Tennis elbow anyone???

[Jim_G]

I've had to deal with it. Initially I blamed my mandolin playing. I had about a year long stretch where I would play for 3+ hours a day, every day. Now, I'm thinking it was a combination of factors, I also sit at a desk working a keyboard and mouse all day long.

I stopped playing for a few weeks, and that did not help at all, so I went to see the Doctor. He diagnosed it within a minute with a couple of quick tests. He recommended therapy, which I did aggressively for several months. I went in twice a week for stretching exercise, ultra sound, deep muscle massage. The works. I also bought one of those theraband twizzle sticks and used that several times a day. (https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Res...ords=theraband)

It took a few weeks of this heavy regime, but I started seeing results. I learned a few things along the way. First, resting never helps, so you may as well keep playing. Second, the temptation to get a cortisone shot might be strong. My Primary didn't want to start there, and I've run into two folks who did get them and they both said the same things. You get instant relief, and you're good for a few months. But then it's back, and probably worse than ever.

I still get a dull ache once in a while, 2 years after it all started. But nothing like it was. The key is to do some of the right exercises and do them daily. It might take a while for the results to come, but they should. Good luck Steve.

[sled]

I think it is definitely work related... I'm at work and it is killing me. Trying different setups at the desk. Anyone ever try one of these? I've seen golfers using them but have no idea if they help....
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/fu...7-b8b4b65b5cc2

[Borderdon]

Originally Posted by sled

I think it is definitely work related... I'm at work and it is killing me. Trying different setups at the desk. Anyone ever try one of these? I've seen golfers using them but have no idea if they help....
https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/fu...7-b8b4b65b5cc2

Tried that and other variants. Didn't help me at all. YMMV, of course.

[ChrisN]

There is a distinction between "tennis elbow", which is use-damage to the tendons in the elbow, and cervical radiculopathy (CR), which is nerve irritation to the cervical vertebral nerves at C6-7. That nerve irritation frequently manifests as elbow pain that mimics epicondylitis (tennis elbow). I treated mine like tennis elbow and an osteopath even shot it up with cortisone, but I've got CR. Second episode in 8 years. Likely due to lots of computer/mouse and poor neck posture putting pressure on the nerves. Will try acupuncture next.

[baimo]

I have had both tennis and golfers elbow. In both cases I was cured by one cortisone injection. Some people need more and some people it doesn't work on. But with me I took the shot rested a few days and never had that pain again. I was lucky and happy. You need to go to an orthopedic dr that knows what he is doing. An inexperienced dr might poke you in the wrong spot and that would be just a waste of cortisone and your time.


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[Charmed Life Picks]

A lot of players also get this in the base of the thumb on the fretting hand. I had it for about six months till my daughter, an OT, found a glove for me to wear only in bed at night. It immobilized the thumb and let the muscle fully rest. An elbow brace would probably do the same thing for yours.

sm

[bigshoe]

This worked for me along with deep muscle cross message twice a day, check out the Tyler Twist on YouTube they show how to use the Theraband.

Originally Posted by Jim_G

I've had to deal with it. Initially I blamed my mandolin playing. I had about a year long stretch where I would play for 3+ hours a day, every day. Now, I'm thinking it was a combination of factors, I also sit at a desk working a keyboard and mouse all day long.

I stopped playing for a few weeks, and that did not help at all, so I went to see the Doctor. He diagnosed it within a minute with a couple of quick tests. He recommended therapy, which I did aggressively for several months. I went in twice a week for stretching exercise, ultra sound, deep muscle massage. The works. I also bought one of those theraband twizzle sticks and used that several times a day. (https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Res...ords=theraband)

It took a few weeks of this heavy regime, but I started seeing results. I learned a few things along the way. First, resting never helps, so you may as well keep playing. Second, the temptation to get a cortisone shot might be strong. My Primary didn't want to start there, and I've run into two folks who did get them and they both said the same things. You get instant relief, and you're good for a few months. But then it's back, and probably worse than ever.

I still get a dull ache once in a while, 2 years after it all started. But nothing like it was. The key is to do some of the right exercises and do them daily. It might take a while for the results to come, but they should. Good luck Steve.

[smurph1]

Originally Posted by sled

Anyone get tennis elbow from strumming? I have all the symptons, and WebMD says playing certain instruments may cause it. I'm not sure I got it from guitar, maybe it is from work, but now that I have the pain strumming certainly makes it hurt more. Anyone have any tips for dealing with this?

Mine is weird. Whenever I pickup my guitar my elbows and shoulders protest. But when it comes to actual strumming I'm (for the moment) pain free. i've taken to taking a couple Ibuprofen in the morning and it seems to help. Scott.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Not a huge diss on any physician members here, but Orthos are trained to cut. Surgery should only be a LAST option. Don't go under the knife till you've explored every other option thoroughly.

scott memmer

[sled]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Not a huge diss on any physician members here, but Orthos are trained to cut. Surgery should only be a LAST option. Don't go under the knife till you've explored every other option thoroughly.

scott memmer

I hear that... It's nowhere near that yet. Like I said, it just started and I think it is more work related and is just being aggravated by strumming. I just want to get in front of it. I've already had the acupuncture session, had the admin order special mouse pad and keyboard pad and getting lot's of good advice here.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by sled

I hear that... It's nowhere near that yet. Like I said, it just started and I think it is more work related and is just being aggravated by strumming. I just want to get in front of it. I've already had the acupuncture session, had the admin order special mouse pad and keyboard pad and getting lot's of good advice here.

Sled, as my daughter explained it, all these sort of tendinitis (sp?) issues are from repetitive motion. I was amazed that resting the muscles completely during sleep cured me. In three to four weeks I was fully cured, and that a year ago and it hasn't reappeared.

Anyway, I'm clearly not a doctor, but you might find things like PT will help this. If you get a chance, send me a PM and tonite I'll send you the link to the glove I bought for my thumb on Amazon. It was $15.00 and made a HUGE difference. I tried other gloves, but this one worked much better because it had a kind of metal splint it along the outside of the thumb. Obviously, an elbow is much harder to immobilize.

best of luck & let me know,
scott

[Biddy44]

Originally Posted by ukejon

My problem was from fretting not strumming. Misdiagnosed in late January as having a pinched nerve in my left forearm. Couldn't even curl a 20 lb dumbbell and playing guitar/uke was painful. Did therapy and wore a brace for six weeks with no improvement. Went back to the hand/arm doc and he reconsidered the diagnosis as tennis elbow. Gave me a slow acting cortisone shot (3 days to take full effect) on the outside of my elbow and it 100% worked.

Put me down for this answer as well, except for the misdiagnosis part. Fretting didn't cause the problem, but made for several months of painful and limited guitar playing. Only a cortisone shot helped.

[JonHBone]

I had golfer's elbow. Members on this board suggested a specific elbow strap made to help golfer's/tennis elbow and some exercises. It actually helped. I went from waiting it out and being 70% cured with occasional bouts of pain when lifting heavy stuff, to 95% cured with the rare occurance of annoyance when doing a lot of push ups but otherwise feelings great. I did spend way more time flatpicking which helped bc fingerpicking stressed my arm out bad for a while there.

Good luck with your issue! Been there and know it sucks. Wishing you the best.