Elbow Tendon Pain Suggestions

[Dacon62]

Near the end of the ski season I started feeling, what felt like overuse or tight muscle/fatigued tendon, around the right arm, inner elbow area where the forearm tendon joins the elbow bone. I am LFF and right palm up grip. I use a 13" bent, 1.08" diameter handle. I started the season with a new Masterline rope and it still has a proper amount of stretch to it. I get a new rope every year. Have been told this is called Golfers Elbow and need to wear a velcro strap around the forearm just below the elbow joint specifically made for this. Got all that but now what??

Any tips to enhance or speed up healing?

Am I in danger of ripping the tendon off the bone in the future?

 

Lots of questions not a lot of answers.

Any insight or advise anyone has would be appreciated.

Getting older sucks...

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[ozski]

Reverse grip curls (cables) helped me but the real game changer was switching to the fattest handle I could find. I think changing things up helps a lot. Rest did not do much for me, I think you need to find a way to keep everything mobile but not aggravating the injury. I went reverse grip most of winter and managed to run close to my best scores.. In short you can find a way through it but you need to test a few things to see what works for you.

[lpskier]

PRPT will fix you right up.

[skihacker]

Masterline makes a 1.183 handle, I switch between a curved and straight handle. But seriously the biggest thing.....Don't Take Slack Hits.....

[MISkier]

I am also LFF and previously had the same problem. It was bad enough that I was constantly taking ibuprofen and began wearing some neoprene elbow braces. I even bought the Armaid. That helped a little, but never eliminated the issue. Then, I focused on changing myself and looked for bad form or other counterproductive habits. I didn't change anything other than not pulling in with my arms through the wake, especially the gate shot. Still using a straight handle with .970 diameter. Eliminated the braces and the ibuprofen. No problems in the past couple of years.

[BobF]

Thera Band. Reverse Tyler Twist. Completely resolved same issue for me.

 

Video

[MISkier]

I forgot one other big change. I do my deep water starts with both hands in an overhand grip and then switch to the correct grip before the 55s. This is also a big contributor to eliminating my issues. Try this as well.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

There are many little things that can add up to eliminate most elbow issues:

1. Forearms are probably the easiest part of the body to do self massage. You know where it hurts and can feel it if you simply start massaging the entire forearm.

2. the bent handle is good - use an overhand grip on deepwater starts, then switch to the normal grip after you get up.

3. Wrist curls - all four directions.

4. Wrist rotations - I've found this to be the single best re-hab for elbows. Use a hammer, hand sledge, or a bar with a heavier weight on the end. Hold your elbow close to the body, forearm horizontal and rotate the weight as far as you can in both directions.

 

Most injuries/pains can be resolved with proper strengthening and rehab. Forearms are elbows are probably the best examples.

[Horton]

I use two very different diameter handles and switch every couple of sets. I think this helps a lot.

[Dacon62]

@lpskier ... PRPT?

 

[CBR51]

Agree with bf. Theraband Flexbar. I have blue and green ones

[Orlando76]

I thought for golfers elbow you put Velcro band above elbow? And tennis elbow band goes below. I’ve been fighting tennis elbow for 4-5 months now. Doesn’t hurt to ski but hurts any other time. Culprit is like mentioned, taking slack hits. I need to pull arms in and keeep shoulders back.

[bkreis]

@Dacon62 proper cross training and stretching the muscles of cause, not necessarily pain area, and it will go away

[lpskier]

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. Ask your doctor about it.

[parkerc2112]

Switch between small/large diameter handle. Arc helps as well.

[fizer]

Everyone is different, but I would recommend staying away from spectra handles. I have never had any elbow issues until this summer. I went from a "normal" handle to a spectra handle in June and started having major elbow issues in July (problem on right arm, LFF skier). Once it starts it is definitely hard to shake. Theraband flexbar and massage have helped me.

[Edmund]

And I agree with @CBR51 and @"bf`". I also have the blue and green ones.

