Do you know what tennis elbow is? You might associate it with sports tennis, but really anyone who has probably never played a racket can get this injury. This condition occurs when the ligaments that connect the muscles of the forearm to the elbow bone are swollen. The main remedy for this condition is to wear a tennis elbow brace.
The tennis backhand is one of the most common repetitive muscle movements, and it puts stress on your tendons and muscles. Meanwhile, other activities include painting, woodworking, playing harmonic instruments or using heavy tools.
If you have persistent problems with your elbow, you must consult a doctor for early diagnosis and proper treatment. Standard treatment plans for this elbow problem range from pain relief to surgery.
Self-Care Tips for Tennis Elbow
Rest
If your arm works repeatedly and is overused, you should take a break. If your elbows are damaged by tennis, choose other exercises that may not require your arm to work.
Manage Elbow Pain
This condition can be very painful. Therefore, some simple ways to manage pain include:
Non-prescription drugs:
Pain relievers can relieve pain, while NSAIDs can reduce swelling. Ask your doctor for a prescription.
Freezing: If you are uncomfortable taking medication, you should use a cold pack to treat elbow pain and inflammation. Put it on your elbow for about fifteen minutes a few times a day.
Exercise: If your doctor says it's okay, then you should do some wrist stretches and finger stretches every day.
Using a support, such as a tennis elbow brace
big parantheses
A support brace on the forearm can relieve some of the pressure on the ligaments in the elbow. Consult your doctor or physical therapist for advice.
splint
Discuss with your doctor if you can wear a wrist splint while you sleep. This will help relax your muscles and tendons.
gear
If you have this problem from playing tennis, replace the racket with one that is stiffer and has a looser cord. Also, get training from a professional to improve your movement without stressing your elbows. Always warm up, stretch your arms, and use a new, dry tennis ball.
tool
If your job requires you to use these tools, you can consult your therapist for advice.
physical therapy
One of the best ways to treat this serious elbow condition is physical therapy. It improves blood circulation to the tendon which accelerates the healing process. The therapist can also guide you to modify tennis shots or other activities that might disturb your tennis.
tennis elbow pads
A tennis elbow brace is designed to support a damaged elbow during the healing process. It helps relieve pain and allows you to return to normal activities.
All you need to know about elbow braces
What is the role of tennis elbow pads?
A tennis elbow brace transfers pressure away from the damaged area, helping to reduce pain and protect the injured area.
elbow pads
Tennis elbow braces provide immediate relief from elbow pain. If this does not happen, your condition may be very serious and you should see your doctor right away. Otherwise, you may not have the disease. In this case, your physical therapist may make better recommendations.
How to use braces safely?
Put the brace on the widest part of your forearm, which can cause pain as you work. For most people with tennis elbow or golfer elbow, braces can reduce pain and enhance grip. The straps effectively attract the forces that cause pain and speed up the healing process. This is the most popular way to treat this condition.
How to choose the right elbow support belt?
The first thing to consider when choosing an elbow strap is price. There are many varieties on the market, but it depends on how much you want to spend. Variations include epicondylitis buckles, elbow straps, and elbow sleeves.
epicondylitis button
The most expensive elbow supports require a precise fit for best results. It includes a plastic clip that attaches around the arm. It secures the arm with a strap that puts pressure on the muscles below the painful area of the elbow.
This pressure attracts some force through the tissue and aggravates the damage. This button also changes the angle at which the tendon works, moving in the direction of the force and reducing symptoms.
The biggest benefit of this clasp for elbow ailments is that it can be fixed in the exact area of pain. The downside is the high price and lack of availability.
Tennis Elbow Band
These are simple straps that cover the forearm just below the elbow. Some have additional pressure pads designed to be placed on the muscles below the painful area.
These traps work by squeezing the upper forearm and absorbing the force that spreads through the soft tissue to the painful area. They also change the angle at which the tendon works and the force exerted on the tendon, allowing the damaged area to recover more quickly.
You won't have to invest a lot of money if you buy this strap. Also, it is easy to install and you can adjust the compression level according to your choice. Conversely, these straps are not as accurate as epicondylitis buckles and do not retain heat.
tennis sleeve
It's a simple fusion of elbow sleeves and shoulder straps. Tennis sleeves provide firmness, support and warmth to the entire elbow. Belts are available for adjustment.
This sleeve will help heal the pain area faster as it provides the proper warmth needed. It supports the entire joint. On the other hand, such braces are heavy and difficult to wear. The strap adjustment is also not very accurate.
Tennis Elbow - A New Treatment for a Common Problem
What injuries can an elbow brace help heal?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a very common problem. Individuals often complain of pain originating from the outside (outside) of the elbow. Usually, the pain spreads up the arm and forearm with activity.
Tennis elbow occurs when the tendon attachment of the end of the humerus to the lateral bone becomes irritated. This tendon attachment will degenerate over time and with normal wear and tear. In orthopedics, doctors refer to this degeneration as tendinopathy. Unfortunately, tendon degeneration is often a natural part of the aging process, and there is really no way to prevent it.
The tendons that connect to the outside of the elbow also pass through the wrist. These tendons connect to the wrist and fingers. Because of this, when you use your hand or wrist, it tends to hurt your elbow as well. For example, if you grab a coffee mug or shake hands, it can hurt your elbows because they're all connected. Elbow pain when using your fingers may not make sense, but it's common, and the connection is why the pain occurs.
The good news is that almost no one needs tennis elbow surgery. The bad news is that 90% of people may take 5-6 months to overcome tennis elbow. This can be very frustrating because pain occurs with almost any activity. The mainstay of treatment is a support plan. We generally recommend two different types of braces. The most important braces are simple wrist braces (also called carpal tunnel braces). It should be worn at night and during the day when the pain is more annoying. The second brace is a tennis elbow strap (also called a reaction brace). It is recommended that you do this any time you lift weights or engage in activities such as exercise, yard work, or grocery shopping. We also usually recommend visiting an occupational therapist to learn a simple home therapy program for conditioning and strengthening. Ice packs and anti-inflammatory medications can be used to help relieve pain. Finally, it is important to check the ergonomics of the workstation. When typing, your wrists and hands should be in a straight (neutral) position, not up or down (extended or bent). This can have a profound negative impact on your pain. Tennis elbow pain can get better faster if corrected.
There is some controversy about the use of steroid injections for tennis elbow pain. There have been many studies comparing patients who received steroid injections with those who did not. In reviewing all of these studies, we did not see data suggesting that steroid injections are useful in the long term. In fact, many doctors have stopped giving tennis elbow patients steroids in the past 8-9 years because of this. We often see patients do better without injections. It is true that patients may feel better for a short time after the injection. However, sometimes the pain comes back and is more severe, and it may also prolong the total time it takes to resolve the pain.
Finally, there is a lot of buzz about the new injectables we can offer. It is made from your own blood and has remarkable healing powers for tendon wear (tendinosis). The way it works is we take a small amount of blood from the patient and spin it down using a machine. We then injected a portion of the blood (now called post-rotation plasma) into the lateral epicondylitis area. The idea behind this is that we are adding biology to degenerating tendons. It is much safer and more effective than steroid injections. The only downside may be the cost, as many times insurance companies don't cover the cost of injections. However, it can be a very useful tool when patients are trying to avoid surgery or reduce the time it takes for their pain to get better.