Tennis elbow frustration
Discussion
I developed tennis elbow in my dominant arm in the summer.
Who knew that it could be so painful and uncomfortable?
I have been trying to avoid making it worse, I have been massaging the arm, doing various rehab exercises (including the eccentric twists with a Theraband Flex Bar)
Four months later it has improved overall, but the pain is now quite intermittent. Some days it feels better than it does on others. It can feel very painful. Lifting things is sometimes difficult.
What can I expect regarding recovery? Will it ever fully recover?
Who knew that it could be so painful and uncomfortable?
I have been trying to avoid making it worse, I have been massaging the arm, doing various rehab exercises (including the eccentric twists with a Theraband Flex Bar)
Four months later it has improved overall, but the pain is now quite intermittent. Some days it feels better than it does on others. It can feel very painful. Lifting things is sometimes difficult.
What can I expect regarding recovery? Will it ever fully recover?
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 29th October 12:05
I would suggest buying a Theraband FlexBar:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resi...
caveat - you have to use it daily whilst you have the issue for it to be of any use.
I've had golfers elbow more than once. Using this greatly reduces the time it takes to for my elbow to sort itself out.
(there are unbranded versions far cheaper also on Amazon)
ukwill said:
I would suggest buying a Theraband FlexBar:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resi...
caveat - you have to use it daily whilst you have the issue for it to be of any use.
I've had golfers elbow more than once. Using this greatly reduces the time it takes to for my elbow to sort itself out.
(there are unbranded versions far cheaper also on Amazon)
Thanks. I do have one of those. https://www.amazon.co.uk/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resi...
caveat - you have to use it daily whilst you have the issue for it to be of any use.
I've had golfers elbow more than once. Using this greatly reduces the time it takes to for my elbow to sort itself out.
(there are unbranded versions far cheaper also on Amazon)
It is difficult to know whether exercises and activities that do not hurt at the time are positive or negative for recovery/rehab purposes.
I do not play tennis, but I would not be able to swing a racquet at the moment. Chopping wood or hammering nails is not possible either without pain.
A tennis elbow strap appears to provide no relief at all.
I do not play tennis, but I would not be able to swing a racquet at the moment. Chopping wood or hammering nails is not possible either without pain.
A tennis elbow strap appears to provide no relief at all.
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 29th October 12:48
Took 18 months for mine to heal. They never heal ythe same, my doctor explained that the healed ligament structure is less robust than the original.
He describes it as follows - picture a woven glass fibre mat, a nice regular strong pattern of fibres - that's the original ligaments. The picture chopped fibre strand mat, that's the healed ligaments
Original
Repaired
He describes it as follows - picture a woven glass fibre mat, a nice regular strong pattern of fibres - that's the original ligaments. The picture chopped fibre strand mat, that's the healed ligaments
Original
Repaired
I struggled with elbow tendon pain intermittently for a long time, in both elbows.
I disagree with the above post about repaired tendons being weaker or more prone to injury. The rehab I did on my tendons have undoubtably made them stronger.
The twists you are doing helped me a lot.
I would recommend this article - https://stevenlow.org/overcoming-tendonitis/
This was the best resource I found and I used it to inform my rehab, I kept working out - he talks about the difference between painful exercise and aggravating exercise, this was a revelation for me.
I also regularly foam rolled the muscle connected to the offending tendon, I think it was my triceps but could be wrong. Made a huge difference.
I disagree with the above post about repaired tendons being weaker or more prone to injury. The rehab I did on my tendons have undoubtably made them stronger.
The twists you are doing helped me a lot.
I would recommend this article - https://stevenlow.org/overcoming-tendonitis/
This was the best resource I found and I used it to inform my rehab, I kept working out - he talks about the difference between painful exercise and aggravating exercise, this was a revelation for me.
I also regularly foam rolled the muscle connected to the offending tendon, I think it was my triceps but could be wrong. Made a huge difference.
Sorry to hear that OP. It's very frustrating and you might even think it'll never go away. But it probably will.
I got a serious bout of it 3 years ago. I play tennis a lot so I suppose I was particularly exposed to the risk, but I never had it so assumed I wouldn't. A change of racket triggered it.
