Tennis elbow - anyone?

[Cathy_H]

Anyone here ever have tennis elbow? If so how did you treat it - cortisone shot ( I hate needles), therapy? If so did it help? Did it ever go away? From what I've read & my doctor told me, it may get worse....................... We horse owners need a new term for this don't we? Input please? Thanks :saludando:

 

[mistyrose]

Yeah Cathy it got me too. Paul says its lunge whip elbow. The action of making the whip snap sends it off.

I got about 6 weeks of PT. It did help. They put a medicine on my skin and then did some kind a stimulation therapy which helped the medicine absorb into the area. It is supposed to be a better delivery system than a shot because it just goes where you need it. The also gave me some exercises that I still do sometime when I remember.

You probably need to see a Sport Medicine Ortho Doc. Mine didn't get better until I did. The Reg MD gave me medicine that helped but it didn't fix.

 

[Warpony]

You probably need to see a Sport Medicine Ortho Doc. Mine didn't get better until I did. The Reg MD gave me medicine that helped but it didn't fix.

I have a list of arm problems as long as.... well as long as my arm.... "tennis elbow" is one of them. I also strongly recommend going to a sports medicine doctor and following their instructions to the letter. I'm really lucky that my sports med doc is a horse person, and she has driving horses, so she has not once told me to stop with horses. The doc i went to before her did. Gr.

Anyway, my best advice is to get to a doctor, preferably a specialist, asap... and do what they tell you to do!!! I had no health insurance so I was unable to get help when I needed it... and now i have permanent damage to the point of actually being handicapped because of it. I can no longer do my artwork, I don't have the strength in my hands to so much as open a jar without help, and some days I have to type with pencils hooked to my hands with rubber bands because my hands cease to function at all. Granted I have a lot more going on besides just tennis elbow but these problems are nothing to be trifled with. You have no idea how limited life can be with decreased use of your arms/hands until you lose the ability to use them.

 

[Connie Ballard]

Hey...I've got an idea for you...no needles, no pills, no docs in fact! Friend's orthpedic doc recommended this to her years ago...a brace called the "Arm Bandit" It is 2 pieces of hard plastic, lined with cushioned neoprene, straps on with velcro, can be washed with soapy warm water, rinse and let dry.

The ortho recommended wearing it snug...not too tight...if it makes your arm hurt or throb...TOO tight...if it slips down your arm...too loose. He said wear it during waking hours...not at night. Arm Bandit

At night...my arms would still ache so I'd wear a bowling brace on my wrists...or a carpal tunnel wrist brace...on both wrists...have for years...it keeps the wrist aligned, pain/throbbing quiets and I can go to sleep. Not exactly cute jammie combo...but hey...lets me get to sleep.

I've read where these type of braces can prevent needing some surgeries because there is healing during the hours of rest when there is no strain on the joints...keep them warm, aligned and quiet.

I've used these for almost 10yrs off/on when needed. First time the tennis elbow hurt so bad I couldnt hold a coffee cup without dropping it.

Hope this helps. Also...check Ebay...see them on there too.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I just went through a torn rotator cuff and tennis elbow at the same time - not fun! I went to physical therapy 2x/week for 6 weeks, which really did help. I also took Aleve daily for a week - also seemed to help.

Do a google search on "Tennis Elbow" + "exercises" and you will get some good ideas on the exercises you should do. First the swelling needs to go down, then you can start the exercises. The BEST exercise I learned was actually from someone who rides a the same barn I ride at:

Let's say it's your right elbow that hurts - straighten your arm all the way out in front of you. Take your left hand and hold the front of your right hand (in the front part of your fingers). Slowly bend your wrist back towards your elbow - you'll feel a slight stretch. Honestly, I do that stretch every few hours every day and that is the one exercise that seems to help me the most.

Edit to add: just saw you post below re the Pneugel brace. This brace became my best friend while I was healing - it's wonderful! It definitely helped out - glad you got one!

Good luck!

Liz R.

 

[Cathy_H]

Dear hubby Lee is opening all of my cans for me today... He even offered to chop, dice or whatever is needed as long as I do the cooking.....

: I painted the front of the barn a month ago using my left hand. :bgrin :no: .......... I will check to see if my insurance will pay for therapy... Doctor gave me a prescription for naproxin but I do not like taking meds. I read about the possibility of permanent damage last night. In one month I had one doctor tell me it would go away & the other one tell me it will get worse.... ............ Connie I got a brace from the doctor Friday. It is called Pneugel Tennis ELbow brace with a bladder. The band is about 3 inches wide that wraps around your arm. Underneath you put this little pouch thingy, stick a plastic bottle like thing in it & inflate it then remove the bottle. The nurse put it above my elbow but the info shows it below the elbow. I'll check out the arm bandit also... Our buddy Leighanne K has it bad also, so I will let her know about this thread. I'm going to tell her it was the 26 windows that we washed in her house this summer!.. :lol: ............... Thanks for all of the info - It's been 4 months so I was hoping it would be gone by now...... Happy Holidays to you all!

 

[Sterling]

I had it one year...I know it stemmed from an injury of opening the chicken coop door and when it stuck and did'nt open, I felt a rubber band effect in my elbow/arm and it was downhill from there. They first tried an injection.....very painful I might add....and it did'nt touch the pain. Was'nt any worse, but did'nt make it better either. Then doc sent me to phys. therapy....that helped alot. I got ultrasounds along with some special exercises to do and ice packs. After phys. therapy which was probably almost 2 months worth of 3 times a week, I was better...never normal...but better. I kept tabs on it, kept up the exercises I learned at phys. therapy and used a special brace to keep my wrist from moving (which tends to move the ligaments and tendons making my elbow worse) and timed it. I finally started feeling normal after 2 years.

: Thats how long it took, but during those 2 years I was protecting and taking care of it.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Cathy, I had it around 30 years ago. Got treatment consisting of some sort of deep heat and MAYBE?? a cortisone shot or two, at my Dr.'s office...have NEVER had any more trouble with it, although I routinely stress my arms with horsey-related work, including carrying heavy buckets of water! Lots of other things hurt, now that I am 65, but not my elbow!! <GRIN!>

My point is, there IS hope....!

Best of luck with treatment,

Margo

 

[mistyrose]

Cathy

You might hate taking pills but Aleve (naproxin) is not just a pain med. It is an anti inflammatory that can prevent damage from occuring or getting worse during a flare up. YOu don't have to take them forever but to take them for a month along with the exercises, brace and therapy can speed up your recovery.

 

[Colleen]

Hi Cathy:

I have tennis elbow and I go to a chiropractor. She said that it happens because part of your upper back and neck area is out of alignment which makes your arm not move properly. She adjusted me a few times and then I went and saw a massage therapist which helped lengthen my muscles and (touch wood) have had no problems with it for the past month.

It worked for me.

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