New York Times: "A Fix for Your Tennis Elbow"

[arche3]

Originally Posted by Torres

The point which I'm making is that with racquet as light as 0.7lbs why does that poster insist that you need to be strengthening using a 25lb loading force? It doesn't make sense.

I had a sports medicine doctor advise me to use the flex bar. He said it is used to stretch out the tendons. keep the muscles and tendons working and loose to bring blood to the area. Its the blood supply that helps the healing. He claims if you just rest it is actually not as helpfully as using the flex bar and other exercises. You need the blood to flow there. the tendons get very little normal blood flow.

[Torres]

Originally Posted by Bengt

For the same reason baseball players train with more than 36 oz. I had to twist the green one at least 50 times a set to feel it working. It got tedious. I think the blue one would have worked better for me from the start. I had a mild/med case of TE - pain on serve and ohbh. Btw, I "recommended"; not "insisted" fwiw. Buy all 3. They're cheap.

This isn't baseball. 10lbs, 15lbs, 25lbs....why 25lbs? Unless you have a locked arm and swing from the elbow or arm every ball, its difficult to understand why you need to 'train' with a twisting force that is x35 more (25lbs) than the racquet. The purpose of the Flexbar is to strengthen and re-align the direction of the fibres in the tendon, not strength training for caber tossing. A huge part of prevention is technique related and staying loose. Correct that and its difficult to see why you would need a 25lbs twisting force over 10lbs or 15lbs.

[TimeToPlaySets]

I ordered the blue from Amazon for $19
http://www.amazon.com/Thera-Band-Fle.../dp/B000P7YMW0

[scotus]

Originally Posted by Torres

This isn't baseball. 10lbs, 15lbs, 25lbs....why 25lbs? Unless you have a locked arm and swing from the elbow or arm every ball, its difficult to understand why you need to 'train' with a twisting force that is x35 more (25lbs) than the racquet. The purpose of the Flexbar is to strengthen and re-align the direction of the fibres in the tendon, not strength training for caber tossing. A huge part of prevention is technique related and staying loose. Correct that and its difficult to see why you would need a 25lbs twisting force over 10lbs or 15lbs.

I agree with you.

The blue pretty much strengthens the muscles and is not designed to rehabilitate tendons. In fact, if you have midly damaged tendons, the blue may cause more tearing.

Just as one is supposed to do rotator cuff rehab exercises with light weights (1 to 3 lbs), the flex bars for TE need to stay at lower resistance and be done at a very slow pace.

I personally do not see any need to go over the green.

[TenFanLA]

I can't believe what I'm reading/hearing...What a bunch of mamby pambies, wimps in here...I've ordered all 4 flexbars and am going to use them ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

J/K...from the reviews it seems that the Red 10lbs is plenty enough, Green 15 is really the limit and Blue 25 is too much. So I'm going with the Red...plus it matches my strings, grip and socks. Whoever invented this must be making some $$$.

[Karstic]

TenFan,
If you go with the Cando copies, there are SIX options! Think of the workout you'll get.

[arche3]

Originally Posted by TenFanLA

I can't believe what I'm reading/hearing...What a bunch of mamby pambies, wimps in here...I've ordered all 4 flexbars and am going to use them ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

J/K...from the reviews it seems that the Red 10lbs is plenty enough, Green 15 is really the limit and Blue 25 is too much. So I'm going with the Red...plus it matches my strings, grip and socks. Whoever invented this must be making some $$$.

My sport doc had me get the red for my te rehabilitation. It seems perfect for stretching the tendons and muscles out.

[TimeToPlaySets]

I got the blue one.
It requires exertion.
But, you need to push to develop muscles.
No pain, no gain.
Better to err on too hard than too easy.

