I FEEL YOUR PAIN. You are not alone! I see people on the courts all the time wearing tennis elbow braces on their arms. It's like a big family of people that how somehow stressed their elbow tendons. Some from tennis and others from something other than tennis. But everyone shares the same pain and hopes it will just go away.
Tennis Elbow - "Major Painus Maximus"
First off, I am not a doctor, so any of the info here is based on my personal experience. You should consult your physician for any medical questions or advice.
Tennis elbow is really a tough thing. I suffered from this condition about a year ago and couldn't find a definitive site that answered my questions about it or gave me clear answers as to what to do. I went all though the internet searching and gathering info that I thought would help me. Some of what found was great. Some not so much. Some even left me more confused as to what I should be doing to ease pain and get better so I could play tennis again.
I see friends of mine who have the same thing, and I thought I could give them a place where they could find some relevant information about tennis elbow. I'm not trying to sell anything; I just wanted to put down in writing some of the things that have helped me. I still have some trouble with it, but it doesn't interfere with my playing tennis anymore (fingers crossed).
The main thing people tell you is that you have to rest your elbow. I just couldn't do that. I played through the pain, as it didn't seem to hurt much when I played. But at night and especially in the morning . . . ouch!
I went to a chiropractor, and that really helped, and I also found that Advil was the best type of Ibuprofen tablet for me. I wore a tennis elbow support for months when I played. I still don't know if it helped or not.
The most effective thing I found was the Tennis Elbow CD from Brent at WebTennis.com. The stretches and icing techniques were both great, and I continue to use them today. I would give you all of his info, but it doesn't seem fair to him to take all his great info and share it when he is offering it for purchase. He is a great guy and truly dedicated to tennis. I've included his link info below so you can check it out if you like.
Getting older isn't for sissies . . . it usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 and is most common during the 40s. It's really amazing how painful this condition can be. I remember thinking that if I could only get rid of it, I could really hit the ball harder. But it is a process; it does force you to look at how you're hitting the ball. So take advantage of the time, and learn all you can. You will be a better tennis player in spite of the injury if you try to follow advice that works for you and try to use all the information available to get better. You're not the first one to get tennis elbow and you won't be the last. I hope some of this information is helpful to you.
I would love your feedback and any tips you may have for others with tennis elbow. If you would like to contact me you can email me here.
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