Elbow Tendonitis - Am I done forever?

[gronkus]

I feel for you! I developed tennis elbow after starting to play DG last year. I am just now getting over it. Normal resting/PT didn't do it. My doctor gave me an injection of something called AmnioFix which is full of growth factors. Then after some PT it is doing much better and I am now working out on it. There is also a treatment called "plasma therapy" or some such where they take your own blood and concentrate down the growth factors in it and inject it back in. Both of these therapies are to strengthen the tendons and help get rid of scar tissue. I didn't want to go the cortisone route because that is only a temporary fix. You do need to give it time though which is rough. Best of luck!!

 

[DgDamon]

3 things to Google & try:

1. Voodoo floss - consists of wrapping arm in rubber and doing PT on yourself. Cheap & effective.

2. DMSO - Google it, come to your own conclusions. It'll cost you $4 at the farm store and it's been near miraculous for me.

3. High rep low weight hammer curls - connective tissue is avascular (little blood flow) and this can help drive blood food to tendons & ligaments. If there's acute pain obviously don't do it. I would do sets of 30x10# when my elbow acted up.

 

[spinachd]

3 things to Google & try:

3. High rep low weight hammer curls - connective tissue is avascular (little blood flow) and this can help drive blood food to tendons & ligaments. If there's acute pain obviously don't do it. I would do sets of 30x10# when my elbow acted up.

I'm pretty sure high rep - low weight lifting is what caused the problem (I had been doing a fair bit of BodyPump classes), particularly curls. They are certainly the exercise that hurts the most now.

But in my searches I came across this video about eccentric exercises with the Flex-bar http://www.nytimes.com/video/health/100000001768943/a-fix-for-tennis-elbow.html

and a vid on eccentric curls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK7XEwcT4fs

So maybe the key is eccentric only and avoid concentric. I'll ask my PT about this and other suggestions on Friday

 

[spinachd]

Someone PM'd me and asked me to share what my PT set up for me. It's really too much to explain. Maybe I can search for videos of each thing later - I'm sure they are out there. There are things I have to do on my side and back with a hard foam roller, roll my tricep over a can on a hard surface, hold my tendon down while I roll my wirst flat down and up, then eccentric and contrentric movements of my hand while pushing on the same tendon. Actually she drew three lines for where to hold down specific tendons. A massage that I don;t know yet because my link to the proprietary video is not working. Ice. Ibuprofen. A zipper cast I wear while sleeping. No disc golf. Ugh.

 

[Shamis]

Buy a theraband flexbar. Use it.

Do reverse wrist curls. Do pushups on your fists. Stretch your biceps.

Also, if the problem developed while you weren't playing then take a good look at your workplace ergonomics, if you work on a computer especially. Ergo keyboards are good, but beware of the really wide ones as they put the mouse really far too the right, so if you use the mouse as much as the keyboard that can jack up your shoulder and elbow as well.

 

[str8]

... if you use the mouse as much as the keyboard that can jack up your shoulder and elbow as well.

This isn't as big a help as some of the other suggestions but dump the mouse and get a trackball. May take a week to get used to but your wrist and elbow will appreciate it.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Be diligent about your PT. I'm going through it all now with my shoulder, and believe me there are days when I'm beyond tired of it. But, I haven't missed a day of PT since Nov 16th last year, and the improvements are there. It's slow, and torturous, but it comes. Make it part of your routine now, and don't skip, ever. Commit to it.

Also, this is the wrist rest I got for my mouse when I was having tendonitis issues. I love it because it moves with my arm and the mouse, and I'm not limited behind any kind of pad.

 

[Shamis]

For computer stuff, look for a 10-keyless keyboard. There aren't many ergo ones, if you really need an ergo keyboard, consider this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18DR7Y7W8F99VAFZRR9Q

The keys have crappy action, but it is the most comfortable keyboard I've used. And it has a moveable 10-key, which allows you to keep the mouse more in line with your shoulder.

Get one of those gel-wrist mouse pads, and get a WIRELESS MOUSE, wired mice tend to resist your movement a lot, which puts more strain on elbow/shoulder. A good ergo wireless mouse will significantly reduce the total motion you have to do.

If you type nonstop all day, then you'll need something better than the keyboard I linked above as the keys aren't good enough for fast typers that type endlessly. For that you'll want a mechanical keyboard, but there are few to none 10-keyless mechanical ergonomic keyboards and they usually cost an arm and a leg.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Crazy how unhealthy it is to sit at a desk all day..

