Hairdressers work hard every day, using their limbs and exerting energy into their craft. They tend to put a lot of pressure on many body parts. That’s especially true when it comes to the elbow. It can be quite easy to end up with a variety of elbow problems, but tennis elbow is by far one of the most common issues. This condition is caused by the overuse of your elbow. Obviously it’s common in the case of sports and many activities, but repeated activities like the ones a hairdresser deals with every day can also lead to that.

How does it happen?

The tennis elbow issue appears when there’s inflammation or micro tearing of those tendons joining the forearm muscle right on the elbow’s outside part. As time goes by, the tendons and forearm muscles end up damaged due to constant overuse, if you just repeat the same tasks over and over. Even weight lifting can be a cause behind the tennis elbow issues. So yes, as long as you perform repeated tasks, this issue can arise. Which is why you need to protect yourself with the right equipment like the Tomight Elbow Brace.

What are the tennis elbow symptoms?

It’s a very good idea to understand how you can figure out any signs of tennis elbow. The main signs, at least in the beginning, are tenderness and pain at the outside of your elbow. After a short while, you will have pain that radiates into the lower or upper arm. Also, you will encounter pain if you lift something, raise your hand, when you shake hands or open a door, maybe even if you grip or fist an object. If any of these things end up causing any pain, you must go to the doctor. They will put you through an exam to ensure that you don’t have any severe issues.

How can you treat your tennis elbow?

There are many different methods you can use to solve this issue. Icing your elbow will help if you want to reduce your swelling and pain. Spending around 10-15  minutes a day using a cold pack will also help. But sometimes if the pain is bad, you may need more than that. We also recommend you  use an elbow strap, as this will help protect the tendon from any strain.

Sometimes the idea to perform range of motion exercises can come in handy too. You can try physical therapy as well, and even steroid injections might stop the pain caused by your tennis elbow problem. If none of these work, then you may have to undergo surgery. It’s up to you and your doctor, the conversation that follows.

Conclusion

It’s very important for any hairdresser to stretch and warm up before going to work, as it will prevent any tennis elbow problems. Having some ice on hand when you get back home and icing your elbow for half an hour will also remove most of the pain. And yes, you do want to go to your doctor if this continues to happen. Depending on your case, they might be able to offer you some specialized treatments!