"Tennis" Elbow

[Duk Dog]

Anyone else have it, or dealt with it in the past? I hurt my elbow a while back around November and I don't even recall when it happened, but it has flared up again. I went to the Dr and he tells me I have "tennis" elbow, so today was my first physio appt. I know when it was first injured I had a few nights where I woke up in the night with the pain, but it had felt better until the recent flare up. Looking it up on the internet the potential range of time for the injury to heal isn't encouraging. Just curious what anyone else may have experienced with the same injury?

[JohnB]

I think I have the same thing. Elbow sore and pain runs up to my shoulder and also my hand; I also have lost grip strength. It has been this way since Aug. but seems to be getting better. I started shooting a longbow last winter and not sure if this was the cause as it sure hurt to shoot it now.

[WayneChristie]

I am fortunate enough to have experience with this also. mine was caused by the plethoria of walleye in PCR this summer. Its finally starting to get better, but I was off work for 6 weeks this fall too still flares up sometimes when I work too hard, but I try and avoid that cause as much as possible

[Duk Dog]

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00068

http://www.tennis-elbow.net/tenniselbow.htm

Bit of a description of it at the above links. At times it hurts from a simple handshake or from picking up a Nalgene water bottle. It is a frustrating one.

[elkhunter11]

I have had it on and off in both arms.Taking glucosamine and getting some physio virtually eliminated the problem.

[heybert]

Have it. Stretching, physio and targeting specific muscles helps. Check out "the super 7".

[slingshot]

I have had it last over a year you can buy a tensor bandage apply presure on lower forearm and it relieves the presure

[saltwater cowboy]

Have had it for about 7 years now, physio,steroid shots, etc no help. Mostly hurts in the morning.
Salty

[JohnB]

I've read that they can do surgery but only after the problem has been present for a year.

[209x50]

I could write a book on this one. 3 years of physio, ultrasound, cortisone injections and anti inflammatories until I was been treated for the hole they ate in my stomach before the Dr. acquiesced to surgery. Had both elbows done and other than I can't golf or shoot a bow life is pretty normal.
It was so bad at the end i couldn't pick up a quart of milk and pour it without dropping it. Surgery was the only thing that worked for me the rest was a very painful waste of time.

[Duk Dog]

Originally Posted by 209x50

I could write a book on this one. 3 years of physio, ultrasound, cortisone injections and anti inflammatories until I was been treated for the hole they ate in my stomach before the Dr. acquiesced to surgery. Had both elbows done and other than I can't golf or shoot a bow life is pretty normal.
It was so bad at the end i couldn't pick up a quart of milk and pour it without dropping it. Surgery was the only thing that worked for me the rest was a very painful waste of time.

Dang it that has been one heck of a process for you. Fingers crossed I don't end up having to go down that road. Golf I can get by without, but I do enjoy shooting my bow. There is a group of us that gets together starting in January to shoot together and that was one of the things that had me head off to the Dr to get checked out.

[Rackmastr]

You guys need to stop playing so much Tennis and do more hunting!!!!

Sorry Duk...I couldnt resist!!! Hope ya get it figured out man!

[Duk Dog]

Originally Posted by Rackmastr

You guys need to stop playing so much Tennis and do more hunting!!!!

Sorry Duk...I couldnt resist!!!

A guy has to do something in the off season.

[Jester]

Two cortisone injections (a few weeks apart) fixed mine.

[getasheep]

Rest should help, but for rehab you will probably want to focus on eccentric exercises. For lateral epicondylitis you would do something such as resting your forearm on your thigh while sitting, rotate your hand/wrist so they are facing the floor. With your hand hanging over your knee place with your opposite hand a weight (start real small, like a can of food) into the hand of the affected arm. Now flex your wrist, there may be mild pain which is okay but sharp pain means you are pushing it too hard. Then remove the can with your good hand, drop your wrist back down and repeat. Do about 15 reps 3 times per day making the contraction phase last about 3 seconds.

Tendons repair best with these eccentric movements. Initially in the injury it is an inflammatory process, but chronically the inflammation is gone and you have a beat up tendon that takes time to heal. It takes more time because the blood flow and oxygenation to a tendon is less than that of muscles.

No quick fix, rest, stretch, exercise and then use anti-inflammatories or other OTC products for pain. Tendon bands help to not overuse the injury in your daily activities or work. Should it progress your Doc can provide you injections etc, but the majority of cases do not progress to that stage and even fewer to surgery.

[Wes_G]

I was trying to figure out what my pain was as well untill a check by my Chiropractor aunt confirmed what I figured was Tennis elbow. Have had it since the summer on the rod holding/hook setting arm, and thats really the only thing I can think of that has given it to me. She showed me some stretches/exercises to hopefully help., but so far it still hurts.
http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/tennis_elbow/

[BallCoeff.435]

Never got that problem after playing tons of tennis over the years - but I did get it real bad after just painting exterior walls with a thick plastic gloss one fall. When that stuff got cold the viscosity was like molasses, but I didn't think anything of it at the time.

After applying two quarts of that paint during a couple days with a 3-inch brush, I couldn't use my right arm for a month. It gave me grief and twinges of pain for a couple of years afterwards.

Before that, the worst was shooting a few thousand hot reloads of.44 mag over a few months. I guess it progressively tore the tendons in my right hand, to the point I couldn't even pick up a pencil anymore after the last session. Shaking hands during business introductions became a nightmare for awhile.

[hillbillyreefer]

Been about 8 months for me. My DR. laughed when he told me what it was. Guess he doesn`t believe I play a lot of tennis either. The wife calls it strokers elbow, whatever that means. No I don`t get a lot of sympathy.