 

[mark996]

I'm lucky our discs rise and lower to stand and sit at all day. At least I get to move around and I'm not tethered to it 24/7.

Horse linaments and DMSO was a staple in my powerlifting days. That and a car buffer used on the pecs, hamstraings, quads and back after heavy days.

 

[dobbins66]

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.

I went through the same ordeal, difference with me is that it was my off-hand. Could throw but the follow-through with my left arm hurt like hell! Did 2+ Months of brace/physical therapy, 2 cortisone shots and a steroid injection. No improvement - Kept getting worse. After almost two years I got an MRI on January 6th and am now recovering from surgery - I had torn tendon. Follow-up in 2 weeks and HOPE to be playing in mid-April, I'm registered for BG Ams so that my real target. Played US Masters last year wearing a weird molded brace that took some getting used to - just the balance of the off-hand. Already have full range of motion (better than pre-surgery) with some pain left over from the surgery. Hoping this fixed it.

Good Luck and I hope you have better success with non-surgery options!

 

[da Crippler]

I've had elbow tendonitis for 20 years and can no longer straighten my arm out completely. Any throw that extends the elbow like putting and short upshots hurts like hell. It's hard to get a good snap on my throws and I've had to compensate by rotating my hips more. It has actually helped my lower back be more flexible and has strengthened my wrist and shoulder a lot. My biggest problem is the pounding my elbows take from riding fat bikes. I usually can't golf the day after a long ride.

 

[Discette]

I've had elbow tendonitis for 20 years and can no longer straighten my arm out completely. Any throw that extends the elbow like putting and short upshots hurts like hell. It's hard to get a good snap on my throws and I've had to compensate by rotating my hips more. It has actually helped my lower back be more flexible and has strengthened my wrist and shoulder a lot......

I am not a doctor. Listen to what your doctor says and do your PT to get better. I once had the same problem. It was caused by extending my arm completely straight when releasing my putts. Now I putt with a slightly bent elbow at release and I have been pain free for over 10 years. I also make sure to follow all the way through on upshots and drives. Trying to stop the arm at release on these shots can also stress out the elbow. I hope you get better soon and get to enjoy playing disc golf pain free again.

 

[spinachd]

I'm definitely seeing improvement from PT. She told me not to use a thera-bar yet as it may aggravate it, but I will probably start with one next week

 

[martinb]

ok, 5 years ago I got tendonitis from computer keyboard, video gaming and disc golf. got the cortisone shot and quit video gaming and disc golf for 6 weeks. eased back into disc golf throwing lightly for a couple of months, for me that worked and I may have a twinge now and then I haven't been shut down with pain like before. to each his own, I talked to a gentleman at the GCC who had major tendonitis and was playing am instead of his regular pro level, he was going for acupuncture to see if that worked and I don't know if it did but the point is my solution may not work for anyone else.....

 

[1978]

Ice advil and rest, and light strengthening exercises. Could barely throw in January, took Jan-March off, started crossfit to continue grip strengthening. Got 3rd in Am Worlds. You have to commit to doing nothing with it for 2-3 months, except light stuff to keep it strong. I literally could not grip a disc with the tennis elbow. Also got one of those electrode machines that stimulates the muscles to keep it working. Did that twice to 3 times a day for 15 minutes.

 

[spinachd]

Ice advil and rest, and light strengthening exercises. Could barely throw in January, took Jan-March off, started crossfit to continue grip strengthening. Got 3rd in Am Worlds. You have to commit to doing nothing with it for 2-3 months, except light stuff to keep it strong. I literally could not grip a disc with the tennis elbow. Also got one of those electrode machines that stimulates the muscles to keep it working. Did that twice to 3 times a day for 15 minutes.

Electrode machines?

 

[1978]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_muscle_stimulation

 

[spinachd]

when i'm in for PT they treat me with some kind of a laser device that is supposed to stimulate blood flow in the affected spots

 

[Ermac010]

I am a practicing Physical Therapist/Avid Disc Golfer and while we certainly love to have patient's that research/self-educate, consult with your PT before you try anything. Treatment doesn't work if your trying multiple interventions that aren't approved by your PT or have zero evidence based research to back it up. The PT needs to be able to control the variables to see what's working and what's not working. From the few posts you have made, it seems like your on the right track with your PT. It's a very frustrating pathology but one that can be treated with the proper care.