rehabilitation program, which is guided by a professional that understands and is experienced to treat your problems. The exercises and rehabilitation prescribed for you are specific to your individual elbow condition.
Physical therapy treatments often include: range of motion and strengthening exercises, massage, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and use of specialized physical therapy gym equipment. This individualized program will not only decrease the pain and stiffness of your elbow it will also increase your range of motion of movement allowing you to perform your normal daily activities of living and your favorite sport activities.
Here are a few exercises that you might do in one of your physical therapy sessions:
- Elbow Flexion and Extension
Hold a can or a one weight with your palm facing upwards. Then slowly bend your elbow so that your hand approaches your shoulder. Then gently lower your elbow once again until it is straight.
***All exercises should only be done after proper demonstration by a physical therapist.
2. Forearm supination and pronation strengthening.
Rest your elbow on a hard surface like a table. Put in a can or a one pound weight in your hand. Then rotate your hand with your palm upwards and then downwards. Repeat this exercise the recommended number of times by your physical therapist.
Cross Bay Physical Therapy, located in Howard Beach, Queens, will help you improve and resolve your painful elbow condition allowing you to do the activities you need to do and the activities you love to do!!
Call Esther, Dawn or John or appointment specialists at (718) 835-0084 and schedule your elbow physical therapy consultation today!
By Benjamin Bieber