Medial epicondylitis (a k a golfer's elbow)

I did accupuncture, 5 sessions, maybe 6. It is much better now. I also don't do much breastroke and stopped doing press outs at the pool. The forearm strap also seems to work fairly well, at least it reminds me to be careful with that left forearm.

The active release is sticky worthy

Here is a rehab movement that I use to try to avoid or address this condition. It is a technique that was developed many years ago by someone who used to swim on the Masters Swim team I coach. I think it is called "Active Release" or something like that. He is now independently wealthy (he has his own private jet and a Viper race car) from teaching and using this technique on lots of professional athletes. I will try to describe the motion - please let me know if this does not make sense and I will try to describe it better. This will be if your right elbow hurts. I start with my right elbow bent at 90 degrees with my right hand pointing to the left, my right arm is in front of my belly button (palm facing either down or towards me). My left hand is grasping the top of my right forearm with my left thumb pressing about 2-3 inches from the medial epicondyle along the tendon. I straighten my right arm, rotating my right hand so that it is now palm up, thumb pointing to the right. While I an straightening my arm and rotating my hand I slowly press firmly with my left thumb along the tendon moving towards the medial epicondyle. I repeat this several times. This has worked for me many times. I have also shown several swimmers how to do this and it works for them. The theory behind Active Release is that there are supposedly micro scars in the tendon that prevent things from sliding the way they are supposed to. The motion and pressing "breaks up" these micro scars. Whether this is true or not I have no idea. I got this condition from carrying our kids when they were very little on my arm (elbow touching my body), arm extended like a seat). I also got it once from doing too much breaststroke pulling with paddles. Both times this seemed to clear it up. I now do this motion to prevent any new injury. Let me know if it works. Good luck! Jamie, would you video this and post it on YouTube?

Here is a rehab movement that I use to try to avoid or address this condition. It is a technique that was developed many years ago by someone who used to swim on the Masters Swim team I coach. I think it is called "Active Release" or something like that. He is now independently wealthy (he has his own private jet and a Viper race car) from teaching and using this technique on lots of professional athletes. I will try to describe the motion - please let me know if this does not make sense and I will try to describe it better. This will be if your right elbow hurts. I start with my right elbow bent at 90 degrees with my right hand pointing to the left, my right arm is in front of my belly button (palm facing either down or towards me). My left hand is grasping the top of my right forearm with my left thumb pressing about 2-3 inches from the medial epicondyle along the tendon. I straighten my right arm, rotating my right hand so that it is now palm up, thumb pointing to the right. While I an straightening my arm and rotating my hand I slowly press firmly with my left thumb along the tendon moving towards the medial epicondyle. I repeat this several times. This has worked for me many times. I have also shown several swimmers how to do this and it works for them. The theory behind Active Release is that there are supposedly micro scars in the tendon that prevent things from sliding the way they are supposed to. The motion and pressing "breaks up" these micro scars. Whether this is true or not I have no idea. I got this condition from carrying our kids when they were very little on my arm (elbow touching my body), arm extended like a seat). I also got it once from doing too much breaststroke pulling with paddles. Both times this seemed to clear it up. I now do this motion to prevent any new injury. Let me know if it works. Good luck! Jamie, would you video this and post it on YouTube?

Here is a rehab movement that I use to try to avoid or address this condition. It is a technique that was developed many years ago by someone who used to swim on the Masters Swim team I coach. I think it is called "Active Release" or something like that. He is now independently wealthy (he has his own private jet and a Viper race car) from teaching and using this technique on lots of professional athletes. I will try to describe the motion - please let me know if this does not make sense and I will try to describe it better. This will be if your right elbow hurts. I start with my right elbow bent at 90 degrees with my right hand pointing to the left, my right arm is in front of my belly button (palm facing either down or towards me). My left hand is grasping the top of my right forearm with my left thumb pressing about 2-3 inches from the medial epicondyle along the tendon. I straighten my right arm, rotating my right hand so that it is now palm up, thumb pointing to the right. While I an straightening my arm and rotating my hand I slowly press firmly with my left thumb along the tendon moving towards the medial epicondyle. I repeat this several times. This has worked for me many times. I have also shown several swimmers how to do this and it works for them. The theory behind Active Release is that there are supposedly micro scars in the tendon that prevent things from sliding the way they are supposed to. The motion and pressing "breaks up" these micro scars. Whether this is true or not I have no idea. I got this condition from carrying our kids when they were very little on my arm (elbow touching my body), arm extended like a seat). I also got it once from doing too much breaststroke pulling with paddles. Both times this seemed to clear it up. I now do this motion to prevent any new injury. Let me know if it works. Good luck! That makes sense, and it does feel better after doing that. Thanks for the tip.

Here is the video link: http://youtu.be/mMxZXVYHUm8 Please let me know if there are any questions.

I had bilateral medial epicondylitis that caused me grief for over 2 years. I got it from sculling (incorrectly, I presume) - made such a lovely impression on me, I remember the day - Nov 4, 2009. I tried all the things mentioned above - cortisone shots, PRP, accupuncture, PT, ice, prednisone, you name it, I tried it. Turns out I somehow managed to move the nerve in my elbows & had to have them moved back into the correct position surgically. Did that in April 2012. Surgery actually did the trick - I still have some residual pain in the left elbow - but it was always worse than the right, but it is getting better day by day. They say nerve injuries can take a year to mend. If you can't remember exactly what you did to have the pain, I'm betting it is probably some sort of inflammation caused from over use & the cortisone will help immensely. Best wishes. They do say the average time it takes to heal from golfers elbow is 18 months.

I had prp on both elbows and have been very pleased with the results. Right elbow in 2009 and the left elbow 10 months ago. The first 4 months after the injection, I did no swimming (just kicked) or lifting. I am still icing the left elbow periodically depending on what I have done that day. The right elbow has been pain free and strong after about a year. Before the injections I had tried cortisone, rest, aleve, therabar (made it worse), active release (helped to some extent), massage (helped some too), and accupuncture. I think backstroke was the primary swimming irritant, but curls in the weight room and walking big dogs at the dog shelter hurt it too. My ortho suggested a simple stretch - hold the injured arm out straight from the body with the palm up. Grasp the fingers of that arm with the other hand and pull gently down. To get a deeper stretch, stand facing a wall. Place your palm on the wall, fingers down. Now turn slowly away from the wall. You probably won't get too far in your turn before you feel it.

I will make a video of me doing the motion and post it on YouTube later today.

Here is the video link: http://youtu.be/mMxZXVYHUm8 Please let me know if there are any questions. Thanks. You described it well in your post. I altered my hand position slightly at the catch with a bit less pronation (and less activation of pronator teres). Seemed to make a difference when I swam this morning.