Thread: Tennis Elbow

Originally Posted by Skinny

Originally Posted by Army Bronco

You need to make sure you rest it. Were you lifting weights or doing some form exercise?

No. But i do a lot squeegeeing over the course of a 9hr - 12hr work day. Applying vinyl to various types of acrylics, metals, and sintra panels. I'm sure that has somwething to do with it. It's in my right elbow and i'm right handed. It's just weird all of a sudden the pain is so severe like this. It's never happened before or gave me any warning. The pain woke me up again this morning and i planned on sleeping in.

That's what is causing it. You are probably getting small tears in the tendons. Get yourself a sleeve. You HAVE to conduct RICE on it. Rest ice compression and elevate the best you can. Like everyone said, take an anti inflammatory. I was getting the same pain for lifting weights. It sux

I went to see a physician around the corner because i'm lazy and i didn't want miss any football. My regular Dr is in Lexington which is about a 30 minute drive when everyone's at work, and a 45min-1hr or longer drive on the weekend.

I told him what was going on and after he cheked me over he prescribed flexeril (muscle relaxer) and Ultram for the pain till i can see my regular Dr this coming week. He thinks it's tendinitis and that i may need a steroid type injection in my elbow to fully relieve the swelling and pain. If the swelling and pain continues. The pills were only minor help and that the injection is the best way to go to really get to the root of the problem so i can get full motion of my elbow back without the pain. He said that's the worse case scenario.

I go a couple months out of the year to get pain injections in my lower back, 4 shots, which absolutely suck. But they work. I'm just hoping it's not that serious, it's just something that's flared up, and i don't have to get a needle stuck in my elbow. But if it'll help get me back to normal i guess i better suck it up.

Originally Posted by Army Bronco

That's what is causing it. You are probably getting small tears in the tendons. Get yourself a sleeve. You HAVE to conduct RICE on it. Rest ice compression and elevate the best you can. Like everyone said, take an anti inflammatory. I was getting the same pain for lifting weights. It sux

The sleeve idea is a good one. I think that will help keep my arm from trying to go full extension when i'm not paying attention. I'll hit up K-Mart later when i pick up my meds and see if i can find an el-cheapo. Thanks.

The steroid shots help but they wear off over a few months. Also, when I had mine they wanted my arm immobilized for a week after the shot so that could interfere with your work or other activities if your Dr wanted the same. After shots and physical therapy didn't help much I found a hand squeeze bag type of thing by the checkout stand at Cabela's. I wore that thing out doing both full hand squeeze's and finger tip ones. After a month my pain was gone and hasn't come back for a couple years now. Freezing water in a dixie cup then peeling the top part of the cup off and rubbing the ice on the elbow in a circular type motion will help also. My physical therapist told me this has the same effect as the electro stimulation type therapy they were doing.

Originally Posted by Snowgoose77

The steroid shots help but they wear off over a few months. Also, when I had mine they wanted my arm immobilized for a week after the shot so that could interfere with your work or other activities if your Dr wanted the same. After shots and physical therapy didn't help much I found a hand squeeze bag type of thing by the checkout stand at Cabela's. I wore that thing out doing both full hand squeeze's and finger tip ones. After a month my pain was gone and hasn't come back for a couple years now. Freezing water in a dixie cup then peeling the top part of the cup off and rubbing the ice on the elbow in a circular type motion will help also. My physical therapist told me this has the same effect as the electro stimulation type therapy they were doing.

Thanks for the input. The shots i get in my lower back wear off after about a month and the affect does seem to get shorter and shorter after each shot. The first one lasted about 3 months. I don't know what i'm going to do when there's no point in making a copay of $50 to see a specialist and get stuck 4 times with a needle and the relief only last about a week. It won't be worth it much by then. And the Dr. said my back isn't screwed up bad enough to require surgery. It's a "mechanical" pain, nothing's wrong with my spin, it's the muscles around it.

I didn't think about the immobilization part. Good looking out. I know when i get the shots in my back they want me to have someone who can drive me home in fear of my legs going numb after the shot kicks in. I can see where they would want you to keep it as still as possible though. If i have to get the steroid shot and can get it this coming week then that would work out great for me having all of the following week off.

I have a account and get Cabela's catalogs seasonally when ever they send them out so i'll check that out, probably after i find out what the Dr wants to do.

For now i've done like the good samaritans of BF have suggested and taped a small bag of ice around it for now. It's numbed the pain a good bit and is working great as long as i don't bend it too much. Makes typing a bitch though.

Originally Posted by Snowgoose77

The steroid shots help but they wear off over a few months. Also, when I had mine they wanted my arm immobilized for a week after the shot so that could interfere with your work or other activities if your Dr wanted the same. After shots and physical therapy didn't help much I found a hand squeeze bag type of thing by the checkout stand at Cabela's. I wore that thing out doing both full hand squeeze's and finger tip ones. After a month my pain was gone and hasn't come back for a couple years now. Freezing water in a dixie cup then peeling the top part of the cup off and rubbing the ice on the elbow in a circular type motion will help also. My physical therapist told me this has the same effect as the electro stimulation type therapy they were doing.

