Tennis elbow - Treatment? Ideas?

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nvmomketo
nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have tennis elbow and have since March. Every time it starts getting better I try to work it and it gets worse. About a month ago it was just a mild annoyance so I got into a push-up contest with a teenaged friend (he won but I held my own) and now it is still much worse. Bending my arm to touch my chin hurts, and my arm is getting weak. First thing in the morning it hurts like crazy too. It's painful at the full range of extension and flexion - my range of motion is limited, so any weights with that arm is difficult.

I'm looking for ideas to treat it. I can't afford physio so I have to do this alone, but I need to do something. It's been almost 6 months which is 5 months too long in my opinion.

Thanks.
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Replies

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    Play squash instead?
  • jvtchong
    jvtchong Posts: 59 Member
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    Reduced mine with a few things - ice on the elbow/upper forearm mornings and evenings, heat right before bed (liniment), plus I wear a wrist brace when playing beach tennis. I rest the arm more than usual, massage the pain points regularly and changed the grip on my paddle to better fit my hand.
    Hope you find something that works for you. Good luck.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    My only sports using my arms are lifting basketball, and very basic scrambling. No one wants to see me play a racquet sport. It's mostly the daily activities being affected that are bothering me, like brushing my teeth and drinking coffee.

    Thanks. I will look into heat and cold therapies. I don't think I can rest my arm much more than I do.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    find a doctor that is willing to inject you cortisone - problem solved.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I have tennis elbow and have since March.

    Why do you think you got it?
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Tennis players get a band that you wear around the top of your forearm. It takes some of the pressure off the irritated tendon. It works quite well for them. You might try it.
  • MiMi_5151
    MiMi_5151 Posts: 41 Member
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    You need something like this: rvbs38qdbm18.jpg
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I have tennis elbow and have since March.

    Why do you think you got it?

    No idea. I woke up one morning and it was tender, then it got more tender... It just never went away.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    abadvat wrote: »
    find a doctor that is willing to inject you cortisone - problem solved.

    I`d like to avoid that. But thanks.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    Tennis players get a band that you wear around the top of your forearm. It takes some of the pressure off the irritated tendon. It works quite well for them. You might try it.
    MiMi_5151 wrote: »
    You need something like this: rvbs38qdbm18.jpg

    Thank you both. I`ll look into it. I have to admit that the band doesn`t appeal much. That area is pretty tender to pressure.
  • AnabolicMind2011
    AnabolicMind2011 Posts: 211 Member
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    Have you tried the low carb diet? People here claim it cures everything.





    In all seriousness- see a doctor. There may be more going on.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    AnabolicMind2011 wrote: »
    Have you tried the low carb diet? People here claim it cures everything.





    In all seriousness- see a doctor. There may be more going on.

    LOL
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    abadvat wrote: »
    find a doctor that is willing to inject you cortisone - problem solved.

    I`d like to avoid that. But thanks.

    Not sure why you would want to avoid cortisone. To each his own, I guess. I have had a few over the years and are totally worth it. Sigh

    No more push ups for you. You need to rest the elbow. It could take upwards of a year to heal.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    Have to agree, you should see a doctor and get an actual diagnosis. You may have done more damage to the tendon than you think and need active treatment.

    In the absence of such, you already know the best advice is what you keep violating - rest until fully healed. No trying to work it when it starts to feel better - particularly with something that puts obvious intense strain on your elbow like a push-up contest.
  • upuplonnie
    upuplonnie Posts: 2 Member
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    If you look up, tennis elbow on youtube you'll find several stretches that work amazingly well. Stretching those tendons can start to relieve the pain and ice and heat will help as well.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I would see either a sports massage therapist, or physical therapist. There are stretches and exercises that can be done to reduce the pain. You could even get back to normal altogether.
  • Lone_wolf46
    Lone_wolf46 Posts: 2,711 Member
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    Get a brace like the one mimi5151 suggested. I have one and wore it all day except when sleeping. Ice and heat work well in conjunction with this brace. I t does take a few months of rest. No push ups etc...
  • B4Rachael
    B4Rachael Posts: 155 Member
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    Wear this wrap at night, to avoid bending your arm in your sleep. Also wear it when you know you will be lifting or bending your arm for an activity. This is what helps me. pharmapacks.com/products.php?product=ACE-Elbow-Support-One-Size-1-Each&gclid=CjwKEAjwrvq9BRD5gLyrufTqg0YSJACcuF81TINc1U457_h67hQcl1cs4iOlVV0uWgIrgi7kNyni7BoCqv7w_wcB#.V79MafkrKCg
  • BethAnnieT
    BethAnnieT Posts: 263 Member
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    I've had it for about 2 months now. Ice, ibuprofen, rest, and the elbow brace thingee shown above seem to help, but due to my inability to stop playing tennis and volleyball and such, it still hurts. For me, heat makes it feel good in the moment, but the next day it hurts more. I had to get a new keyboard since I'm at the computer all day, which has also helped. Rest really helps. I try to avoid opening doors, lifting heavy things, shaking hands with people, pulling weeds, and any other non-sport thing that makes it hurt. It's easier than avoiding the sports :) The brace shown above spreads the "pulling" pressure out, so that it's distributed rather than concentrated in a small area. I think it works ok but is not a miracle, for me anyway.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I have tennis elbow and have since March.

    Why do you think you got it?

    No idea. I woke up one morning and it was tender, then it got more tender... It just never went away.

    Maybe it's from sleeping with folded elbows. That can irritate the tendon. Try wearing a brace at night for a couple weeks and post an update. :+1:

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