[BlueSki]

Picking things up, a case of beer for example, with palms down instead of palms up helps avoid further aggravation as you heal.

[skifrk]

Medial Epicondylitis. I had what sounds very similar. Cannot eat an apple without using other hand to bite out a piece. Tried many things, cortisone shots, PT, and ended up with surgery which made it better, but long recovery. Surgery was a debridement of the tendon. I have skied since and working out at gym looking forward to this year.

[Keith_Menard]

For speeding up recover...go see a massage therapist. I took a real bad slack hit on a dock start some years ago and couldn't grip a coffee cup! The stretches, theraband, and therapist helped me get rid of the pain...but it does creep back up every now and then. Playing guitar really pisses off that tendon too.

[Bdecker]

Another vote for theraband- if it is really bad you may need the green so you can work up to blue. I use it every season.

 

I’m going to try switching up handle diameters and possibly alternating between bent and straight next season to lessen the repetition nature of it.

[Lake3]

I can across this video.

Hope it helps

[HighAltitude]

Golfer's elbow sucks. I've been battling it for 18 months now. Although it has been painful at times, it's never been so bad that I couldn't still do the things I love, like ski. Unfortunately, that has also caused me to ignore it for the vast majority of the time. Only about two months ago, did I really start getting serious about getting rid of this. My medial epicondylitis started after changing my workout routine to include pull-ups every day. After about a month of this, my elbow didn't just hurt while doing pull-ups, but was sort of a continual dull ache, I also was skiing, playing golf and playing tennis at the same time. Despite the term "golfer's elbow", golf seems to irritate it the least so don't think just because you don't golf, you must have something different.

 

The rest is my opinion....but I have spent a ton of time reading about this subject. You might want to google tendinosis, A lot has changed in how to heal this is the last few years. Unlike tendinitis, the typical RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) routine does not always work. The problem is the tendon isn't inflamed, it's completely ignored by the body. Thus, the tendon is not getting any nutrient rich blood in order for it to heal. The advent of PRP was to address this very issue, There are a ton of other treatments that have now sprung up based on this theory. There is shock wave therapy, dextrose injections, even nitroglycerine patches. Hopefully you can cure it by simple stuff such as the Theraband. (I have the green and red) but I wasn't able to. I have been using deep massage with a Theracane (totally different device from the Theraband)) for the last month and have reduced my symptoms by 50%. ,I have my first dextrose injection on Wed. I am hoping in the next month I am able to eliminate the pain for good. I'll let you know how that goes.

[UWSkier]

Used to get this a lot. Stopped doing bicep curls and pullups (combined with a more efficient skiing style and increased willingness to dump the rope) and the golfer's elbow is gone. Now if I could just get my right biceps tendinitis to go away.

[Dacon62]

@"bf`" reverse Tyler twist seems to be working!!

@lpskier will ask Dr. About PRPT.

Many great suggestions. Thanks to you all!!

[BobF]

@Dacon62 Excellent! Definitely completely relieved golfer's elbow symptoms for me. I did the exercises faithfully for a couple of months and it has not returned in several years.

[jrs]

Go to Amazon and search "GripGym Finger Stretcher & Extensor Hand Exerciser - 5 Resistance Levels". These are 5 rubber-bands of different color and thickness. They show a picture of how to use these around all fingers and thumb. I've tried all the other ideas listed on this tread and some worked for me but none will solve the problem faster. I keep them in my car so I can use them at stop lights. Try spreading your fingers out and holding it for the full traffic light. I showed these to Kyle Tate and he called me within 2 weeks to say how it solved the problem for him also.

[KRoundy]

@jrs Thank you. $9.99 with 2-day shipping via Prime. I've been fighting elbow pain for a while and hope that this helps. Going to stop the pull-ups too. Man, does getting old suck.

