Going to a Tennis Elbow Specialist

[Supracool94]

Today I am going to see Dr. Donald Fareed in Santa Barbara, he designed the "Band It" Arm strap. He has worked with some professional players and with the ATP Tour. Hopefully, he can help me with my Tennis Elbow.

This is the second Orthopetic Doctor that I have seen. I really want to find out what helps speed up the healing process. Please anyone who has tried any of following treatments, let me know if they helped.

Laser Treatment
Accupuncture
Cortisone (hurt me more than helped, delayed the healing process)
Having Blood Injected into the Tendon
Poking/ Jabbing to the Tendon to increse blood flow (Tennis Magazine Article)
Injected with other Medications
Ultrasound

 

[hifi heretic]

I had a years long battle with TE of both arms. ..For me, the only fix that worked was surgery (full "open" on left, arthroscopic on right).

As for...
Cortisone shots: Worked wonders at numbing the pain for about six weeks initially, then by the 6th round, they helped for just a few days. The problem is they did NOTHING to help the underlying problem. The cortisone made the pain go away, so I headed to the tennis court to further aggravate the injury. When when the shot wore off, my elbow hurt more. I'd urge you not to go this route.

Prolotherapy (poking/ jabbing it with a needle): Did not work for, but that may be because my arm was too far gone.

Be sure that any doc you see regards TE as tendonosis and NOT tendonitis. If they describe it as the later, then it's pretty apparent that they haven't kept abreast of the latest research. The difference is significant as each have very different (almost opposing) treatments.

 

[courtrage]

invest in this book... 'healing back pain' by john sarno, MD...helped me with my back pain, achilles pain and knee pain.......i got the book on CD and listen in the car...his latest book is 6 CDs and this one is 3 and more to the point...

 

[andreh]

I just got following treatment:

*Conrtinsone injection
*14 day treatment with a strong anti-inflammatory called Etoricoxib (brand name Arcoxia).
*Complete rest for 3 weeks. Not only from tennis, but start doing things you normally do with your dominant hand, like carry heavy stuff, with you other hand.

The doctor I went to stressed the rest part very intensly. Going back on court directly after a cortisone injection won't help anything. But it is a very powerful anti-inflammatory and combinded with rest it will speed up healing considerably.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

How's your technique? Go to a very good pro.

Which racquets/strings/tension?

I listened by chance on Sunday to a 50-year old complaining (to others) of TE, and the litany of treatments he'd had. Of course, he proudly displayed an elbow strap/band or whatever.

Everything was clear when he entered the court. He was AWFUL, just wristy motions.

-----------

Check my signature here:

Great fitness sites
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=15571

esp the Elbow and Wrist Pain sections

FWIW
check my posting here:

Best arm friendly racquets?
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=58089

 

[Sliceboy2]

I got twice cortisone shots on different occasions, once on a 6 appointments on Tennis elbow therapy with a psio specialized in sports injuries. I say no to cortisone anymore. The therapy help me though, but the main thing is to find the culprit that gives you the TE. I found my trouble having stiff, light and head heavy racquet, the next thing was my service toss. I had to go back to using multis to hybrid too. I re-evaluate my gear and from then tennis was fun again.

 

[andreh]

The last two posts make an excellent point. Finding the source of you TE.

For me it's not technique. I think it was prolonged play with lead tape in the hoop on K90. Too heavy. Quite unneccessary at that since it plays a lot better without it anyway. Lesson learned. Stay away from lead tape on racquets that already weigh 360+ grams.

 

[Supracool94]

I have been playing tennis for 17 years, and I played college tennis as well. This is the first time I have had tennis elbow, so I think if it was my strokes I would have gotten it before. I have had the same racuqet for about 5 years,

Head i. Prestige 93 sq

I think I hurt it when I was playing dodge ball, I threw a dodge ball when I was not properly warmed up and felt immeadate pain. It hurt, and then I aggravated by playing tennis.

 

[Supracool94]

The Tennis Elbow specialist gave a different type of injection on top of my arm. He spend a good hour explaining the dynamics of my injury. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He said to rest it, but to squeeze a racquet 5 times twice a day to move the fluid out of my arm.

 

[Supracool94]

*to squeeze a raquet ball

 

[LuckyR]

The Tennis Elbow specialist gave a different type of injection on top of my arm. He spend a good hour explaining the dynamics of my injury. He seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He said to rest it, but to squeeze a racquet 5 times twice a day to move the fluid out of my arm.

Did you feel you got your money's worth? When does he think you'll be able to play again? Did he mention your equipment?

 

[Marius_Hancu]

However, the solution to the TE it's not just the racquet and the strings, it's also your conditioning.

If you have TE, stop playing for 2 months or whatever necessary to have absolutely no pain when you do say forearm stretches with NO WEIGHTS or when you press your forehead with the palm, then start working with free weights and machines for your arms and shoulders, starting with small ones (say 3lbs), then gradually increasing the loads.

If pain starts again, reduce or take a break.

If your muscles are neglected, all the shocks are transmitted to the tendons and TE shows up.

I am doing now each winter 4-months of heavy conditioning and now I am fine in terms of TE and fitter than ever before.

 

[Supracool94]

The Doctor said to stretch it about five times a day and squeeze a racquet ball 5 times twice a day to move the fluid out of the joint. He also recommended having my arm massaged. He said that there was no need to ice it, while the first Doctor I saw said to ice it 5 times a day.

I think I got my money's worth, but I will know more when I see the Doctor again on Monday 9/24. He did not give an exact time frame of when I could start playing again. He said it all depends on how my body responds to the treatment. He hates making those predictions because if he says it takes 3 months, the guy who gets well in a month is happy and the guy who takes a year to heal gets super angry.

 

[Supracool94]

However, the solution to the TE it's not just the racquet and the strings, it's also your conditioning.

If you have TE, stop playing for 2 months or whatever necessary to have absolutely no pain when you do say forearm stretches with NO WEIGHTS or when you press your forehead with the palm, then start working with free weights and machines for your arms and shoulders, starting with small ones (say 3lbs), then gradually increasing the loads.

If pain starts again, reduce or take a break.

If your muscles are neglected, all the shocks are transmitted to the tendons and TE shows up.

I am doing now each winter 4-months of heavy conditioning and now I am fine in terms of TE and fitter than ever before.

This is really good advice.

 

[Supracool94]

The Doctor did not mention my equipment. However, I think he was able to tell this injury was not orginally caused by tennis but aggravated by playing tennis. Throwing a dodge ball is what orginally caused this injury. If I would have not played tennis for a few weeks after that, I probably would be fine!