Shoulder and elbow tendinitis, often spelled "tendonitis," affects bands of fibrous tissue that connect your muscle and bone. You may more easily recognize this condition by names like tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, swimmer's shoulder or pitcher's shoulder, which closely relate to its cause. Because tendinitis can be extremely painful, medication is often necessary. You can, however, relieve some symptoms of tendinitis, and assist in your recovery, by performing exercises for shoulder and elbow tendinitis.
Cause
A main reason tendinitis often goes by names corresponding to sporting activities is because it directly relates to repetitive motions, such as swinging or up-and-down movements, required in these sports. When you're young, tendons are more flexible and can usually withstand unending repetition, but as you age and your tendons lose some of their flexibility, the irritation and inflammation characteristic of tendinitis are more likely to develop.
Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, involves an injured outer elbow tendon, while medial epicondylitis, or golfer's elbow, indicates an injury of the inner tendon. Biceps tendinitis, or pitcher's shoulder, reflects an injury within the biceps muscle, which helps stabilize your arm bone in its socket. Rotator cuff tendinitis, or swimmer's shoulder, affects tendons in the four muscles that attach your arm to your shoulder blade.
Types
Stretching exercises are appropriate and recommended for both shoulder and elbow tendinitis. In addition, iTendonitis.com suggests resistance exercise using very light weights to strengthen your shoulder and ease the symptoms of shoulder tendinitis.
Exercises
Two exercises the American College of Rheumatology recommends can help prevent a painful condition called frozen shoulder as well as benefit your elbow. To complete the first exercise, lie down on your back, clasp your fingers together and use your non-sore arm to help bring the sore arm as far above your head as you can, ideally so your upper arm is alongside your ear. Lower both arms and repeat five times.
To complete the second exercise, stand in front of a wall and walk the fingers of your sore arm up the wall in front of you as far as you can, then stretch your shoulder as much as you can tolerate by holding it in the stretched position for up to 20 seconds. Lower your arm and repeat five times.
Considerations
You should not perform tendinitis exercises until your injury heals. To promote healing, iTendonitis.com recommends the approach called RICE, or rest-ice-compress-elevate. Following a RICE healing method will help ease pain, reduce inflammation, encourage healing and prevent disuse atrophy.
Prevention
One of the best ways you can prevent tendinitis from developing, especially as you age, is to complete a series of warm-up exercises before beginning any repetitive or strenuous activity. Stretching and strengthening exercises not only warm up muscles, but according to the American College of Rheumatology, also help you maintain better posture and muscle balance, both of which are necessary in preventing tendinitis.
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