Glad I went with blue.
I can do 3x15 with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...3TVb8a5mk&NR=1

[TimeToPlaySets]

Anyone use excessive lead tape to help their elbow? If I were to hit a tennis ball with a steel bar, I would never feel the shock. So, I agree that racket weight is a big factor. I might try wrapping a ton of lead tape around the head. Might be a cheap $10 band-aid to see if it works. I don’t need to worry about tourament violations/rules, etc. Or, maybe I'll just buy a very heavy racket.

[DrpShot!]

I've never heard of any rules violations for wrapping lead tape, you should be able to load your racket up to the point you can barely lift it and it'd still legal.

[michaelscoots]

My first case of tennis elbow was back in 2009. I did some research and discovered the flexbar. I bought the red one and within 2 weeks of using it all of my pain and symptoms vanished. Following the episode I would use it both before and after play as a preventative measure. Back then, I actually could play through the pain with the use of an arm band.

Fast forward to July of 2012. I had loaned my flexbar out to a friend in the spring and he was still using it for rehab (not tennis related). I'm a photographer and I had a photoshoot on a beach. After driving over an hour to the shoot I rolled my case down trails to the beach and carried it down a couple flights of steps down the bluffs. I felt a little strain that day. I think my tendons were overloaded. I then did the shoot. When you're shooting with a bigger body camera and heavy lenses your forearm and tendons are constantly under load as you both selected and lock focus points and fire the trigger. All while griping the weight of the camera. Much is off set by the left hand holding the weight of the camera and lens. So usually, I have no problems.

That night I needed to string my racquet, but my usual MSV 1.18 strings were in the mail and I was out of stock So I used some Luxilon strings (TIMO) in a full bed on my K90. I figure if I string around 54 and the thinnner gauge shouldn't be a problem. So I strung it up.

The next morning I played with my brother. We spend the first 1 minutes warming up near the net - one bounce. No problems. Then after about 10 minutes of ground strokes, I felt a tear! I went up to rub my arm. I switched to one of my wood racquets and the pain wasn't so bad. I played the rest of that week and on the last day I felt a larger tear! Bummer!

I figured I'd take some time off and start using the flexbar again. Well, last time I got tennis elbow it was my off season...I wasn't shooting that much. This time around...right after the larger tear. I had to shoot a wedding the next day. By the end of the day my arm was so tight and angry. I did the therapy the following week and by the end it felt promising. Then another wedding...more tearing (or so it seemed).

Long story short, this has been the cycle which I can't escape. My condition continues to worsen as I don't have the luxury to give it a rest. I don't see a rest in sight until the middle of November. Right now, it's hard to picture when or if I can ever play tennis again. Like many of you on here, it's something that completes me and makes me feel, like me! Some days when I'm on the court I reach new milestones and feel invincible...truly alive. Right now, I'm in a dark place, but I'm sticking with the therapy hoping to come out one day soon.

My advice to any who have their first bout. Get off the court...ice it that day. Start using the flexbar until the pain is completely gone. Then head back out to the court. Keep up with the flexbar as a preventative. There are also other stretching and strengthening exercises which can help you become more flexible and stronger. If there was something you changed that may have led to this pain. Assess and fix the issue. You love tennis too much!

[TimeToPlaySets]

If this elbow issue potentially threatened my livelihood, I'd quit and find a new hobby. It's just stupid to continue under those circumstances. TE also effects other aspects of your fitness and workouts.

• I am using the blue Flexbar. 3x15 daily. Should I do more? I am also resuming my typical workout routine, as well.
• I ordered the PK Ki5x racket at 52 lbs.
• I will take a few lessons on swing form that reduces TE.
• I'll limit play to 1-2x a week.
• I'm focusing on hitting less hard. Improving strategy & technique (hit deeper vs. ripping topspin that only lands at the service line, go to net, etc)

If these 5 aren't enough, I'm out.
There are millions of other hobbies out there.
The last thing I want is some annoying nagging injury for the rest of my life.

Actually, since I've already inflamed the TE by NOT doing the above this summer,
if these steps do not work this Fall, I will take the entire winter off, and revisit next Spring.
Once fully healed, if these 5 measures do not prevent TE, THEN I am out.

