Although your elbow is supposed to be the strongest part of your arm, it is still prone to certain injuries that can limit your mobility and daily activities. Instead of leaving it to chance, here are ten important tips to reducing your risk of an elbow injury.
1. Make Physical Activity Important
It seems counterintuitive, but many orthopedic surgeon specialties focus on staying physically active to reduce your risk of injury. Doing strengthening exercises will keep the muscles strong so that your elbow health is improved, especially as you start to get older.
2. Being Careful
Elbow injuries are common during falls, so don’t be afraid to use assistive walking devices such as canes or walkers to help you get around. Uneven and slippery surfaces can increase your risk of falling and injuring your elbow.
3. Maintaining Good Posture
Having good posture means that you’re not overcompensating the muscles in your arms and wearing them out faster. Consider ergonomic seats and desks to further improve your posture, especially if you sit and work at a computer all day.
4. Use Protection
When engaged in physical activity, consider protecting them. If you’re engaged in outdoor sports like skiing or skating, be sure to wear elbow pads to protect them if or when you do fall.
5. Take Regular Breaks
Overuse of the muscles in repetitive actions can cause elbow pain. Take regular breaks, add ice to the area, and protect the injured arm so that it can recover more quickly. Pushing through an injury will only make the situation worse.
6. Consider Physical Therapy
If you experience mild to moderate elbow pain on a regular basis, then it might be time to consider physical therapy. Speak to a trained professional who can show you the right exercises to do to reduce your symptoms and make it easier for you to go about your day. Keep in mind that physical therapy should be considered in conjunction with your doctor’s medical advice.
7. Practice Self-Care
Give yourself a break when you need it. And that means learning to say no if friends or family ask for help with certain activities that might aggravate your injury. Treat yourself to a massage or heat therapy to help take some of the pain away so that you can relax.
8. Use Your Non-Dominant Hand
Give your dominant hand a break and use your other hand for some of the simpler tasks you need to accomplish during the day.
9. Consider Advice
You might be using your arm wrong in a way that is injuring your elbow. Get some advice on the proper form so that you can reduce your risk of injury. You could even get lessons from a trained professional if you play tennis or golf to minimize the pain.
10. Exercise Patience
When you do injure your elbow, it pays to be patient until it is fully healed. Get proper sleep, stay hydrated, and focus on your nutrition to help your body do its best job at healing.
If you have experienced an elbow injury or experiencing chronic pain in your elbow, speak to a medical professional as soon as possible to expedite the healing and recovery process.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 