tennis elbow

[Chris340gti]

so , thought this was a joke condition, however after several months of it not shifting and getting worse and worse I admit I need a plan.

It started off rather mildly after over doing it at the gym in February. However after demolishing a shed a few weeks ago its now worse than ever and hurts just lifting a cup of tea or brushing my teeth..

Had a massage from physio lady but that's not done a lot , is it a GP thing ?? can they do a steroid injection?? Or do I just have to do those arm exercises that i've seen on YouTube and give it a few months

All very annoying as I cant go to the gym at the moment and I really need to

[Liamjrhodes]

I picked up a painful elbow (always felt stupid calling it tennis elbow) from a prolonged period of DIY, ended up at physio for a few months having regular massages and various exercises and its all good now

[Legacywr]

Rest and time are the cure.

[Hoofy]

Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are real and two distinctly different injuries. You need to rest but do the relevant exercises daily. Do not push through the pain because you can end up needing an operation. I find the YT exercises work but you may prefer to speak to a physio.

It can heal if you give it time. I've had tennis elbow in the past on various occasions because I play tennis a lot.

[horsemeatscandal]

A Google of 'tennis elbow rehab exercises' will give you a decent answer. Personally, I do the following regularly:

- light reverse grip bicep curls
- flex bar
- overhand/underhand pronation and supination with a resistance band
- finger resistance bands
- cold roller

Mine isn't so bad that I can't train, I just have to warm up a bit smarter and avoid certain awkward movements. If it's bad enough that you can't lift a cup of tea I'd probably be speaking to a physio or similar.

[dontlookdown]

See a physio. Do the exercises and stretches they give you, and keep them up consistently.

Got TE for the first time about 10yrs ago. Did the above and it worked. Does take time though and you mustn't overuse the arm until fully recovered.

I still get the occasional flare up, but a week or so back on the exercise and stretch routine sorts it out.

The exercises are simple and only take a few minutes a day. You may need to buy a 1kg weight.

[Mars]

I have been suffering from it since my late 30s (20 years now). I get it for months at a time. I have a forearm-clamp which definitely helps, as do the exercises/stretches. I'm rubbish about seeing a doctor so by the time I do and get a few sessions of physio, I can never tell whether the physio has worked or it's simply time that has cured it.

Tends to be months with the left, then a year of OK, then months with the right.

Since I re-started cycling and I'm generally fitter than I was, the time between bouts is longer and time I suffer from it shorter.

[scotlandtim]

First of all, the only thing that will actively make this better is a significant period of rest.

In order to speed up the process, one of the best things you can do is to wear a tennis elbow clasp, such as in the link below.

https://www.healthandcare.co.uk/arm-supports/09138...

definitely worth seeing a. Good physio to look at your options personally I can recommend. An EXCELLENT physio in the northwest who does shockwave therapy which was very helpful with me although two years down, the line still suffering pain and irritation if I try and do ANYTHING too strenuous

Be careful doing too much. If you don't rest and allow proper healing, this will become a chronic lifelong problem.

[Mars]

Clamp is cheap on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Base-Epicondylitis-C...

I have no idea how to determine size. I don't even know what size mine is. The fact that Amazon feedback says people find it uncomfortable is likely a consequence of what it is/does. It works but after an hour or three, it does become uncomfortable so just take it off and stretch for 5 mins.

[Chris340gti]

thanks for the replies all

I mean if I was swinging about a 20kg dumbbell id expect pain but lifting a cup of tea , well that's just ridiculous.

Guess ill do the stretches , bit hard to rest a dominant arm though. I've got a brace from amazon , Ill give it another go..

Cant believe how debilitating it is !!! thanks again

[Hoofy]

Chris340gti said:

thanks for the replies all

I mean if I was swinging about a 20kg dumbbell id expect pain but lifting a cup of tea , well that's just ridiculous.

Guess ill do the stretches , bit hard to rest a dominant arm though. I've got a brace from amazon , Ill give it another go..

