So this is my latest ailment which began a few days after returning from a family vacation last week (all of six days out of the water). Only my right elbow is affected, although I breathe bilaterally. And no, I don't play golf. Anyone else have any experience with this?
Fort and I both have problems with this caused by mostly overdoing the dryland stuff. The only thing That works for me is rest and unfortunately it is a very slow recovery of up to 6 months. I am lucky that it doesn't affect my swimming too much. Fort has been more aggressive in her treatment approach and has used glycerine patches among other things.
Sorry Gull, injuries suck. Rich is right. I'm on my second bout of tennis elbow. Both injuries were caused by deadlifting at the gym. My double jointed elbows don't seem to like the locked out position involved. As Rich indicates, the recovery for elbow issues is very very slow (6-12 months) since not much blood gets to the injured tendon. I first injured my elbow last Nov. and laid off upper body weights until mid-July, then promptly re-injured it.
From what I have read, and you've probably read the same:
1. PT -- I gather not much help with elbows from the literature.
2. Ice, rest and compression -- will help somewhat, compression likely having a more long term healing effect than ice. Rest is the key.
3. Rehab exercises -- yes, especially working the eccentric part, which is connected to fibroblastic activity.
4. Cortisone shot -- definitely helped me with short time pain the first time around, but I don't want to have another after reading some negative things about cortisone and elbows.
5. Nitro patches -- I am trying the nitro patches for the second time. Still very experimental, but promising from what I've read. You've got to use them for a good 3-4 months though. I got headaches the first week that then subsided.
6. Acupuncture -- I'm trying this along with the nitro patches. Just 2 sessions in, nothing to report yet. But, again, I've read some promising things. At the very least, it should help with the pain.
7. PRP -- Not sure about golfer's elbow, but I've read promising things about PRP and tennis elbow. Probably don't want to rush to this, but down the road it may be a valid option. I'm considering it myself, as I'm not the patient sort and have had good luck with PRP and my shoulder.
8. More kicking and less breaststroke.
Fort and I both have problems with this caused by mostly overdoing the dryland stuff. The only thing That works for me is rest and unfortunately it is a very slow recovery of up to 6 months. I am lucky that it doesn't affect my swimming too much. Fort has been more aggressive in her treatment approach and has used glycerine patches among other things.
Sorry Gull, injuries suck. Rich is right. I'm on my second bout of tennis elbow. Both injuries were caused by deadlifting at the gym. My double jointed elbows don't seem to like the locked out position involved. As Rich indicates, the recovery for elbow issues is very very slow (6-12 months) since not much blood gets to the injured tendon. I first injured my elbow last Nov. and laid off upper body weights until mid-July, then promptly re-injured it.
From what I have read, and you've probably read the same:
1. PT -- I gather not much help with elbows from the literature.
2. Ice, rest and compression -- will help somewhat, compression likely having a more long term healing effect than ice. Rest is the key.
3. Rehab exercises -- yes, especially working the eccentric part, which is connected to fibroblastic activity.
4. Cortisone shot -- definitely helped me with short time pain the first time around, but I don't want to have another after reading some negative things about cortisone and elbows.
5. Nitro patches -- I am trying the nitro patches for the second time. Still very experimental, but promising from what I've read. You've got to use them for a good 3-4 months though. I got headaches the first week that then subsided.
6. Acupuncture -- I'm trying this along with the nitro patches. Just 2 sessions in, nothing to report yet. But, again, I've read some promising things. At the very least, it should help with the pain.
7. PRP -- Not sure about golfer's elbow, but I've read promising things about PRP and tennis elbow. Probably don't want to rush to this, but down the road it may be a valid option. I'm considering it myself, as I'm not the patient sort and have had good luck with PRP and my shoulder.
8. More kicking and less breaststroke.
