If you have ever felt that sharp, nagging ache on the outside of your elbow and thought, “How on earth do I have tennis elbow? I don’t even play tennis…” you are not the only one wondering this. Most of the women I know have never held a tennis racket in their life. Instead they are holding laptops, toddlers, laundry baskets, phones, groceries, and sometimes … their entire world together. And that’s exactly why tennis elbow shows up. In this blog, lets break down what’s really going on and why Tennis Elbow can affect people who don't even play tennis or other sports.
You may not be in the gym throwing weights around … but if you are:
- Picking up a toddler under your arms
- Carrying them on one hip
- Holding their hand with slightly rounded shoulders or neck arching forward (forward head posture)
- Lifting strollers, car seats, diaper bags
…. your elbow is doing more “repetitions” than you think. Carrying toddlers is like carrying weights that wiggle, lean, and resist your attempts at good form. So when you are lifting or carrying them, those forearm muscles are constantly gripping, stabilising, and catching. It’s no wonder the muscles and their attachment at the elbow get inflamed, leading to Tennis Elbow!
Gym Can Also Be The Reason For Tennis Elbow:
If you are lifting weights, doing Pilates, or doing workout classes, but you do this in poor posture, whether it is wrist and forearm alignment or neck posture, you are putting extra load on the elbow tendon.
Movements that commonly trigger tennis elbow, when done in poor posture are planks, push-ups, deadlifts with wrist collapse, weighted carries or even over-gripping dumbbells. However you don’t need to stop exercising. You just need your muscles and alignment working with you, not against you.
Desk Work Is One of the Biggest Causes of Tennis Elbow, Not Sports!
If you spend hours doing desk work such as typing, scrolling, gripping your mouse, or working with your arms in an unsupported position, the tiny muscles in your forearm and hands are working nonstop. Even if the movement is small, the repetition adds up.
It’s not dramatic injuries that cause it. It’s the prolonged hours your arm spends doing the same low-level activity without support. Watch this video to learn 3 Easy desk based tips to prevent and manage Tennis Elbow:
Stress Can Lead To Muscle Tension Which Means More Elbow Inflammation:
Mental stress is one of the most overlooked causes of Tennis Elbow. When you are overwhelmed or rushing all day, your nervous system shifts into “alert mode.” Your shoulders lift, your arms stiffen, your hands grip tighter. Your forearm muscles never really switch off, which keeps the elbow inflamed even on days you “rest.” This is why painkillers don’t fix the pain and stretching only offers temporary relief.
Basically Tennis Elbow Isn’t a “Sports Injury. It’s the accumulation of tiny, repetitive movement … done with tension, poor alignment, and zero recovery time. And once you understand what’s fuelling the irritation or inflammation at your elbow, you can finally start healing it, not just managing it.
If you want step-by-step relief that actually fits into your life as a working mom, check out the Simple Solutions to Manage your Tennis Elbow" HERE. In this course you can learn effective, easy-to-implement techniques and daily resets to manage and reduce tennis elbow pain so you can move more comfortably, strengthen your arm, prevent flare ups, achieve long term relief and much more, without adding more to your plate.
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