Tennis elbow....anyone had it?

[EJmagnum186-NH]

I have been suffering from tennis elbow since last August. I have gotten 2 separate opinions and taken 2 cortisone shots since then and both doctors told me that it is 90% curable if you go 12 months doing nothing or I could get surgery. I don't have searing pain anymore but it still isn't right and fishing season is about 1 month away. It robbed me of fishing last summer, hunting this winter and is fixin' to ruin another fishing season. At this point I am leaning towards fishing until I can't take the pain anymore then getting the surgery and letting the cards fall where they will. Anyone had this and/or the surgery....and what was your experience with the surgery. Apparently it was caused by mid 40's breakdown and flipping with a baitcaster for 30 years of repetitive motion. To cut or not cut, that is the question.

[bdog7198]

if it has not cleared up by now, personally I would get the surgery and do the post op therapy to the letter. Get it taken care of once and for all instead of letting it linger.

[turfy49431]

Get a band and do the stretches religiously. I had a bad case of it and it cleared up on its own. I didnt stop normal activity

[chefdlh1972]

Eddie, have you done any physical therapy? I had it years ago, and went for therapy and it helped a lot. It sounds like you're in a much worse place with it than I was, but I know of a few doctors in the area that might point you to a decent therapist. We're just around the corner from each other, so let me know.

[96MrBass]

35 years of roofing and I've just recently been fighting with it. I got my first cortisone shot around 10 months ago and within 3 day's it went away or masked the pain anyway. Within the last two months it's been getting worse I'm going to be in the same place as you undecided about the next step.

[DrewFlu33]

Have platelet or plasma injections been floated as a possibility? I always get leery when a doctor basically tells you the only thing they can do for something like that is surgery. Make$ me think they have only one thing on their mind$.

[Rumour2u]

https://www.amazon.com/Simien-2-Coun...6T3P8ZZD23F69J

[1781ccT]

Have platelet or plasma injections been floated as a possibility? I always get leery when a doctor basically tells you the only thing they can do for something like that is surgery. Make$ me think they have only one thing on their mind$.

This. I would try platelet rich plasma or prolotherapy before surgery.

Having said that, I had lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) AND medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow) in my right elbow - my dominant hand. I couldn't hardly lift a 12oz can. Once it affected my ability to drink beer, I knew I had a problem. With my arm, not the beer. It ached so bad in the mornings that I jokingly asked if I could have it amputated and replaced with a sweet bionic arm.

After about two weeks of anti-inflammatories, stretching, and rest (from a "hallway consult" with PT's at the hospital where I work), I gave in and went to my doc. He gave me some great advice and also referred me to PT for more than the hallway consult. They gave me another list of stretches and exercises, and some additional advice. I followed it as best I could but it didn't resolve quickly. So after about a month of treatment, I got a shot on each side of my elbow. A few weeks later, the golfer's elbow was MOSTLY resolved, but the tennis elbow was back. My doc advised against a second cortisone shot. He explained the truth of the matter, which is that the steroid will help heal the injury, but can thin down and weaken the connective tissue where the injury is located, which can lead to reinjuring the area again down the road.

I wore a wrist brace at night (helped a LOT), and the forearm brace during the day. The sports med doc where my wife teaches managed to secure the equipment necessary to draw enough blood to spin down the blood, separating platelets to be reinjected into the injured area. By that time, the injury was definitely chronic, which means my body stopped sending mediators to repair. By adding B12 and dextrose to the PRP, it irritates that area and forces the body to react by sending mediators to repair it.

[hatcreek]

Contact BBC member, Phoenix Jim...

http://www.bbcboards.net/member.php?u=20631

...ask him about his experience (extremely positive) with the 'Tenex' surgical procedure (minimally invasive).


I've tried rest, ice, therapy, multiple braces, cortisone (2X) and each has provided some relief, but it's all been temporary. Eventually went and did a consult and am about 99% sure I'm going to finally just have it fixed.

