A sports injury like tennis elbow can stick you on the sidelines. Sports rehab exercises can help. These exercises help strengthen weak muscles, improve flexibility and balance, and restore a full range of motion to the body. From sprains and sore joints to back pain and neck pain, these exercises are an important part of sports injury rehabilitation. Our chiropractor, Dr. Duca, will show you the proper way to execute each exercise so you can practice them at home with confidence.

Rehabilitation Exercises for Sprains, Strains and Strengthening

Lower leg and ankle movements: These active motion exercise help improve an ankle’s flexibility following injury. From a seated position, place the injured foot on the floor while drawing the other foot in towards the body. Next, slowly pump the injured leg up and down and practice “writing the alphabet” with your toes. This helps decrease swelling, especially when performed from an elevated position. Using a resistance band can also help strengthen the peroneal muscles in the outer leg. Dr. Duca will show patients the proper way to use the resistance band to strengthen their ankles following a sprain or strain.

Tennis elbow strengthening: These exercises help strengthen the muscle in the forearm and increase flexibility. Start by stretching the extended wrist. Straighten the arm fully, palm side up and push down on the palm to stretch. Next, strengthen the wrist extensor muscles. Hold a light weight in the hand with the palm facing down. Extend the wrist upward, hold the position for a few seconds, and then lower. Dr. Duca can show you additional exercises to strengthen the deviator muscles, pronator and supinator muscles of the wrist.

Back strengthening. Back exercises like the dorsal raise or Superman pose can help strengthen the lower back muscles, which minimizes back pain. Start by lying face down with your arms outstretched. Then, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, including the arms and head. Hold for a few seconds, lower down, and repeat 10 times.

What sports injury exercises do you practice to ease sore joints, sprains or pain?