Anyway after about 3 months shaking hands, stopped dropping me to my knees. In about six months my strength had returned to about 50%, meaning I could pour the kids milk without dropping the gallon. Now at the eight month mark I`d guess it at about 80%, can do most things I used to but every now and again there is a lot of pain. Just stretching and doing light resistance and motion movements have seemed to help the most.

[captain]

hay Duk havnt heard from you in awhile.I think what you have comes from playing with somethin but i dont think its tennis,i was always told you would go blindgive me a pm i need to go over something .

[Prdtrgttr]

Tennis Elbow is an awful injury. It took me a full 6 months to heal. I found the stretching to be good, but for me, the arm band was the most helpful. All these fellas can laugh about it, but once you have it, you'll know how awful it is...
Now if I could only fix the arthritis in my knee...

[Johnny]

I had tennis elbow up until about December of last year. I got it while camping one weekend. Twisted my arm when I was throwing a propane tank into the back of my truck. It is really annoying. I had a hard time shaking hands for quite some time....it sent a painful shock up my arm. I conciously tried not to use that arm too much and I think it is okay now. I was able to shoot my bow this fall without it aggravating my elbow too much. I just had to be concisous as to how I was pulling the bowstring back. Good luck and I heard the daily excercises/stretches work. Worth a try if you have the patience and perseverance....I didn't.

John

[Twisted Canuck]

Mild problems with it, although you could more accurately call it 'trowelling mud elbow', as I finish drywall for a living. I have a much more accute problem with carpal tunnel syndrome, was supposed to have surgery back in August but opted out....I'm a chicken for going under the knife.

Instead, my aunt got me onto a product called DMSO, which she has used for years for her arthritis. If you do a search on it, there are claims it cures everything from baldness to cancer....but all I know is it helps alleviate the symptoms by about 90%, I can sleep pain free and work without a dozen tylenol a day. I have got my dad using it, my neighbor with a bum knee and shoulder. All have had positive improvement. I buy mine out of the states here:

http://dmso.bz/pages/1/index.htm

I've also completely gone off anti inflammatory medication, which was eating my guts out. Works on sprains really well too, as my hockey playing son will attest too. And don't even start about me shooting clean through my ring finger with my framing nailer...healed clean in less then 7 days.

I think I lost weight and got better looking too......

[Whiskey Wish]

My wife had Tennis elbow and Carpal tunnel on the same arm. She is a Cabinet maker by trade and one of those "Go Hard or Go Home" type people. After drugs, therapy, workers comp. etc etc she finally had surgery. If I understood the surgeon correctly he said they took the tendon off the bone and relocated to another spot. 6 weeks can't pick up anything heavier than a piece of paper but she healed and is happier than a pig in poop now. She also had carpal tunnel surgery a year or so later and had great success with that as well.
I ruptured my bicep tendon and tore it off the elbow this past Oct helping my son in law load a deer. It hurt right away....lol. Had surgery end of Oct, in a cast until first week of Dec, doing physio now and things are looking good except for the "collateral damage"....lost the use of my thumb and baby finger due to nerve damage from the surgery. Baby finger is starting to come back but the thumb is a question mark for 9 months to a year they told me.
Got's me a REAL cool scar on my arm I just gotta invent a REAL cool story to go with it. Any ideas?

"What don't kill ya will only make ya stronger"

Keep Your Powder Dry,
Dave.

[Redfrog]

I had "tennis Elbow" as young man. There was no internet then of course so researching it was difficult. It was even more difficult as the optic nerve is apparently connected to the tennis tendon, so reading anything or turning the pages was very painful.

I got married and both conditions cleared up quickly.

I'm not sure the cure is worth the treatment.

[sprinklerdog]

I will get a recurring tennis elbow which I still don't know exactly what triggers it. Went to a local physio and it wasn't helping and then a friend suggested deep tissue massage. That fixed it up almost right away. I go to Summit Health in Calgary and see Dr. Helena Horsky and would recommend her to anyone.
Geo

[sprinklerdog]

I should've called it "Active Release" not deep tissue massage.
Geo

[sullijr]

I have had the same problem for 20 years or more.Go to your pharmacist and get a tennis elbow tensor bandage it is a band that goes on your forearm it has a raised pad that puts pressure along the muscle in your forearm and provides almost instant relief.Make sure that the pad goes along the muscle and not across it.The pharmacist can show you how to use it....jack

[DarkAisling]

Originally Posted by Duk Dog

Just curious what anyone else may have experienced with the same injury?

There are at least three regular posters in the fishing forum who are dealing with it right now, I think.

I'm one of them.

I'm 90% healed . . . after several months of trying everything but physio, I started physio. It took four appointments to get me where I am now (with the most significant progress being made after the second appointment).

The specific treatment regime that worked was as follows:
• Massage (of the muscle)
• Acupuncture (of the muscle)
• Friction (of the elbow joint)
• Stretching (of the muscle)
• Heat (on the muscle)
• Ice (on the elbow)
• Brace (on the muscle)
• Diclofenac Gel (on the elbow)

I attended one appointment a week. Cost $310 and worth every penny. I don't go back to physio unless I make it worse again.

I now have to do stretching and muscle strengthening exercises.

I would strongly suggest just going to physio . . . it'll work better than anything else. Don't waste any more time hoping it will heal on it's own . . . it won't.

EDIT: I should add that my physiotherapist is well rounded "Sports Physiotherapist" who employs a vast array of treatment techniques.

[omega50]

It can be a real BEAR.

Rest and limiting movement with a tensor bandage helped.

[Duk Dog]

Two sessions of physio in the books so far. Boy does some of that ever get your attention! Now to make sure I keep up with my exercises, and some more physio.