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I got tennis likely due to overworking the arms and I think I sleep with my arms bent and that aggravated some nerve or tendon. I had been on a killer trend with my push ups and pull ups and now I have had to cut back severely due to pain. I've got an appointment with a physical therapist tomorrow, but I'm looking for anyone who has gotten through tennis elbow and was able to resume their workout. Anyone?....
I have it from the type of work I used to do. For pushups I have learned not to come up full lock, I just come up about 3/4 the way and then go back down. It seems to not bother my elbows as much.
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I never completely got over mine ..... it would feel better after a long time of not using the elbow, but then immediately would come back when I played some tennis. Fortunately it was tolerable, not excruciating.
From what I understand, the only way to completely deal with it is to get cortisone shots in the joint every few months.
I've been limiting my weight lifting routine by avoiding movement that hurts (mine was not from playing tennis, but overuse at work, and possibly too heavy of weights at the gym). I'm gradually building up strength again, and finally doing those same exercises that initially, post-injury, I could not do. Recently I started doing self-myofascial release, and it helps a lot!! I found a fantastic resource with written instruction and videos to show me exactly what to do. Network Fitness | Bringing It All Together -- SMR, Functional Movement, Products & Education
Also think about muscle imbalance. If you add a wider variety of exercise, you can strengthen complementary muscles and connective tissue, so that so much stress is not put on one particular area.
But I think you have to rest it first, to allow it to heal, before you can rebuild.
I got tennis likely due to overworking the arms and I think I sleep with my arms bent and that aggravated some nerve or tendon. I had been on a killer trend with my push ups and pull ups and now I have had to cut back severely due to pain. I've got an appointment with a physical therapist tomorrow, but I'm looking for anyone who has gotten through tennis elbow and was able to resume their workout. Anyone?....
Cold and compression.
I couldn't get rid of mine for three months....therapist three times a week, x-rays, ultra sound, etc.
Then I went online and saw compression and cold.
I couldn't even have a catch with my daughter because the pain from the ball hitting my glove radiated up my arm.
Frozen bag of peas for 1/2 hour twice a day and sleep with a compression bandage.
In three days it was gone!
No pain, no more swelling.
Whenever it acts up, which is infrequently, I repeat what I did. It has never gotten painful again. It has been five years.
Pick up an ACE Compression bandage. They work great and cost less than $10. I blew out my elbow years ago doing heavy clean and presses. It ached for months. I started using the compression bandage and it healed up quickly. I wore it for a few hours in the day and all night too.
Once the pain goes away, start back into your workouts slow and light. Get the blood flowing around the elbow again and slowly work your way back to where you were before. Also be sure to work any muscles around it like the biceps, triceps and forearms. Strengthening those muscles will help protect your elbow from further injury.
I have tendinitis and bursitis in both elbows. He did use the electric thingee machine with the probes that stick on you with ice and that was heaven. He also used an ultrasound machine with some gel and rubbed that on each area for about 5 minutes. That didn't really feel like much, but he said to use ice and recommended omega 3 oils (which I've already been taking) as they are a good anti-inflammatory as well as vit. D and Calcium to equal parts magnesium. I could stand to up my vit. D and calcium but will look for ways to eat more foods with the omega's.
I know many recommended ice, but I have been doing the ice and actually sleep with a hard big blue ice pack to lay my arm on when it hurts in the middle of the night.
Has anyone used Motrin with noticeable success?
Also, could someone please suggest alternative upper arm exercises that won't strain the elbow tendons? I typically have done: pull ups, push ups with the yoga ball and medicine ball and tricep push ups, tricep pull downs with rope and v bar. Also, I don't believe I need to strengthen my arms anymore; they're actually pretty ripped, so lack of strength is not the issue. I have some ace bandages that I will dig out of the closet and put on. Didn't think of that.
There is a product that utilizes rubberbands to ilosate each finger and exercise it in an opening motion. Similarly, you can just wrap rubberbands around your finger tips and try to open your hand. The old school method was to put your hand in a bucket filled with sand and attempt to open and close your hand. I have found these exercises to be helpful. The theory is that grip strength is disproportionate to the opening/extensor strentgh.
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Physical therapy apt. today
