Any suggestions for an elbow brace?

[Vernon Reeve]

I recently switched grips to take pressure off my right elbow because of golfers elbow and move the pressure to my left elbow. However, my left elbow isn't used to the increased pressure so now it feels like it overextended. As a computer programmer, my elbows are naturally bent slightly, so now that I'm using better technique in slalom, my elbows are being forced to extend straight, which makes my left elbow feel over extended from a hard pull. So has anyone had any luck with a brace to help keep my left elbow from over extending?

[Drago]

Restring your handle a little crooked

[thager]

Wear a jump sling and just ski one side of the course. :)

[Vernon Reeve]

You guys are funny:)

I might have to start using the power vest again. This time for the elbows instead of my back. Sucks to get old.

[BraceMaker]

what you are describing are these things. worn mostly by football linemen.

https://www.breg.com/products/elbow-wrist-bracing/elbow/hex-elbow-brace/

[ral]

So you want something that prevents your arms from being straight when going from the buoy to the wake???

 

I am not an expert, but I do not know it something that limits your elbow ROM would do any good to your arm when resisting a boat pull. A jump sling (not that you would wear one while slaloming…) uses a totally different mechanic, limiting the elbow distance from the body, not the elbow ROM.

[BS74]

I had a partial tear of the distal ligament and wore this for a year. Did not restrict movement and took a lot of stress off the elbow. DonJoy Performance Bionic Elbow Brace II - Large - Maximum Hinged Support for Elbow Hyperextension, UCL, On Amazon for $59.99. I paid $75 a couple years ago. I had a Medium size.

[Vernon Reeve]

@BS74 and @BraceMaker those both look like they should work. Thanks. I'll give them a try.

[Drago]

I'm serious

[BraceMaker]

@Drago its not a bad idea, I assume you'd shorten then effected arm slightly?

 

would you just slip some more rope into that leg with a fid and mark it so you knew the side?

 

Personally a therabar and the tylers twist maneuver about 30 times a day has had me out of my elbow strap for 2 seasons so Id just go back to regular grip and run with it.

[Drago]

@BraceMaker I restring my own handles, and being a Lefty with a jumper's grip I run with my left side little longer. It helps me keep equal pressure on the handle. Discovered by mistake a million years ago

[Vernon Reeve]

@Drago I thought the difference would cause an angle that the hands would want to slide down the handle. But interesting that you've already done it, so the difference must be small enough that it's not an issue. Never tried restringing a handle however, so that might be a challenge for me. Also concerned it would put more force back on the elbow that I was trying to protect by switching to a reverse grip. I'm thinking I'll try the elbow brace that's designed to eliminate hyper extension, and if that doesn't work, use my power vest. Meanwhile, I'll be doing the Therabar with the Tylers twist that @BraceMaker suggested to increase the strength, and just hanging from a bar so my elbows can get used to being extended fully. Hopefully this will eliminate the need for braces/pv next summer.

[BraceMaker]

to be clear strength is good but this is essentric stretch basically how your muscle elongates under load. so its a work out to strengthen the muscles but in loaded extension.

[Nando]

I had several years of pretty severe elbow issues and tried lots of handle changes- larger and smaller diameter, bent, whatever, and nothing helped until one of the Big Dawgs told me to concentrate on holding the handle in my fingers instead of the palm. The difference was huge and I have not had elbow problems since. The amount of strain this removed from my forearms and elbows was unbelievable. This is certainly not an answer to your question and you may be doing this already, but the amount of tension it relieves is amazing.