*  Posture, posture, posture--always practice good mechanics when standing, sitting, lifting, etc. Be especially aware if you sit for long periods of time. Take regular breaks and get up and change positions so your shoulders do not fall into poor posture. This will also make you rely on your stronger arm and shoulder muscles to do more of the work than your weaker elbow muscles.

* Ice the forearm and elbow for 10-15 minutes / 3-5 times a day. Ice massage (10 min.) or ice bags will both work fine. Ice massage may be best performed by freezing water in a paper cup, then peeling off the top one half of the paper, holding the base of the cup and then pressing the ice onto the inured area in a circular fashion.

* A wrist splint (Futuro type) may be used for sleeping and any repetitive grasping or gripping activities. This rests the injured tendon.

* Regularly throughout the day (3-5 times):

- Stretch the thumb and wrist by extending the arm, resting it on a table with the palm facing inward; grasp the thumb and hand with your opposite hand and slowly bend in a direction opposite the thumb. Hold 15 sec. / 3 times.

- Stretch the chest by lightly grasping a doorjamb with your fingers just below shoulder height, relax your arm and slowly rotate your body away from your arm. 15 sec. / 3 times.

- Keep your neck loose by bending it from side-to-side 5 times and then rotate one way then the other 5 times.

* Rotator cuff program--Stand up straight with a resisted band wrapped around the wrist, the elbow bent and a pillow or folded towel under the arm. Rotate the arm inward against the band and then rotate out. 2 sets of 20-30 reps. Repeat the same rotating outward against the band.

See additional exercises at "Rotator Cuff Repair Rehabilitation" and "The Shoulder Joint--Injuries to the Rotator Cuff".