Elbow Tendonitis - Am I done forever?

[spinachd]

Over the course of the winter (ironically when I was not playing) I developed very bad tendonitis in my elbow (out elbow, tennis elbow). Strength in my hand and arm was recently measured at less than half of my non-dominant left arm.

Now that DG season is here it really hurts to play, and obviously I won't heal if I do play.

Have any DGers out there come back from this type of injury and now play regularly without re-aggravation?

 

[SonicGuy]

My buddy played left handed for a season and now plays righty again. And he has a nifty party trick to show off driving lefty.

 

[spinachd]

My buddy played left handed for a season and now plays righty again. And he has a nifty party trick to show off driving lefty.

I tried that the other day. Not easy! I will definitely do it if nothing else though. Will be sad to not be able to compete this year.

That is encouraging that he is playing righty again.

 

[bradharris]

Go see a doctor and have an MRI done. That's the only way to know for sure the extent of the damage. If it's relatively minor, it will probably heal on it's own given enough time and rest. Tendonitis is an annoying injury in that it can take a significant amount of time to heal properly.

In some cases, it can be severe enough that surgery is the only option to repair it. Again, given enough recovery time, you should be throwing again eventually.

TLDR: See a doctor, get an MRI, rest.

 

[DavidSauls]

Go see a doctor and have an MRI done. That's the only way to know for sure the extent of the damage. If it's relatively minor, it will probably heal on it's own given enough time and rest. Tendonitis is an annoying injury in that it can take a significant amount of time to heal properly.

In some cases, it can be severe enough that surgery is the only option to repair it. Again, given enough recovery time, you should be throwing again eventually.

TLDR: See a doctor, get an MRI, rest.

That, that, and all of that.

This falls in the category of injuries that are hard to know when they're healed. Just feeling better isn't enough---it makes you think you're fine, and you go out and re-injure it.

 

[dorseymatt]

You're not done forever, or even for a really long time, but you do need to let it heal. If you play backhand, maybe see if forehand doesn't aggravate the injury. Or vice, versa. Otherwise, like someone else said, take up playing with your non-dominant hand. Or, take a couple months and work on your cardio. Easier said than done, but I've been there. Well, not exactly tendinitis, but I had nasty elbow bursitis last year -- looked like I had a golf ball in my elbow! I'm relatively fine now and play often.

 

[spinachd]

Putting and standstill shots hurt the most.

I did see a doctor and he referred me to physical therapy. He did not order an MRI. The physical therapist felt it was a pretty significant case of tendinitis and I have been assigned whole regimen I am doing daily. Also a heat molded zipper cast and she told me to get a ergonomic keyboard. Typing definitely aggravates it.

 

[Major Tomahawk]

Glad you didn't say "regiment"!

I've had severe elbow tendonitis in the past and now it is more manageable. See if you can get your Dr. to prescribe you some Voltaren (sp) gel. It has worked for me quite well.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

I had tendonitis in my wrist/arm from bowling and basically missed half a season. I went to PT a few times for like ultrasound therapy and some battery operated bandages. Stretching, massage, and rest fixed it.
The best thing I did was get a little bean bag wrist rest for my computer mouse at work. Made a world of difference, even more than a keyboard rest or ergonomic keyboard.

 

[bcr123psu]

Only your doctor can provide you with a prognosis. I've been dealing with medial epicondylitis for 4 years and for the better part of the past year I've been afraid to throw for fear of aggravating it. I have another apt with the ortho in a few weeks, but I'm trying to resign myself to the realization that I may need to learn to throw south paw if I want to continue to play this sport.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

Sounds like you have a bad case of it. I think seeing a doctor is the right thing to do in that case, but still want to give you another perspective.

