Recommendations for cold laser therapy device to use at home (golfer's elbow)

kshama2001

I've had pain on the inside of my elbow (golfer's elbow) for coming up on two years now. My PT gave me exercises, which don't help, and two cold laser therapy treatments, which helped amazingly. Unfortunately, they currently do not have slots for anyone other than post-surgery patients and no prediction for when this will change.

I'd really like to not have pain from simple activities like stirring food

I've stopped weight lifting, except for the exercises my PT gave me, which are with extremely low weights, so not really lifting actually.

I'm looking for recommendations for a cold laser therapy device I can use at home. Amazon has too many options for me to make the decision without help.

TIA

MikePfirrman

I don't have a recommendation on which one, but I looked into cold lasers for my dog, Toby. He has a terrible back right hip because he has a left front leg deformity from birth.

I researched them quite a bit but went with other pain remedies. He's doing great with swimming therapy and massage (I would LOVE to get as many massages as this dog gets!).

But what I found was the same ones on Amazon are typically on AliExpress for 1/2 the price. Most of them look the same. I've had good success with AliExpress before and I've bought junk on there as well. But most of what you see on Amazon you can find there for much cheaper and it's identical.

Dogmom1978

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I don't have a recommendation on which one, but I looked into cold lasers for my dog, Toby. He has a terrible back right hip because he has a left front leg deformity from birth.

I researched them quite a bit but went with other pain remedies. He's doing great with swimming therapy and massage (I would LOVE to get as many massages as this dog gets!).

But what I found was the same ones on Amazon are typically on AliExpress for 1/2 the price. Most of them look the same. I've had good success with AliExpress before and I've bought junk on there as well. But most of what you see on Amazon you can find there for much cheaper and it's identical.

I also don’t have any recommendations on these for people, but I have a dog who has had cold laser treatments for her back legs (she was on paid meds, but her blood work showed they were negatively affecting her liver values).

She has tolerated them very well and they seem to be helping her based on her movements (she was really slow and moved like she was stiff and in pain and now she’s moving faster and acting younger).

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I hear that you got a positive results from this treatment; however, I'm pretty suspicious of it's effectiveness. (I'm not a doctor, but I am a medical physicist.)

The best treatments for something like this are still rest, heat/ice, and ibuprofen. Compression can help a little as well.

When anything hurts for more than a year it is demoralizing, for sure. If you stay engaged with a orthopedic practice, they may eventually offer intervention.

Best of luck!

MikePfirrman

I would guess, also, you've tried this already. But I've had Golfer's elbow before and just using rubber bands for building strength (finger extensors) helped the most of anything. Seems like such a simple thing wouldn't help but it has helped me a lot to eliminate all pain several times.

kshama2001

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I would guess, also, you've tried this already. But I've had Golfer's elbow before and just using rubber bands for building strength (finger extensors) helped the most of anything. Seems like such a simple thing wouldn't help but it has helped me a lot to eliminate all pain several times.

No, I've never tried that, and would like more details. Can you share a video or a link?

kshama2001

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I don't have a recommendation on which one, but I looked into cold lasers for my dog, Toby. He has a terrible back right hip because he has a left front leg deformity from birth.

I researched them quite a bit but went with other pain remedies. He's doing great with swimming therapy and massage (I would LOVE to get as many massages as this dog gets!).

But what I found was the same ones on Amazon are typically on AliExpress for 1/2 the price. Most of them look the same. I've had good success with AliExpress before and I've bought junk on there as well. But most of what you see on Amazon you can find there for much cheaper and it's identical.

Thanks! I've used AliExpress for work but always forget about it for my personal life.

MikePfirrman

kshama2001 wrote: »

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I would guess, also, you've tried this already. But I've had Golfer's elbow before and just using rubber bands for building strength (finger extensors) helped the most of anything. Seems like such a simple thing wouldn't help but it has helped me a lot to eliminate all pain several times.

No, I've never tried that, and would like more details. Can you share a video or a link?

Sure, but it's a simple exercise. I've just found that when I Golfer's elbow, it actually had less to do with the elbow and more with carpel tunnel. Finger Extensors are just bands you keep at your desk and do three or four times a day. I'd do them more often but my cat LOVES them. She steals them from me all the time thinking they are a kitty playtoy!

https://www.amazon.com/Airisland-Stretcher-Resistance-Exerciser-Strengthener/dp/B071JL6PYZ/ref=pd_lpo_200_t_2/137-9827309-5260768?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B071JL6PYZ&pd_rd_r=99ce9ba2-fb04-4970-892f-d71911f147b2&pd_rd_w=SD5Ev&pd_rd_wg=cW8Yb&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=9WKSXHB5MT9AQP4AKWRS&psc=1&refRID=9WKSXHB5MT9AQP4AKWRS

Like this one. I have a whole bag of them I keep at my desk and when I have inner elbow pain, I use these. You just loop them around your fingers and do extensions. It's harder than you'd think.

