Tennis Elbow- Home Treatment Options

[ThePantsManCan]

I know it's been covered here before, but I'd like to hear all the suggestions for treatment of Tennis Elbow in one spot. Stretching during this off season has helped a bunch. Are there any wraps you guys have used? Anything that has benefited you? I'd like to hear every option as my right arm has been suffering and it feels like my biceps tendon wants to let go. This has always been my stronger arm... Now I have to actually stop holding onto that slack hit at oneball.... Crap.

[Horton]

Meloxicam

 

[ForrestGump]

I had REALLY bad tendinitis in my wrists this summer and can't take NSAIDS. My orthopedic surgeon gave me celebrex. 2 days(1pill per day) and it was easily 50% better. After 5 days it was completely gone. Since then, twice I've felt it start to get inflamed and 1 celebrex takes care of that.

[lakeaustinskier]

I had intermittent pain in both elbows the entire year. I was finally able to solve most of the problem with accupuncture (really) and most importantly by wearing neoprene wraps on both elbows while skiing AND also when I did any other activity that might fire the pain up. I found better results with bands that covered above and below the elbow (not just the single band). Good luck!

[Rich]

Bikram Yoga 26 postures guaranteed to keep you pain free & strong from the inside out.

[Rich]

Both the poses I shared will help with your elbow. In the photo above, when I 1st started the pain was pretty high. Now I can do this pose and have zero pain in my elbow. Do it EVERYDAY or live with the pain.

[Rich]

Bands.... drugs... I'm 55, run short line slalom and where no braces, take no ibuprophen, and

ski 5 days a week 1 -3 sets per day with 6-20 passes per set depending on the cycle I'm in for training be it high volume or high intensity from March to Nov. ZERO PAIN. I do Bikram 5-6 days per week year round. I repeat, NO PAIN!

[The_MS]

Do I have to wear a thong?

[Rich]

Yes Thongs are good. I believe a new trend should start, thong sking -- as it will allow the ski to complete the turn with zero drag from shorts, good idea @MS

 

[lakeaustinskier]

Do I have to have a ponytail? I will say that although I don't practice yoga, yoga techniques have helped me.

[Chef23]

I am not sure I could get my legs off the ground in the locust pose.

[A_B]

Tennis or golfers elbow?

On top of forearm = tennis

Inside of elbow = golfers. Many times confused.

Different exercises for each.

[Brady]

My home remedy is to go into my home office and call my doctor from said home office and go get a cortisone shot and then recover and rest at home until it feels as good as new. Works great as far as home remedies go....it may not be @Rich 's yoga but it certainly does work

[ThePantsManCan]

Awesome, great suggestions guys! First I think I'll take Horton's advice and get on drugs. Second, I finally have a legitimate reason to put on that speedo! Third, once in the Speedo, I will contort my body into shapes its never been in before. Fourth, I cannot grow a ponytail... So a "Skullet" will have to do.

 

@lakeaustinskier, I did notice that when I wore my wetsuit top, it kind of wrapped my elbow and held it together a bit. I wasn't as sore after those days.

 

@AB, yeah I feel like my "tennis elbow" wants to be as cool as "golfer's elbow". It seems to try to be a little bit of both. I've been living with mild discomfort for a while now and been stretching for about two months. I've developed a sixth sense for when it is about to flare up too. If I feel a slight twinge of pain, I do a couple quick stretches and (of all things) my shoulder pops. Kinda like cracking a knuckle. The weird tight feelings in my elbow go away immediately.

 

So far, the list seems to go like this:

Get some medication for "after any strenuous activity" as a precaution. Mobic/Arnica Cream Gel Stuff

Get a wrap that goes above AND below the joint and is only to be worn when "strenuous activity" is taking place.

Have a stretching routine.

Get on Steroids

Wear a Thong

 

 

[Jam man]

Spent all of 2011 with terrible golfers elbow (inside elbow at joint). Tried many remedies but combination of "band-it" brace (google it) and daily use of the "flex bar" (google it ) cured me. Several skiers on BOS recommend flex bar and my PT also recommended. Order the black bar as it is the stiffest they make. Use it every day...especially before you ski and you'll get over it eventually. BTW, flex bar works for golfers or tennis elbow.

[Ed_Johnson]

I think Vodka is an excellent cure...The more I drink, the less it hurts....Now if I could get this Damn Tong on !!!