I got Tennis Elbow in my right arm about a year into starting to play DG when I was 42. I think it was from practicing my drives at home with a Disc in my hand, but not letting go of the Disc - put a lot of strain on my arm. Anyway, I kept playing DG left handed, did internet research to find PT exercises, and got a brace. After a few months resting it except for the PT exercises, and being careful of my arm, I started driving RHBH again with the brace on, and it healed up and has been fine ever since. I messed up my left elbow a couple years later lifting my bag in an awkward way - that actually was worse. I went to acupuncture for that, and it helped immensely, so much so that I still do the acupuncture even though the arm is healed. Anyway, the point is for minor cases of Tennis Elbow the cure can be pretty straight forward: strengthen it with PT exercises, don't aggravate it with stuff like DG/typing with poor posture, and wear a brace. A little Eastern medicine might help you too. But if there is something mechanically broken in there, you need Western Medicine to fix that.

 

[DiscFifty]

Putting and standstill shots hurt the most.

I did see a doctor and he referred me to physical therapy. He did not order an MRI. The physical therapist felt it was a pretty significant case of tendinitis and I have been assigned whole regimen I am doing daily. Also a heat molded zipper cast and she told me to get a ergonomic keyboard. Typing definitely aggravates it.

Yep...repetitive movements will exaggerate it big time. I don't know how old you are, but the quicker you come to grips with "stop playing for a while and heal yourself" the longer you will be able to play disc golf. Elbow, shoulders, knees take a serious toll in this sport if you're not doing things correctly. If it hurts after you play, you're doing something wrong.

In regards to left handed playing, I would suggest doing this during your recovery. I'm up to 200ft with a putter left handed simply due to throwing a little bit left handed every time I practice lately.

 

[BgWvDave]

Feeling for you Spinachd!!!!!! what everyone is saying here is spot on!

I just got over a battle with it myself. Mine was chronic in that it hurt all the time. no amount of rehab or rest did anything for it. I bit the bullet and got a cortisone shot in Nov. I am still a little anxious to see what happens once the season kicks in but I can absolutely say that I am 100% pain free right now. The elbow is for all intents and purposes like brand new.

I have been doing all the stretches and strengthing excercises religiously and I have been wearing a brace which has helped tremendously. The negative with Cortisone is that is has the possibility of being a temporary fix and it is degenerative in nature. To this end I basically just have my fingers crossed and am hoping for the best.

 

[ohtobediscing]

The important thing to get from everyone's posts is that you MUST rest it. Meanwhile, improve yourself and go lefty!

 

[Troy Jan]

Did the rehab pt thing. It still comes back every now and then but much less so if i wear a fore arm brace or a copper compression sleeve on my elbow.

 

[MikeM]

Backhand or forehand? I find backhand puts little strain on the elbow if done properly. Forehand, on the other hand, is a killer.

 

[eegor]

I'm about to skip my second week in a row because of it. It could end up being a break of over a month because I have to work with it. It's feeling better, but it did came back too early a few weeks ago and came back worse. Lesson learned.

Rest it, make more than sure you're ready to start playing again and you'll be OK. Even 2 or 3 months without disc golf isn't the end of the world. NSAIDs if you can tolerate them will help reduce inflammation. Just chill, watch videos and read more. You'll be OK.

By the way... you will be done forever if you don't rest it.

 

[ilmcgee]

I would say go to the doctor, but you have already been. Continue the PT and rest up for awhile. A second opinion is a good idea if not satisfied with the results you are seeing.

I'm in the group that hasn't been to the doctor, yet. Some days I am ready to go, when you make a movement and feel the tendons grind and lose grip strength.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

There was another thread recently that mentioned a Thera band flexbar for what I can imagine would be similar rehabilitation to physical therapy training.

Also Advil for pain and warming up slowly can be important steps too.

 

[DavidSauls]

I've recovered, at least to the degree that I can still play, from 4 injuries or conditions that drove me to the orthopedist. Two required surgery (and rehab), one rehab, and one extended rest.

For major injuries, I'm always of the philosophy of (1) let a doctor find out what's actually wrong, (2) follow his advice, you're paying a lot for it, and (3) be patient.

I've been in that position of wondering if I'll be able to keep playing---or ever play again---but I'm happy to say I'm still here.