Do you work at a desk? I found an Ergonomic mouse was also key. Like $15 if you don't have one and the bands are like $12. Cheap possible remedies to try.

MikePfirrman

duplicate, sorry.

kshama2001

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

I hear that you got a positive results from this treatment; however, I'm pretty suspicious of it's effectiveness. (I'm not a doctor, but I am a medical physicist.)

The best treatments for something like this are still rest, heat/ice, and ibuprofen. Compression can help a little as well.

When anything hurts for more than a year it is demoralizing, for sure. If you stay engaged with a orthopedic practice, they may eventually offer intervention.

Best of luck!

@Jthanmyfitnesspal - I do appreciate your input. I frankly don't care if there is no clinical effectiveness and the pain relief I get is purely placebo, as long as there is pain relief.

I had never heard of laser therapy and had no expectation that it would work.

Previously, I received acupuncture treatments for about 6 months. I DID have an expectation that this would work, as pain in other areas had been successfully treated with acupuncture in the past. However, I did not receive any significant or lasting pain relief. But since it enormously reduced my stress level, I continued to go until it was shut down by the pandemic.

Isn't it interesting that the treatment I expect to work did not work while the treatment for which I had no expectation of success did provide pain relief?

kshama2001

I poked OT a month ago asking if slots had opened up and they hadn't, but recently was able to get 5 slots starting today.

In addition to the laser, she also taped me with Rock Tape.

https://www.rocktape.com/medical/guides/rocktape/

She said they've found effective for tennis elbow and haven't really used it for golfer's elbow, but she thought she'd give it a try, since the exercises haven't been helping.

kshama2001

MikePfirrman wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I would guess, also, you've tried this already. But I've had Golfer's elbow before and just using rubber bands for building strength (finger extensors) helped the most of anything. Seems like such a simple thing wouldn't help but it has helped me a lot to eliminate all pain several times.

No, I've never tried that, and would like more details. Can you share a video or a link?

Sure, but it's a simple exercise. I've just found that when I Golfer's elbow, it actually had less to do with the elbow and more with carpel tunnel. Finger Extensors are just bands you keep at your desk and do three or four times a day. I'd do them more often but my cat LOVES them. She steals them from me all the time thinking they are a kitty playtoy!

https://www.amazon.com/Airisland-Stretcher-Resistance-Exerciser-Strengthener/dp/B071JL6PYZ/ref=pd_lpo_200_t_2/137-9827309-5260768?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B071JL6PYZ&pd_rd_r=99ce9ba2-fb04-4970-892f-d71911f147b2&pd_rd_w=SD5Ev&pd_rd_wg=cW8Yb&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=9WKSXHB5MT9AQP4AKWRS&psc=1&refRID=9WKSXHB5MT9AQP4AKWRS

Like this one. I have a whole bag of them I keep at my desk and when I have inner elbow pain, I use these. You just loop them around your fingers and do extensions. It's harder than you'd think.

Do you work at a desk? I found an Ergonomic mouse was also key. Like $15 if you don't have one and the bands are like $12. Cheap possible remedies to try.

Thanks!

I showed the finger extensors link to my therapist and she said this was something I could try but since I already have two things going on I'm going to wait until after the course is done.

I used to work at a desk - currently unemployed. I've had ergonomic mouse in the past and will look into this again.

I was very conscious of ergonomics when sending out texts in an effort to help GOTV recently

I hate to ice but did ice the last few days before the election.

kshama2001

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

MikePfirrman wrote: »

I don't have a recommendation on which one, but I looked into cold lasers for my dog, Toby. He has a terrible back right hip because he has a left front leg deformity from birth.

I researched them quite a bit but went with other pain remedies. He's doing great with swimming therapy and massage (I would LOVE to get as many massages as this dog gets!).

But what I found was the same ones on Amazon are typically on AliExpress for 1/2 the price. Most of them look the same. I've had good success with AliExpress before and I've bought junk on there as well. But most of what you see on Amazon you can find there for much cheaper and it's identical.

I also don’t have any recommendations on these for people, but I have a dog who has had cold laser treatments for her back legs (she was on paid meds, but her blood work showed they were negatively affecting her liver values).

She has tolerated them very well and they seem to be helping her based on her movements (she was really slow and moved like she was stiff and in pain and now she’s moving faster and acting younger).

Huh, my brother's dog is old and not motivated to go for long walks anymore. I will suggest this to him!