Adding to the dixie cup idea, a physical therapist told me the same, thing, but mix some Biofreeze or Flexall 454 (I think that's what it's called) or something in with the water before your freeze it, and then while you are getting the relief of the ice, you will also be getting the benefit of Biofreeze or similar agent.

Originally Posted by Tned

Adding to the dixie cup idea, a physical therapist told me the same, thing, but mix some Biofreeze or Flexall 454 (I think that's what it's called) or something in with the water before your freeze it, and then while you are getting the relief of the ice, you will also be getting the benefit of Biofreeze or similar agent.

Is this the same Biofreeze that comes in those jelly like packs that you use to put on the soar areas?

Cut them open and pour them in the dixie cup?

Tennis elbow (or bursitis) is a repetitive motion injury.

there are little bursa sacs to help the movement of tendons and bones in your joints (elbows, knees, shoulders, ankles etc), and if you do something over and over again using the joint, the bursa sac will get irritated and expand.

the only thing you can do then is ice it, take ibeprofin, and rest it.

but this does not sound like your injury so I don't know why i am still typing

(i have had bursitis in my shoulder, elbow and ankle in my life)

Originally Posted by sneakers

Tennis elbow (or bursitis) is a repetitive motion injury.

there are little bursa sacs to help the movement of tendons and bones in your joints (elbows, knees, shoulders, ankles etc), and if you do something over and over again using the joint, the bursa sac will get irritated and expand.

the only thing you can do then is ice it, take ibeprofin, and rest it.

but this does not sound like your injury so I don't know why i am still typing

(i have had bursitis in my shoulder, elbow and ankle in my life)

I don't know man, it might be. Like i said regarding my job,. i do a lot of squeegeeing which is a repetitive motion. My arm is like a human windshield wiper. I've been applying vinyl now for 7 years. There are some materials you have to apply more pressure on (thicker digital prints) to get the bubbles out and really press hard. I've done my fare share of repetitive motion over the years. Getting old sucks.

Originally Posted by Skinny

Is this the same Biofreeze that comes in those jelly like packs that you use to put on the soar areas?

Cut them open and pour them in the dixie cup?

yea, I've gotten it as a roll on and other ways, but when I did the dixie cup thing, it was with some packets a PT had given me. You just cut them open, pour some in each dixie cup and then added some water. I think there is a study that blood flow reduction (which you need to get swelling down) is like 50% more effective when an area is treated with ice and biofreeze vs. using just one or the other.

I just don't remember what the biofreeze/water ratio is. You could probably google something like "biofreeze ice recipe" or something like that.

Also, if you do it, don't get plastic dixie cups, get paper, because as the ice melts (as you are treating around your elbow), you want to be able to remove part of the cup to expose more of the ice.

Originally Posted by Tned

yea, I've gotten it as a roll on and other ways, but when I did the dixie cup thing, it was with some packets a PT had given me. You just cut them open, pour some in each dixie cup and then added some water. I think there is a study that blood flow reduction (which you need to get swelling down) is like 50% more effective when an area is treated with ice and biofreeze vs. using just one or the other.

I just don't remember what the biofreeze/water ratio is. You could probably google something like "biofreeze ice recipe" or something like that.

Also, if you do it, don't get plastic dixie cups, get paper, because as the ice melts (as you are treating around your elbow), you want to be able to remove part of the cup to expose more of the ice.

OK, gotcha. I got a friend i grew up with who's a chiropractor now. He gave some extra of those packets when i had him work on my back. I'll try to talk him into letting me grab some more without talking me into a 3 month contract. It won't be easy.

You're falling apart, Skinny.

BTW, be careful with that steroid crap prescribed by doctors. Long story short, my brother-in-law was over prescribed by a doc, and he has had 2 hip replacements because the steroids ate away his joints.....he just turned 30.

Originally Posted by Nomad

You're falling apart, Skinny.

BTW, be careful with that steroid crap prescribed by doctors. Long story short, my brother-in-law was over prescribed by a doc, and he has had 2 hip replacements because the steroids ate away his joints.....he just turned 30.

Falling apart is right.

Yeah, i've heard some bad things about it. They had a case of meningitis in some batches. I didn't go for a whole year after i heard about that. The doctor sent me a number of letters through the mail letting his patients know they thoroughly check their batches of product they get in. I still didn't take the chance though and got my first shot after that back in May.

That sucks about yer brother-in-law. Are they going to be able to do anything for him? 30 is too young to not be able to do some kind of therapy and overcome a hip replacement. I wish him the best.