[TimeToPlaySets]

Originally Posted by TimeToPlaySets

I got the blue one.
It requires exertion.
But, you need to push to develop muscles.
No pain, no gain.
Better to err on too hard than too easy.

Glad I went with blue.
I can do 3x15 with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...3TVb8a5mk&NR=1

Another vote for the BLUE Theraband.
Blue is now too easy after only 10 days.
I am now up to doing sets of 50.

[Tennisguy3000]

Hmmm I might have to try one of these out... In the meantime I would imagine that twisting a towel would work or be close in some ways. Thanks for the info

[jgrushing]

I have my doubts that anyone that thinks the blue is too easy really has tennis elbow. Maybe your forearm muscles are sore or something. But I can't imagine using more than the green on a real case of tennis elbow. I'm using the green now and it's quite sore during and immediately after.

As for a towel, it doesn't provide resistance while unloading. Maybe an elastic resistance band folded a couple of times.

[TimeToPlaySets]

No, it's TE alright. Maybe it's just not extreme. I have laid off hitting hard for a few weeks now, and that has helped. I'm also generally strong anyway. But, yes, my TE is not at the level where I can't turn a doorknob. But, anytime I use my arm, I am aware of the flaring up of the inner elbow.

Or, maybe the Blue band is working!

[jgrushing]

The flare-up of the inner elbow is Golfer's Elbow not Tennis Elbow. Even so, it must not be severe at all. I use the green and feel like any more would rip the tendon right off the bone. I think that might be the distinction. Some people get tenderness or soreness of the tendon in general.

Mine, however, is soreness and probably scar tissue at the connection between the bone and the tendon. It's quite difficult to heal. Right now, I am questioning the FlexBar just a bit. After almost two weeks, I am more sore if anything. However, the forearm feels stronger. I am going with the theory that the tendon scar tissue is being broken down and it's being remodeled. Trying to be patient.

[TimeToPlaySets]

Well, isn't that a hoot?

I played golf for a decade, 4 times a week, and never once got even a hint of "golfer's elbow".

I play tennis for 4 days, and I get a searing case of "golfer's elbow" on the inner elbow, yet absolutely zero hint of "tennis elbow".

Boy, what a complete joke. How the F does one get golfer's elbow from playing tennis? Talk about the most idiotic naming convention ever.

This is what I have:

[Torres]

Originally Posted by jgrushing

Mine, however, is soreness and probably scar tissue at the connection between the bone and the tendon. It's quite difficult to heal. Right now, I am questioning the FlexBar just a bit. After almost two weeks, I am more sore if anything. However, the forearm feels stronger. I am going with the theory that the tendon scar tissue is being broken down and it's being remodeled. Trying to be patient.

I don't think tendon scar tissue generally gets broken down with eccentric exercises. Those sort of exercise strengthen, stretch and re-align the tendon fibres logitudinally over its entire length (if you're doing the exercises properly). All of which is generally all good for tendon repair / prevention of relapse etc.

Don't know about scar tissue in tendons, but scar tissue is muscles tends to get broken down by repeatedly kneading it ie which when the physios jams his/her fingers deep into stiff/tight muscles causing howls of pain. And according to physios its also done at certain times post injury during the healing/repair phase as well to reduce the formation of significant scare tissues. Hence the howls of pain.

One word of caution to those macho posturing about the blue Flexbar. If you have a damaged anything, whether its tissue/muscle/tendon/ligament rarely is it a good idea to be putting the maximum amount of force possible through the injured area. Maximum force and too many repetitions each day does not make it heal quicker. 100 repeitions a day will not make it heal 100 times faster. You need to begin low and slow, otherwise you risk making the injury worse.

[jgrushing]

Maybe tendon scar tissue is the wrong terminology. I'm thinking of tendons damaged by tendonosis. Hoping to correct that tendon.