Here's the procedure I'll likely have; developed by my Ortho (Dr. Field) and a colleague. There's a video of the entire process at the end of the article...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...12628713001102

[Esox Z518C]

I have had surgery three times. Tennis elbow on both elbows and golfers elbow on the right elbow. Went threw all the pre surgery therapy, cortisone shots and lots of advil. The thing with my elbows was I had sharp, pointy bones there. The surgeon rounded off the points and I did the post op therapy to the letter. Elbows been great for 20 years now. (I fish a lot).

[davidsa]

https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Ten...g%2C151&sr=1-5

https://www.amazon.com/Simien-2-Coun...6T3P8ZZD23F69J

This a must once cured. I wear it when playing golf, lifting weights and fishing.

I feel for the poster and I'm not medical Dr so hear what I say as internet quality. My research and talking to my DR did not leave me feeling medical community has a good answer. PERIOD. It hurt me to curl my morning coffee and at the time for a 48 year old I could still bench 225 for reps. Not a strength issue. Went on for almost 8months and then I found this on amazon at very top. The twist bar builds strength and over about 2 months fixed me. I still use it weekly at the end of my weight workouts. And as said, I wear the support brace.

Finally, don't use rigs really tip heavy. I balance my rods now

[EJmagnum186-NH]

All good input so far and thank you all for chiming in.

[Bassman Ia.]

Used to have it, retired and it went away

[Phoenix Jim]

Contact BBC member, Phoenix Jim...

http://www.bbcboards.net/member.php?u=20631

...ask him about his experience (extremely positive) with the 'Tenex' surgical procedure (minimally invasive).


I've tried rest, ice, therapy, multiple braces, cortisone (2X) and each has provided some relief, but it's all been temporary. Eventually went and did a consult and am about 99% sure I'm going to finally just have it fixed.

Here's the procedure I'll likely have; developed by my Ortho (Dr. Field) and a colleague. There's a video of the entire process at the end of the article...

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...12628713001102

Yep worth every penny and do not miss fishing elbow at all! Been pain free since I had tenex 2014 I think

[TeeDee]

The right chiropractor can be a miracle worker for this. At lest it was for me. I continue with the advice he offered on how to minimize likeliness of getting it again. But others have suggested very similar things. His manipulation was night and day relief.

[Ryan]

I was in the same place you were. I did the cortisone shots 3 times. I got an old hand gripper and it went away with the proper exercises.

[Jeff Hahn]

Stretching the tendon before an activity. Ice afterwards. Ibuprofen or a prescription anti-inflammatory. Wear a forearm brace...the best I’ve found is called a Band-It, available on Amazon...far superior to the cloth braces found in the drug store. And, wear a wrist brace at night. This will keep your wrist immobile while you sleep, allowing the tendon time to heal.

[jigman51]

https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Ten...g%2C151&sr=1-5




This a must once cured. I wear it when playing golf, lifting weights and fishing.

I feel for the poster and I'm not medical Dr so hear what I say as internet quality. My research and talking to my DR did not leave me feeling medical community has a good answer. PERIOD. It hurt me to curl my morning coffee and at the time for a 48 year old I could still bench 225 for reps. Not a strength issue. Went on for almost 8months and then I found this on amazon at very top. The twist bar builds strength and over about 2 months fixed me. I still use it weekly at the end of my weight workouts. And as said, I wear the support brace.

Finally, don't use rigs really tip heavy. I balance my rods now

I can't use those straps. I have to put them on so tight to make them work that blood quits flowing to my hand. I have had the plasma treatments and about 15 cortisone shots in my right elbow over the last 10 years. I think the nerve is about dead. The doc said he would operate but that was only a 50 50 chance for improvement.

[Bueller]

Wrist brace at night is a must have.

[BeeNix]

I was told by an ortho doc that I would need surgery, but my chiropractor gave me total relief. I was lifting/turning 600 Cat D9 bushings (22# each) per shift, loading and unloading a micro finisher. That's 1200 lifts and turns per shift....22# doesn't sound heavy, but you had to grab one in each hand. This was in '99 and I haven't had another flareup.