[A_B]

I had a crazy case of golfers elbow from football two summers ago, and lasted over a year. The link below was as good as any info I found on it. Things that helped me were: ASTYM therapy after cortisone injection did nothing. Also had electronic anti inflammation patch therapy, along with ultrasounds. Light weight curls, wrist curls, and the flex bar. Stretching properly is tantamount. I did it while driving in my car and putting my hand against the headset of the passenger seat, or whatever you can do throughout the day. The reverse palm stretch for golfers is the best - see link below. For tennis elbow have your arm straight out, bend your hand down, and then grab and pull gently back with your opposite hand. You can do this in the car by applying pressure to the top side of your bent hand against the passenger seat.

 

The key is to increase blood flow without straining it, so light weight and high reps, but no straining. Deep tissue massage helps too, but not too hard, as I bruised it from being too aggressive.

 

I hurt mine playing football with the kids and figured skiing would just take care of it. Wrong! It got worse and felt like someone was twisting a knife in my elbow, and I had trouble just straightening my arm. Skiing was in hold for a season and a half. Then I blew my knee out.....etc.....

 

http://www.colinmcnulty.com/blog/2008/05/31/the-cure-for-golfers-elbow-medial-epicondylitis/

[ForrestGump]

@Ed_Johnson Just make sure to get that thong on the correct direction. It's bad enough that you'd be wearing it. But I can guarandamntee that NO ONE here wants to see you with it on backwards!

[Ed_Obermeier]

Dumb question time. If I turn my palm facing forward, my elbow issue is on the inside of the elbow , or in other words the side of the elbow closest to my body (on the inside of the joint). That's golfers elbow, correct?

 

@Jam man I took your advise and searched for the Band-It brace and Flex Bar. Helpful suggestion.

[A_B]

Ed, yes. It usually involves the tendons and ligaments tied into the ball-type joint on the side you are describing. One telltale sign is if it hurts when you extend your arm straight and try to squeeze your little finger and thumb together. I actually couldn't even get them close and very sharp pain. Today I have just a small tweak.

 

I skied with an arm band called The Bandit. This puts pressure on the tendons without cutting off your circulation. Other bands made my veins feel like they were going to explode.

[Ed_Johnson]

@ShaneH....I guarandamntee if I posted said photo, it would relieve the pain, as convulsions and possible incapacitation would surely occur....A case of the cure being worse than the disease.

[6balls]

@ed Stand palm facing forward, arms straight. Side of elbow closest to you is golfers or medial epicondylitis. Side away from you is lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. Both tend to be over-use injuries and may be difficult to resolve.

[BraceMaker]

Being that I work in Orthotics and Prosthetics and make braces for all sorts of conditions - Athletic Taping would be my turn to on this.

 

I have not found a better method to resolve this.

[Ed_Obermeier]

@6balls tell me about it. Been dealing with it since later summer. Been wearing an ordinary elbow band brace thingie when I do anything with the arm but I still haven't resolved it. My trainer now has me doing forward and reverse wrist curls with a light weight and stretchs as @AB suggested above. Arm straight down at side, no bend in elbow, do the wrist curls several times a day and it seems to be helping. Looking at ordering a Band-It and Flex Bar in the near future too.

[A_B]

Ed, light tricep push downs also seemed to be beneficial. I also tied a 15 lb weight on a rope to a dowel rod, maybe an inch and half diameter, and did Rollups and Rolldowns with arms extended out. The reverse stretch done several times a day was also helpful. Stand in front of a counter, reverse your hand to grab the edge with finger tips, then lean slightly over your straightened arm. Hold for 30 seconds. I found my bathroom sink in the mornings and nights, and anything else during the day.

 

I thought mine would just go away, but even if you rest and do NOTHING, then go back to skiing, it will not go away, at least mine didn't. It took active efforts directed at it.

[GaryWilkinson]

It's a small thing but made a big difference, was to get a bent handle, the more bend the better. Also to have a thicker diameter, also the thicker the better. Made a huge difference.

 

Oh and also,.... A change in my technique that reduced slack in the rope made a BIG difference by not pulling into my core or chest then taking the proverbial hit!

 

Those along with a cortisone shot for epicondylitis made my last 2 seasons much better.

[gregy]

@garywilkinson I went to a bent USgear handle early last summer and my elbows were pretty much back to normal two weeks later. I'm going to try some of the stretching and strength exercises above as a preventative measure.

[The_MS]

Reminds me of the Yoga instructor in the movie Couples Retreat.

[ThePantsManCan]

@gregy I love my USgear handle and got it BEFORE I developed the issue in my right elbow. But the truth is that around the same time I began getting a WHOLE bunch more skiing time in. I also slipped backwards while fixing the floor in my cabin and slammed the right elbow pretty good. So I don't think my handle hurt me, but a combination of other occurrences must have contributed. Truth be told, my elbow is nowhere near as bad as some others on here have described. But I am not interested in it getting worse. I sure do like being able to pick up a coffee cup without pain still. I never thought I would see the day where that might come into question!

