Tennis elbow

Author
Discussion

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Sunday 29th September
quotequote all
Hi all. I’ve been told I have tennis elbow and I reckon I’ve done it pulling a heavy mattress up some stairs about a month ago. Hurts like hell when just doing normal day to day tasks like carrying a drink.

So bought myself a strap and it looks pathetic as it’s a thin band which just goes around my forearm but it’s amazing as it literally gives me my strength back and no pain.

My question is. Am I doing myself more long term damage by using it? Ie I find myself being able to carry on as normal and the tennis elbow is gone!

Bluevanman

7,877 posts

200 months

Sunday 29th September
quotequote all
Tennis elbow is usually an injury caused by repetition rather than a single incident.
There's a twisting device you can buy that's supposed to help recovery but it didn't work for me,for me it was months of rest, I had to use my other arm for everyday tasks

king arthur

6,978 posts

268 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
The Theraband Flexbar. Get the green one, watch the Youtube videos on how to use it, do that for two or three weeks, sorted. Worked for me.

budgie smuggler

5,537 posts

166 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
audi321 said:
Hi all. I’ve been told I have tennis elbow and I reckon I’ve done it pulling a heavy mattress up some stairs about a month ago. Hurts like hell when just doing normal day to day tasks like carrying a drink.

So bought myself a strap and it looks pathetic as it’s a thin band which just goes around my forearm but it’s amazing as it literally gives me my strength back and no pain.

My question is. Am I doing myself more long term damage by using it? Ie I find myself being able to carry on as normal and the tennis elbow is gone!
What strap are you using audi?

Been suffering with this on and off in both arms for ages.

As above, I've got a Theraband and I find it does help when you do it consistently. However I seem to keep re-injuring it. Resigned to living with it at this point.

audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
I’m using one like this and it’s great - really weird how it instantly takes the pain away. What I worry about is am I just making the injury worse by not incurring the pain? I’m not knowledgeable enough to know how these things work.

https://amzn.eu/d/expkB4T

Glassman

23,118 posts

222 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
Bluevanman said:
Tennis elbow is usually an injury caused by repetition rather than a single incident.
There's a twisting device you can buy that's supposed to help recovery but it didn't work for me,for me it was months of rest, I had to use my other arm for everyday tasks
This is my understanding too.

I sometimes get elbow/shoulder/wrist issues but that is more to do with lifting in windscreens for 35 years (as well as the pulling of cutting wire).

Phil.

5,138 posts

257 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
audi321 said:
I’m using one like this and it’s great - really weird how it instantly takes the pain away. What I worry about is am I just making the injury worse by not incurring the pain? I’m not knowledgeable enough to know how these things work.

https://amzn.eu/d/expkB4T
I had TE last year and my wife has it now. That band is just what you need. It takes the strain off your problem tendons.

Wear it as often and as tight as you can, especially when lifting anything. Over a few weeks your tendons should heal but be very careful not to harm them again.

Once the tendons have begun to heal, stand over a flat surface and put your hand on the flat surface with your arm straight and gently stretch the tendons. Only do this for a maximum of 1 minute per day and not until the tendons feel much better.

There is nothing else you can do other than rest it and eventually stretch it.

Wills2

24,380 posts

182 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all

Yes a brace like that works well, combine that with resting and allowing the tendon to heal, stretching the tendon gently and icing the area 2-3 times a day for 15-20 minutes.

I have it through playing golf and it got to the point I couldn't pick the club up, I did the above, rest and icing first then stretches and then wore the brace whilst playing and it has almost gone, but I had to stop paying for 3 weeks to start the process off otherwise you're just not giving it a chance to calm down.






audi321

Original Poster:

5,489 posts

220 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
I have to say it's the most pathetic injury ever. Even picking up an empty pint glass at a certain angle/position is agony, whereas I can lift a 10kg weight at another angle/position with no issues at all.

Very odd......but the strap gives me full strength and no pain instantly.

I've ordered some of these coming tomorrow so will let you know what they do (should I do it with the strap on or off)?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CP7WZ928/ref...

popeyewhite

21,355 posts

127 months

Monday 30th September
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Hi rep slow dumbbell wrist curl eccentrics (just the lowering part of the wrist curl) resting your forearm on a chair arm has always worked for me.

Fore Left

1,500 posts

189 months

Monday 30th September
quotequote all
audi321 said:
I have to say it's the most pathetic injury ever. Even picking up an empty pint glass at a certain angle/position is agony, whereas I can lift a 10kg weight at another angle/position with no issues at all.

Very odd......but the strap gives me full strength and no pain instantly.

I've ordered some of these coming tomorrow so will let you know what they do (should I do it with the strap on or off)?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CP7WZ928/ref...
This works. Link to an article about the original research:

https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com...

Helped me and a few others I shared it with. Exercises can be found on YouTube.

m3jappa

6,569 posts

225 months

Monday 30th September
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Its a pretty awful little injury.

I fell asleep about 10 years ago with my arms crossed, i work up with 2 dead arms and have had problems ever since. I think the years of doing paving didn't help.....

Anyway, its never really gone away, nothing much helps, healthcare doesnt seem too interested. If i do anything strenuous it hurts for days on end.

Hoofy

77,492 posts

289 months

Monday 30th September
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I had it about 6 years ago from... playing tennis. It was down to not warming up and piss-poor technique.

If you rest it... and then do the exercises... it will get better. I don't suffer from it any more. Have to learn to move correctly (whatever you're doing) and not overly stress the tendons.

dalenorth

872 posts

174 months

Monday 30th September
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Try a gyro ball. They work wonders for mine.

DaveGrohl

933 posts

104 months

Tuesday 1st October
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I had both tennis elbow and golfers elbow in both arms a long time ago. Performing AI on cows was agony, but I had to do it.

I hope you can manage it and heal using some of the suggested techniques above, but in my case steroid injections sorted all of them. Doc had me on ibuprofen for months in the first instance cos he was loathe to inject, grrrr, but eventually allowed the injection. His attitude changed after the first success. Might need more than one, so be aware.

chemistry

2,448 posts

116 months

Friday 4th October
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king arthur said:
The Theraband Flexbar. Get the green one, watch the Youtube videos on how to use it, do that for two or three weeks, sorted. Worked for me.
This.

MaxFromage

2,148 posts

138 months

Friday 4th October
quotequote all
Also stretch the arm (see online) and massage the forearm and the correct point just below your elbow with your finger.