[MDB1056]

Agee with @ozski. Sounds I'm possible but I simply reversed my grip and it was instantly gone. Some people said that would completely mess them up but for me it was simple. You might be surprised. Try a couple sets reversed. Will feel weird for about 20 seconds

[Rich]

 

[Rich]

Do this posture, hands under your belly, PALMS down, it will hurt to start but you will never have tennis elbow again! As you get more flexible try to touch your hands together

[Mateo_Vargas]

I’ve got a touch of the tendinitis in the past month. I think it’s from an infected skier touching my handle.

[RichardDoane]

@Rich - +1 on the Bikram position you show, it has worked for me now for the past 5 seasons

[Rich]

awesome!

 

[lpskier]

@MDB1056 Changing your grip to the wrong grip won’t help your skiing in the long run. Correct grip = LFF/L palm down; RFF/RPD If you have to change your grip as a short term fix, fine, but you should plan to go back. Unless of course you are using the wrong grip to start with, in which case you’ll kill two birds with one stone. In any event, good luck with the elbow. That tendinitis sucks.

 

 

[thager]

@lpskier LFF = R palm down? Seems backwards to me. LFF equals right hand batter. RFF equals left hand batter seems better to me.

[dvskier]

I agree, RFF = right palm down. I skied with the wrong grip for 15 years but was able to switch to correct grip in about 4 sets. I couldn't go back now. Offside feels much better.

[lpskier]

Never sign on when on pain meds. Typo. LFF/LPD. Sorry for that but I had shoulder surgery yesterday and am pretty loopy.

 

I corrected my first post.

[liquid d]

Stop throwing curveballs

[WaterSkier12]

Good luck with your postoperative rehab lpskier!

Get off the pain meds as quick as u can

Hope to c u at JW's next year

[Dacon62]

Found something kinda by accident that seems to be working.

Was sitting in a hot tub a few weeks ago, jets on and I thought why not find a decently forceful jet and let it massage the area. The first day after it was a bit sore but as the days went on it felt better and better. The tendon area gets a good massage, the heart rate goes up from sitting in the hot water. All equals lots of blood flow into and out of the region. From the comments above that seems to be key in recovery.

Now hitting the hot tub once/twice a week as well as doing stretches and release techniques. Happy with the direction this is going.

[lakeaustinskier]

I've struggled with golfers elbow for almost a year. I've tried all kinds of cures but nothing has worked. Finally I bought a Theraband Flexbar. I bought a green and a blue. I mostly use the blue. I've been twisting on it for about a month and this thing works! This week I was able to do several chin-ups and pushups without pain for the first time in about a year. Every time I use the darn thing my forearms and wrists sound like a bowl of Rice Crispys with all the popping noises but I suppose that's the point. Great way to warm-up and exercise this area.

[braindamage]

I had this and crazy enough, I switched to using the PC mouse with my left hand and all went away. Not kidding. If I use my right hand for about a week it comes back.

 

Don’t use the compression Velcro things. It is the worst thing you can do. It removes the pain but makes the core issue worse.

[parkerc2112]

Arc handle with larger diameter, while out of course switch grip, stretch it prior to skiing. Big difference was changing phone scrolling hands.

[KRoundy]

I have to report that the GripGym bands are working well. The "hold it through a stop light" really works. I have one in my car and another at work. The elbow is definitely getting better.

[cragginshred]

@Dacon62

 

From the PT clinical perspective:

Cause: over worked forearm flexor musculature which is not being stretched resulting in the tight muscles transferring the load to the tendons which attach to the bone. Here is the important part to grasp- Tendons do Not stretch so they get upset and communicate to you (PAIN) when the muscle is not being stretched.

 

When you understand this you Stretch and ICE. This addresses the symptoms in the acute phase of healing.

 

Once you can tolerate any strengthening with out flaring it up you have entered the late sub acute phase then you can begin to do flexbar, eccentrics and other stuff like that.

 

Well meaning friends who usually do not understand the phases of healing or the mechanism of injury will suggest all kinds of exercises which usually keeps the injured person in a constant state of staying flared up.

 

Sounds like your on the right track from your last post. I just wanted to add a little clinical perspective.