Help! Anyone else with tennis elblow? (lateral epicondylitis)

[axmancometh]

Hey Bum:

Sorry to hear about your ailment. Just happened across this topic and felt compelled to weigh in since a mention was made regarding Penetrex. I am both a golfer and musician and about 2 years ago I began to develop tennis elbow and tendonitis throughout my forearm.

On advice from my wife's boss, an avid golfer, I purchased 3 jars of Penetrex. Why this product is not better known is amazing to me...it flat out works! It provided immediate and lasting relief that other products could not and it did it at a fraction of the price.

To this day I continue to use it occasionally for my arm but have actually found it very effective for neck & back pain as well. I recommend you give it a try and best of luck in the days and weeks ahead.

Jim

 

[straycat113]

Batyak that is exactly what I have Cubital Tunnel Syndrome along with a Neuroma in my thumb.

Nice to see that a couple of guys on here are ex pugs, as I turned down the option of turning pro when I was 20 over a weight issue but that is a different subject. Though the abuse on the hands over the years does not help when you also play guitar.

It has now been 27 months since I have really been able to play out. Just to clear things up if your pinkie and ring finger go numb it is Cubital, if it is your index and middle it is carpal. I would aggravate the Cubital if I used my pinkie heavily and when it got too bad I would have to stop for two weeks and sleep with an issue of Vintage Guitar that was rolled up and taped and I would slip my arm into it before I went to sleep so it could not bend and in a week it would be fine.

The Neuroma on the inside joint of my thumb is the problem that has made it almost impossible for me to play. A Neuroma is a small tumor like mass that is made up of live nerve endings that gives off the feeling you get when you bang your funny bone -you know that shock. Well I feel that everytime my inside thumb joint hits the neck. After 2 years and 3 doctors Ionly have the option of surgery which I really cant wait to get done and get back to playing. The only playing I can do now is if the pad of my thumb is directly on the back of the neck ,I may be able to play some 3 note per string and arpeggio patterns.

What advice I will give that will help anyone that does not have major issues is- stretch out your hands before playing ,Petrucci shows some good ones on his DVD, run warm water over your hands for a few minutes before playing as this gets the blood flowing and really helps-got this from Steve Morse 10 years ago. For every 60 -90 minutes you play take a 10 minute break, this is probably the most important, especially if you are getting up there in years, take an anti inflammatory like Aleeve when things flair up, take a day off every 2 weeks and STOP if you ever feel pain. I have broken everyone of these rules when I was young and it was not till my last doctor said I may never play again did I take things serious. Believe me you never want to hear those words.

 

[Smellybum]

holy old thread batman!


I have a wee update -

I now attend a physio therapist for my elbow, and get ultrasound treatment which helps immensely

I also take cod liver oil capsules with multivitimans, and in cold weather use a cream called

Still hurts now and again, and is annoying but very managable - hope this helps others....

 

[threeminutesboy]

I feel for you smelly

Like the others said rest is the key to the healing

 

[candyredsilo]

I had it a couple of years ago. What I found out was that mine stemmed from my neck and shoulder pain. The doctor told me that I was working my elbow too much to compensate for the neck and shoulder. So I changed a few things:
-I had the mouse and keyboard lowerd on my desk at work because I was constantly lifting my arms to work at the computer all day.
-I started stretching my neck and shoulder muscles every morning and throughout the day
-I wore a brace that I bought at a pharmacy specifically for tennis elbow (when you put this thing on the right spot...ecstacy. I mean it!)
-anti inflamatories! Take them like clockwork
-Don't overdo it!

Within about 6 months, I was good to go. I still stretch and pay attention to my posture.

Bill

 

[paulstew64]

Smelly

Sorry to read of your news.

Colin had great advice about light picking. The only way I can practice it really well is to turn my amp up and pick as lightly as I can to keep the volume at my normal levels. It's amazing how much this improves right hand technique. It's also good for left hand too as you need to have more precise placement. Superb for muting practice too.

All the best.

Paul

 

[Spudmurphy]

yeah yeah it's an old thread - but should anybody be searching on this I thought I'd add some useful information.
i suffered with this two years ago in my non fretting arm. Likewise it flared up over Christmas - it was that bad I could not even fold a thin piece of card between my fingers. i couldn't shake hands with people Now my brother in law is a top consultant orthopaedic surgeon - and at a Xmas family gathering gave me a thorough examination and explained to me in detail what had happened.
- it can occur at any time in your life - me ? I'd just hit 60 - and this injury often flares up later in life.
- I had been rehearsing to dep for 6 gigs with a band - I'd overdone it
- I had to stop playing - entirely for at least 3 months.
- I had to wear an elbow "clip"
- but THE best treatment ? A theraband flexbar - a green one - they are on you tube.
- and I keep using it.
- I applied heat and much later on had a cortisone injection - that was my decision and not recommended by my bro in law. I hope Smelly has somewhat recovered - but that Flexbar was amazing and I've lent it to two other people to try, also with great results.
Late post I know - but worth knowing.
- Obviously, a good physio will speed recovery too