[Razorskier1]

I have had tendonitis in the elbows on and off for years. Not surprising since I tend to lift heavy dumbells in the offseason. Three things seem to help. Arm strap, ice, cortisone injection. The last of these is great, but btter not to do it too often. I've only had one time where I needed that to get it settled and it was magic. Right now I am icing my left elbow every evening when I get home from work. Getting better quickly. All of that being said, tendonitis is one of those things that just hangs on and hangs on -- very tough to completely get rid of an over-use injury when you continue to overuse.

[AggieSkier]

Flex bar for golfer's elbow. There is another exercise for tennis elbow. Most skiers have golfer's elbow.

 

[ThePantsManCan]

Ok, I'm in my Thong now and was thinking... Since I have size XL hands, and wearing Masterline ProLock gloves, should I be skiing with a larger diameter handle. I currently have a 12 inch US Gear Pro V Handle with a diameter just shy of an inch. Should I size up? Anybody have an experience to confirm my leaning?

[A_B]

So what about being in a thong made you think about grabbing less than an inch in diameter?

[ThePantsManCan]

@AB, this link did. Have a search through the reviews at the bottom of the page I linked up below! Priceless. Somebody else posted this last winter I think...

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Veet-Men-Hair-Removal-Creme/dp/B000KKNQBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356571276&sr=8-1

[A_B]

If it makes your more streamlined and pickup a few extra buoys, maybe.. My luck and it would splash up on my head and have patchy baldness..

[londonskier]

Cortisone injection. Job done!

[John Brooks]

The best alternative I have found is the Ther Band Flex Bar. Buy it online for about $20 - $25 and use it every day. Couple years ago I was having trouble and it did the trick and I now use it religiously.

 

The reason for the pain is that all the tendons in your arm connect at the elbow and do not release tension. By using the Flex Bar, it releases the tension and eliminates the pain.

 

Good luck and hope you find relief.

[9400]

Look at trigger point therapy. @Deke, suggested it to me for a neck and shoulder situation and it has been very helpful. Thanks Deke

 

[6balls]

@johnbrooks when you first begin and tendonitis is bothersome, is it a fairly painful exercise?

[Ed_Obermeier]

Been using mine for 3-4 days now and I'd say no, it's not painful. I feel the tendons being worked but it's not a pain thing, more like stretching stuff that doesn't really want to be stretched even though it needs to be. Interestingly it does seem to have lit the tendonitis up a bit but at the same time seems to be relieving it. Too early to say anything definite but all in all I believe it's helping. Will know more in another few days I'd think.

[John Brooks]

@6Balls It has never been painful, even in the beginning. Best of luck.

[6balls]

@johnbrooks not for me, for my wife. She's been in PT, trying home remedies, I injected her with steroid as did one of my partners...still bothering quite a bit and worse with any activity that strains it. With that I have had interest in this thread.

I had it a few years ago and it went away with the steroid injection never to return.

THanks for the info.

 

[A_B]

Ed, I found that wearing the Bandit during the day helped. It helps immobilize the tendons or something, as you use those muscles and tendons a lot, without even knowing it.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Quick update. After having and using the Flex Bar for just over a week, I can now say that it is definitely helping get rid of the tendonitis I've had in my left elbow since later summer last year. Very definitely seeing notable improvement. If anyone has any doubts about whether it works or not, for me at least it is definitely working. Been doing 3 -4 sets of 15 - 20 reps a day. I'll hold it under tension for 3 - 5 seconds, release, repeat. The instructions that come with it are kinda vague but this seems to be doing the trick for me.

 

Several other previous posters have already made the same statement as to effectivness, just wanted to reinforce what they've already stated. $20 or so very well spent!

[davemac]

Thanks EZ-Ed...I've had a flex bar sitting in my shopping cart at Amazon awaiting your trusted review- before pulling the trigger. I'm assuming you got the "heaviest" flex bar.

Now if I can also find a way to get rid of the damn upper bicep tendonitis (across the front of both shoulders) that is crippling me....

[ToddL]

For me, it is tennis elbow on my palm-down arm and golfer's elbow on my palm-up arm...

[Ed_Obermeier]

Same here @ToddL, golfers elbow on the palm down side. @davemac pull the trigger brother. Yes, I got the blue which is the heaviest. I'd say for most here you'd want the blue one. Strong female skiers may (or may not) want to go down one size?

 

The instrructions that came with the flex bar didn't cover golfers elbow, only tennis elbow. Find the instructions for golfers elbow here http://www.thera-bandacademy.com/exercise/showExercise.aspx?id=690