Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Shooting with tennis elbow?


Croc Holiday

Recommended Posts

Anyone have good methods for shooting with tennis elbow?  New to the game and just my luck, right as I get set up, I end up stricken with tennis elbow (at least I hope that’s all it is!).  Drawing and holding a pistol and carrying long guns vertically smarts quite a bit.  Anyone else had a chance to enjoy this.  Any type of brace help make it bearable?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elastic wrap. or I have a device called a Band-it.   Velcro strap with 2 supports that press on the top and bottom of your arm below your elbow.    Takes time, I wear mine all day for months at a time.     GW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, G W Wade said:

Elastic wrap. or I have a device called a Band-it.   Velcro strap with 2 supports that press on the top and bottom of your arm below your elbow.    Takes time, I wear mine all day for months at a time.     GW

 

^^^^^

This is also how I handle my TE problem, which is in my left arm.

And, I also have a twice broken left wrist which sometimes require a tight wrap for support.

 

And as a GF, its important that my left arm/wrist works as well as my right one.

 

..........Widder

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ditto on using a velcro wrap when you have to use your arm. Stretches and ice helps. To stretch extend your arm and point your fingers up and pull your fingers back towards your shoulder and hold for a few seconds. Then push your wrist down and hold for a few seconds. Do this about 5 times each and then ice. This has usually helped me but one severe case required a shot in the elbow. Not fun but it took care of the problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First off go to the doctor to ensure that it is indeed tennis elbow.  I know this from sad experience.  I worked with my doctor and physical therapist for six months trying to get relief from tennis elbow, without any success.  They sent me to an orthopedic specialist, after an MRI he thought I had a damaged tendon that needed to be fixed.  When he got in there he found that the group of three tendons that control the wrist were detached.  The only reason things still seemed to work was that the muscles in my arm were strong enough to trap that tendon against the bone and keep the wrist working.  The only symptoms were pain like that caused by tennis elbow, and a reduction of strength and stamina in that arm.  The surgeon said he had never seen that before, and was very surprised to find that when he went in to scrape the tendon.

 

There are a wide variety of wraps and braces available for reducing/eliminating elbow pain, your doctor should be able to tell you which will best meet your needs.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a number of exercises that will help with TE. They cause a callous to form over the frayed tendon. When you start they are painful but will work. It took me about 1 month. I also got a shot, over the years about 5 of them. Avoid splitting wood with a mall or framing houses. Especially avoid shooting a lot of rounds out of polymer guns. I attended 3 Glock instructor schools where we shot about 700 rounds in 2 days.  That was 3 shots and return to the therapy.

Wraps work by preventing the tendon from bouncing and tearing. I use vet wrap, a self sticking material. They sell it for humans at the drugstore but I can't remember what they call it(CRS).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The compression strap just below the elbow helps a lot. I got a couple cortisone injections over the course of a year. With exercises, it cleared up in a little over a year.  Definitely go see an orthopedist.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was new, I overdid the practice.  Actually, my tendency is to overdo practice at any time and I have to back off.   I've got tendinitis in my right arm and shoulder and left elbow.   And let's not talk about my knee and left foot.  It's a royal pain to work through.  I have a whole stable of wraps and braces.  There's a balance between doing enough to keep the sharpness you need vs. having to quit for some time to allow stuff to heal.   

 

I've avoided surgery and shots, but at times it's marginal.  I don't like backing off of practice, but it's better than the surgery and shots.  As you get older, sometimes you just have to take what you can get.

 

It's amazing how fast you can get if you think easy and smooth.  If you're working at about 75% of your capability, it generally, from my experience, won't hurt stuff badly you're only a second or two off of your best times.   Work with your health care providers to get what you need.  Keep coming out, even if it's not as fast as you want.

 

NNV

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks all.  I’ll give the straps / braces a go and try to get in to my doc.  It’s a drag to have shiny new shootin’ irons and not be able to use em.  

 

3 hours ago, Tracker Jack Daniels,58780 said:

  The surgeon said he had never seen that before...

 

This is my MO.  I’ve a gift for medical anomalies like this.  I have 3 story’s where a surgeon made this same statement haha.

 

3 hours ago, Jackson Rose, SASS #45478 said:

I attended 3 Glock instructor schools where we shot about 700 rounds in 2 days.  That was 3 shots and return to the therapy.

 

I went shooting with my boy a few weeks ago and put 400 ish rounds through my Glock.  Gritted my teeth through it.  I should have just stopped. That killed me.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Note that the prohibition for "Nylon, plastic, or Velcro accouterments," (page 4 of the Shooters Handbook) normally does not apply to medically-necessary items.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the braces work, that is great.  If the injections work, that is great.  After all that my ortho doctor suggested needling.  I had never heard of it.  My ortho completed the procedure and it worked.  No more tennis elbow.  Now everything else hurts.  Good luck!!:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:ph34r:  Many times have shot with tennis or golfer's elbow, and I don't play either sport!  Most recent episode was helped immensely by finding the Venom brand elbow wrap on Amazon.  Excellent support.  My cowboy shirt covered it fine.  Prime shipping got it to me in 2 days.

 

Other things which helped were proper exercises; icing;  homeopathic (Hyland's brand, also Amazon) Arnica Montana and Ruta Grava; diminished use while at work; bromelain capsules, and

carrying long guns carefully keeping elbows in against side of body.

 

My wife and I joke (?) that the shooters who do best in the advanced-age categories have the best physicians and pharmacists.....:D.  If I didn't shoot whenever I was a bit stove up, I wouldn't have put much lead down range.  Just keep safety in mind.

 

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I usually use the Tommy Copper elbow (and sometimes wrist) brace/sleeve.  I've had too many shots and won't do surgery.  Not doing the things that make it hurt really bad too much is the best practice to keep it at bay.  I meter out all the things I have to do and like to do to try and stay out of the danger zone which I define as not being sure I can get from cart to the loading table holding both long guns at the same time.  Anything that annoys your elbow - not just shooting - has to be taken into account.  Running a weed eater, reloading, raking, dry firing for practice, hammering, shoveling, kneading bread dough -- anything that  you do too much of can make match day miserable instead of fun.   Just don't do marathons, little sprints and plan a day off from using that elbow for anything that stresses it every so often.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fought tennis elbow for about 2 years.  Finally started wearing the "strap" nite and day (except in the shower).  After about 6 weeks the problem was solved.  That has been several years.  Your mileage may vary.

Blackfoot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a bit of tennis elbow many years ago. Mine was cured with exercise. The hand grips that you squeeze helped a lot. The also lower your blood pressure. And, with 2.5-pound weights, hold your arm out straight with your wrist facing up and lift the weight back with your wrist. Start with a few reps and work up to about ten. Then, turn your wrist over so it is facing down at the floor, and pull the weight back with your wrist. Keep your arm straight. Everyone is different, but these exercises cured my tennis elbow and it has not returned. I still use the hand grips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got a model 1872 Velcro TE strap :blink:.  Helps quite a bit.  Working on the Doc appt.  I'll give some of the exercises mentioned above a go.

 

Thanks for all the input!  I really appreciate it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said:

Go to the University of Alabama, join their tennis team and have their doctors do something like the high ankle sprain repair procedure they did on both of this years quarterbacks-should work great. :D

 

 

Are they looking for a mid 40’s male who’s half deaf with ADD / OCD, a mild limp and TE?  If so, i’m In!!  Army wouldn’t take me when I went to the recruiter with my son.  Something about too old and too much wrong with me.  Whatever...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.