Anyone any experience of tennis elbow?

No jokes from me, it's horribly painful :(

I fixed mine using one of the straps you put around your forearm. You can carry on using the arm but the strap stops the muscle contracting fully and therefore doesn't pull the ligament that is damaged.

So you can use it fully, it doesn't hurt and it's getting better all at the same time.

That sorted mine anyway. The drugs and Physio beforehand didn't.
 
I would book an appointment with your docs before it gets any worse.

I had an infected bursitis, it was extremely painfull. I avoid going to the doctors as much as I can, but within 4 hours my elbow was double its size, I couldn't bend it, and even the lightest of touch felt like my skin was burning (I couldn't cover it). Went to the docs and he wanted to send me straight to the hospital to have it drained, which I refused to do (silly girl !!), so we made a pact that he'd give me antibiotices and if it hadn't started to go down in 12 hours I had to go to A&E - luckily it went down a bit so I didn't have to go, but I was without use of it for a couple of weeks, and to make matters worse the antibiotics made me very sick (so I didn't finish the course !).
 
I got one of those straps on now. It's such a horrible, really pukey type of pain.
Been to docs, who's sending me to rheumatologist in case it's early arthritis (I'm 42). But appointments not for 2 weeks, so taking lots of ibuprofen. Typical that I have a horse on boxrest too. I want to see physio but doc says my rheumatologist needs to see it at its worst. I'm pretty damn sure it's just tennis elbow though - bloody debilitating thing.
Lizziebell, that sounds awful
Does typing make it worse?
 
Well, I've had RSI in the past, which is basically like a toothache in your arm, blimmin painful! :(

Best thing is RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) in the early stages of any injury like this or if it flames up again; plus you need to avoid using those muscles if at all possible; be careful you don't use other muscles (or indeed the other hand/arm) to compensate - I did this and caused damage to the other one!

The problem is that if you go the NHS route you have to wait (in my area anyway) for at least five weeks before they'll give you any physio, and you get your alloted portion of physio and thats it, bye bye now you're cured sort of thing.

Personally I'd be inclined to consult a chartered physiotherapist or other qualified and accredited therapist such as McTimony, Bowen, etc.

I'm in the process of getting a therapist for my horse at the mo, and know someone locally who works with horse AND rider, very important!!! You do need someone who understands things from an equestrian point of view I would suggest.
 
Would your GP let you have some Diclofenac?

Might help more than Ibuprofen. If you can rest your hand on something and keep your elbows still then no it won't make it worse.

You are exactly right with the pain though, it's absolutely sickening :(

As soon as I put the strap on the pain went, so maybe mine was quite mild?
 
I had a bout of tennis elbow about 3 years ago. It was pretty painful and all the doctor recommended was having it strapped up and 'wait'. It took an absolute age to go, and touch wood has not returned. I rested it as much as I was able, minimal typing and supported as much as possible - no cycling (didn't have a horse then) etc or any exercise where arms needed.

I would have been 43 at the time, but the doctor did not suspect arthritis (or if he did, he didn't mention it). Just said it would take a long time to go.

I suppose it's fortunate that your horse is also on box rest so that you are not out there riding. 'cos that would hurt too.

Hope it goes as quick as poss - it's more painful than people think it is (until they've had it)
 
I get it intermittently and have found Voltarol gel very effective, also when it is bad I wear a support bandage which definitely helps.
 
Hi, Yes it is very painful - you have my sympathy. I had a tennis elbow a year or so ago and after using painkillers for a week or so I then went to see my McTimony lady and she used the Bowen technique on it . She said that if it was going to work, it would do so after just one session or not at all and luckily for me, it did work. Might be worth a try?
 
Yep, I had mine for about 5 months roughly, took ages to go, right pain in the ar*e it was, I didn't do anything different though, I did use one of those straps to support it (if that's what is was supposed to be doing) I think it helped, I couldn't stop riding, just put up with the pain, although certain movements of the arm hurt more, than how you'd use it for riding, for example, opening a door.

It will go in time, I've had it twice, once it took ages, another time it took a month or so.

Hope it heals soon.
 
Yes, and all I can say is however impractical it is rest is the best thing.

I had it for about 6 months 2 winters ago, I think caused by pooh picking for a friend using one of those scoop buckets & rakes that was the wrong size for me. I went to the doctor, had physio, wore a strap, took diclofenac etc etc and although the pain med eased it a bit nothing was really helping.

Because I had it over the winter I was mucking out still which didn't help but it was do-able as long as I did the exercises the physio gave me. These seemed to help the pain at the time I was doing the exercise but had no long lasting effect.

Eventually I gave in, turned my girls out & stopped mucking out. This seemed to do the trick after a while and I (touch wood) haven't had it since. My doctor did initially advise me that rest is the only cure but I hadn't wanted to believe him!
 