Cant believe how debilitating it is !!! thanks again

That's because you've properly fked it up. Keep going and you won't be able to lift your arm. The only solution is as I mentioned above (short of seeing a physio).

At one point, I couldn't pick up a 20kg DB with my arm straight and hanging down! The downward pull was enough to feel a sharp pain in the elbow. Interestingly, if I rotated it in one direction a little, the pain would disappear; rotate it in the other and the pain was more severe.

[Chris340gti]

thanks for the replies all

I mean if I was swinging about a 20kg dumbbell id expect pain but lifting a cup of tea , well that's just ridiculous.

Guess ill do the stretches , bit hard to rest a dominant arm though. I've got a brace from amazon , Ill give it another go..

Cant believe how debilitating it is !!! thanks again

[Legacywr]

You’ve done the damage with heavier effort, but now any movement could aggravate it.

And, yes, it’s painful

[Mars]

I think I originally damaged mine simply sitting in my Caterham for miles and miles whilst touring Europe. I was in a comfy position but I think the relative inactivity whilst constantly being battered by wind stiffened-up my arms so when I eventually stretched or moved to get out of the car, ping... and then pain.

I cycle a lot now and I've been over my handlebars twice in my 50s and crashed other ways too. Each time I've escaped with barely a bruise but when my son was showing me the sky map app and I looked up at the stars, I couldn't move my neck for a week.

Sucks being old..!!

[xx99xx]

My last serious bout of tendonitis was about 15 years ago. Had a series of physio massages which just made it worse. Then had a steroid injection, no change. Had another injection then about a month later it started to get better. No idea if the steroid helped or whether it got better on its own.

The exercises I was doing were more like stretches. Very light resistance (big elastic band thing) pulling the wrist up and down from a straight arm. Can also use a tin of beans. Tins containing other foods also work.

These days it comes back mildly after heavy use but then it's only minor discomfort for a week, and only if lifting something heavy.

[Stu78]

I've had it for months. My job is physical and I'm in the gym nearly every day so it is difficult at times. I use the a pain killer gel and wear a strap at the gym. A few weeks ago I started using grip strength trainer and it's eased over the last week.

[Mars]

xx99xx said:

My last serious bout of tendonitis was about 15 years ago. Had a series of physio massages which just made it worse. Then had a steroid injection, no change. Had another injection then about a month later it started to get better. No idea if the steroid helped or whether it got better on its own.

EXACTLY..!! I am terrible about visiting the docs, so by the time I go and then attend the resultant physio, I can't tell if it's the physio that's worked or the 10 months of me suffering before booking the docs appointment.

[xx99xx]

Mars said:

EXACTLY..!! I am terrible about visiting the docs, so by the time I go and then attend the resultant physio, I can't tell if it's the physio that's worked or the 10 months of me suffering before booking the docs appointment.

Might as well get the ball rolling. Can always cancel nearer the time if it's got better while you're waiting for appointments. I've no idea how long the wait is for NHS physio, presumably not rapid. Or pay privately if able to, would be around £50-£60 for 30 mins. Or can you get it through employer, if you say it's affecting your work? That's what I did.

[ILikeCake]

Ive had tendon issues for years (must be susceptible) and what has been life changing was the discover of two things; 100% isometrics (also called overcoming isometrics) and dead hangs.

In modern youtube style this is a bit hyped up but gives the idea: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=70i14YxUTbc&pp=u...

I did exercise 1 from this sheet, but against a door frame and counter top so could do proper maximal exertions: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/media/lsjlro5o/85220advice....

I was pain free after a month.

It really is restrictive so hope you find something that works. Good luck!

[MC Bodge]

I was surprised by how painful tennis elbow is.

It took me months to recover from last year. Good luck.

I have recently had a bit of a niggling tennis (and golfer's) elbow, and have been doing some rehab and avoiding movements that might exacerbate them.