It took me 3 months or rest to recover with daily sessions of "door knob opening" exercise (do you know the one?). It totally went, never to come back. Touch wood.
I got a serious bout of it 3 years ago. I play tennis a lot so I suppose I was particularly exposed to the risk, but I never had it so assumed I wouldn't. A change of racket triggered it.
It took me 3 months or rest to recover with daily sessions of "door knob opening" exercise (do you know the one?). It totally went, never to come back. Touch wood.
I've had both tennis and golfers, the latter through picking up and laying 215mm hollowcrete blocks.
They're both niggly and annoyingly debilitating injuries. Taking a can of beans out of a kitchen wall cupboard was an interesting experience!
I found using a hammer very helpful. Keeping a straight arm out in front of you (you can rest your elbow on the edge of a table if easier), parallel to the floor, hold the hammer bolt upright. Then slowly rotate it left then right. You'll know when it hits the spot! If it doesn't hit the right spot, then bend your arm 90 degrees (so bicep by your side, wrist parallel to the floor) and do the same movement.
You can also place a straight arm by your side and hold the hammer either facing in front or behind you (depending on tennis or golfer elbow) parallel to the ground, then lift it using only your wrist and left it fall down for the stretch and repeat. If it's in front of you, the pressure is on your forefinger, if it's pointing behind you, the pressure is on your little finger. It'll make sense when you do it. Again, you'll know when you hit the spot!
As always go light to start with - you can control the weight of the hammer by holding it closer or further away from its head.
They're both niggly and annoyingly debilitating injuries. Taking a can of beans out of a kitchen wall cupboard was an interesting experience!
I found using a hammer very helpful. Keeping a straight arm out in front of you (you can rest your elbow on the edge of a table if easier), parallel to the floor, hold the hammer bolt upright. Then slowly rotate it left then right. You'll know when it hits the spot! If it doesn't hit the right spot, then bend your arm 90 degrees (so bicep by your side, wrist parallel to the floor) and do the same movement.
You can also place a straight arm by your side and hold the hammer either facing in front or behind you (depending on tennis or golfer elbow) parallel to the ground, then lift it using only your wrist and left it fall down for the stretch and repeat. If it's in front of you, the pressure is on your forefinger, if it's pointing behind you, the pressure is on your little finger. It'll make sense when you do it. Again, you'll know when you hit the spot!
As always go light to start with - you can control the weight of the hammer by holding it closer or further away from its head.
blueg33 said:
gregs656 said:
I disagree with the above post about repaired tendons being weaker or more prone to injury. The rehab I did on my tendons have undoubtably made them stronger.
I asked my doctor (elbow specialist - thank you BUPA) why it kept recurring - the above was his answerThe article I shared includes a number of studies and up to date thinking which challenge that thinking also.
MC Bodge said:
A tennis elbow strap appears to provide no relief at all.
I've tried to find a YouTube that explains it like I do but without success...The strap is meant to move the muscle slightly to alter the pull on the tendon. That can be pushing it slightly flat or from either side -ie putting the lump one side of the muscle belly and pulling It over as you tighten the strap.
It can take a bit of experimentation to get it the most effective so put it on and then extend your middle finger against resistance and see if it's less painful. Then move the strap and try again till you find the sweet spot.
ukwill said:
I would suggest buying a Theraband FlexBar:
caveat - you have to use it daily whilst you have the issue for it to be of any use.
It's an overuse injury so daily exercise is often too much. Alternate days or even twice a week is enough load to encourage healing but less likely to overload.caveat - you have to use it daily whilst you have the issue for it to be of any use.
Bill said:
It's an overuse injury so daily exercise is often too much. Alternate days or even twice a week is enough load to encourage healing but less likely to overload.
That's interesting. I have been doing sets of the theraband twists and hammer rotations a couple of times per day.
It is unclear whether or not that it is enough or too much.
Who knows if doing the rehab exercises is actually better than doing nothing? The pain and stiffness is very variable.
Tendon injuries are a real nuisance.
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 29th October 17:45
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