Sonjafoers - I reckon that's how I did mine too. Very uncomfortable and totally impractical when you have a young horse who you're bringing on. Mine is much better (not 100%) but taken good year I'd say to get to this stage.
 
I have it in my right elbow and milder in my left. Had it first in left and guess using right elbow more means Ive hurt that too. its very hard to rest your elbows. Ive been ignorant and not been to Drs but have taken Ibruprone (sp) and it does seem to ease it off
 
Silly question, but how does Tennis Elbow feel? Today for no reason at all my elbow is really hurting! It feels like I have a huge bruise on my whole elbow, and its very tender to touch. I can move it, although fully bent /stretched is a little painful.
I don't remember banging it (been at work at a desk all day) and there is nothing there??
 
That's exactly how it feels - a huge bruise all over your elbow and tender to the touch. With me it was passable if I had it at a certain angle, but then suddenly there would be shooting pains within the elbow when I used my arm another way, if that makes sense. For example, I genuinely struggled to groom thoroughly -in fact raising my arm and also having to put pressure into the sweep of the brush was agony. Must have been caused through trauma/repetetive strain type thing.
 
I had it a couple of years ago. Reckon it was RSI related due to computer mouse use. At its worst I couldn't open a door. I also had a horse on box rest at the time.

I saw a physio who gave me a strap and advice about how to lift things to minimise problems. I started using my mouse with my left hand and have continued doing so.

Mine took months to come right and only bothers me occasionally now. Rest and painkillers are key - remember you can take 2x paracetemol and 2x ibuprofen at the same time (don't exceed max daily doses for either tho) and that really helped me get through. Use the other arm for as much as possible.

I'd recommend at least one session with a sports physio to set you on the road to recovery.

Good Luck!
 
I have - absolutely excruciating pain. Mine was caused by mucking out using a long handled pitchfork. I went back to using a short one with a "D" handle and hey presto, problem basically resolved itself very quickly. I'd been using the strap thing which did help but nowhere near as much as changing the way I did things. I also made a new grip for the poo picker rake - rugby ball shaped - and that really helped too - I was particularly aware of the burning pain when I was using that. It just stopped me using the inflamed muscles/tendons in the "bad" way, I guess... I spent ages working out what had changed about the way I did things to cause the pain in my elbow.

My local tack shop had a load of D shaped handles in which you attached to your tools and which they claimed helped with Tennis Elbow. Unfortunately its not mentioned on their website.
 
now dont laugh but i had it for about a year, used the support thing you get didnt work painkillers i dont like taking, physio didnt work, sports massage didnt work, accupunture didnt work
i was getting well and trully fed up if it and kept waking up at night with the pain
i went ten pin bowling with my brother & his wife (& my hubby) and started using my left arm but couldnt bowl at all so swapped to my right the first one down the ally i had a mega shooting pain in my arm really sore but after a few mins the pain was gone and touch wood i have had no problems since
so i would say go ten pin bowling!!
 
Lippyx said:
Silly question, but how does Tennis Elbow feel? Today for no reason at all my elbow is really hurting! It feels like I have a huge bruise on my whole elbow, and its very tender to touch. I can move it, although fully bent /stretched is a little painful.
I don't remember banging it (been at work at a desk all day) and there is nothing there??
Click to expand...

Simple test: Put your arms out in front of you, palm down and try to lift up a light kitchen chair from the top, if it's a no go, you've got it.
 
Yes, I have had it, the most sick making pain, I couldnt rotate my wrist at all. Had 2 sessions of Reiki and it went.
 
I have golfers elbow ( yes it does exist, it is painfull on the lower joint condyle) I went to doctor and he gave me three options, Tablets ( allready tried them and no relief) Injection into the joint or operation. I had the cortisol jab, It took two days to take effect and actually hurt even worse for those two days but now it's fine. That was in February. If it comes back I'll get it jabbed again. I'm too old to be doing pain!!!
 
I had tennis elbow for about 4 months. Got to the stage I had to go to the doctor (couldn't lift a cup of tea with that arm...) I was referred to a chiropracter - was very sceptical but happy to give it a try (alternative was an injection into the joint - nooooo). Anyway, 3 treatments later and it's fine! It seems I had a problem in my back/shoulder which was causing the muscles in my arm to pull everything in the joint out of alignment - I do have recurring back/shoulder problems so that makes sense. Anyway the pain has 99% gone and if I feel any pain the exercises he gave me soon sort it out.
 
Quick update - saw the specialist privately. He was fantastic!!!!

Not arthritis, but good ol tennis elbow, with some golfers thrown in for luck!!
He put three injections into the joint yesterday, and I'm now typing one handed - can't even get dressed on my own. He assures me the pain will go in about 3 days!!!!
The pain in my hips which I thought was arthritis is deferred pain from a muscle pull in the lower back, so I'm booked for a bout of physio to help back and improve hip rotation, starting next week.

What a brilliant man:D:D.
 
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