Tennis Elbow

[Greg]

Anyone get this, besides me, from fencing. Painful! How did you treat it?

[fatfencer]

Originally Posted by Greg

Anyone get this, besides me, from fencing. Painful! How did you treat it?

IMHO tennis elbow comes from an imbalance in tightness and strength in the main muscles of the forearm.

Stretching is the best way to relieve tennis elbow. What seems to be happening is that once the one muscle gets tighter or stronger than the other ther joint is off-kilter. Inflamation sets in.

Massage threapy helps tremendously. Find someobody not afraid to dig in there and giterdun.

Advil and celebrex seem to help too.

FF

[DangerMouse]

I second the massage therapy. Right now working out a case of tennis elbow from Judo. Stupid beginner and poor form (that's me). The massage therapy has helped tremendously. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I'm dating a massage therapist

[T H U G]

tennis elbow
you unlucky fellow
be calm, stay mello
dont get yellow
eat sum jello
give yo arm rest
study fo a test
betta stay off it, lest
you hurt it, dont be obcessed
use somethin warm
turn off da alarm
wont do no harm
dont sell da farm
hot water bottle,
some rest,
it'l be good
at least it should
and if it dont
rest more, and eat some food.

[pancavalier41]

This is becoming more common in fencing. It stems from
A) Imbalance of musculature in the arm/forearm
B) Improper form for skills
C) Overuse of the muscles in the forearm
D) USING IMPROPER EQUIPMENT/GRIP (big one in fencing)

Technically, Tennis elbow is called Lateral Epicondylitis (pain/tendinitis on the outsidle of the elbow). It is possible to have Medial Epicondylitis (pain on the elbow closer to your body).

Symptoms include:
-point tenderness and pain
-weak grip
-pain while twisting arm/hand

To treat:
-use ice after all activity. Keep it on for about 20 minutes
-take anti-inflammatory drugs (if you are not allergic or do not have adverse ractions)
-There are "tennis elbow/epicondylitis straps" you can purchase to help with support of the elbow.
-If these dont work take a day or 2 off for rest. If after a week or so of treatment if it is not going away, or gets worse see a physician.
-If pain is severe, you have numbness or tingling in your hands/fingers, or if you are unable to do activities that are part of your normal everyday routine (ie..brushing teeth, combing hair, eating.....) go see physician immediately.

prevention:
-use proper equipment
-use proper skills
-strengthen and stretch your wrist and forearm muscles
-avoid weird or unusual wrist/forearm positions
-WARM UP PROPERLY (another problem with fencers)

Any other questions feel free to ask.

[DBGlazer]

I had this same problem last winter (the subject of an earlier thread). I ended up fencing left-handed for about two months. (I'm generally pretty bad, but only a little worse lefty.) Assuming you don't want to change hands, follow the advice from earlier posts about forearm stretching. Also, you might want to check your grip. I found that the Visconti I was using (which was too big, although otherwise comfortable) caused me to grip too firmly. That, combined with a noob-ish tendency to clench reflexively, resulted in forearm and elbow pain. Those subsided when I switched to a Belgian grip and made a conscious effort to keep my hand relaxed. I also got relief by using a tennis elbow brace -- basically a velcro strap with a gel insert. (Trying to fence lefty got pretty old after those first two months.)

Hope you mend quickly.

[pacer]

There is tennis elbow and golfer's elbow, each affecting a difference side of the joint. When I took up fencing after a 30 year break, I tried using a french grip as I did in college. It resulted in a sore elbow,so I changed t a pistol grip and had no further problems. Later I discovered if I knit, I get golfer's elbow and that too makes fencing painful. Ice, rest and wearing a elbow brace all helped. I also gave up knitting. I think the problem is that I grip both the french grip and knitting needles too hard and the tension radiates up to the elbow.

[SFC_Columbia_MD]

I unfortunately have some experience in this area. I had to have my elbow reconstructed in April this year. Rest is the best cure unless like me the elbow has been injured time and time again. Scare tissue builds up to the point where the tendon is attached is no longer strong enough to handle pretty much anything. One has pain all the time.

When one gets to that point surgery is the only real solution. After two shots and much rest I decided to have the surgery. The recovery is not quick. Two weeks in a cast, two weeks in a sling, 3 months lifting nothing heavier then a coffee cup, lots of PT and about a full year to recover. I am back giving lessons but I still have to be careful not to over extend. The flick in epee can be rather painful with this type of injury.

During recovery I injured my left elbow. This time I got one shot and a lot of rest and it is fine now. If it helps see a good sports doctor. They may send you to PT where you can learn how to stretch it and help it heal. Good luck.. it is not much fun.

[Go? Fencing?]

I don't have tennis elbow, but I do have an old arm injury that has benefitted from wearing a tennis elbow brace. I also endorse the stretching, bracing, icing, and massage regimen that others have suggested. Also remember that with braces, there are different styles, and if one doesn't work, try a different kind.

[VELISARIOS]

Originally Posted by Greg

Anyone get this, besides me, from fencing. Painful! How did you treat it?

Look. I have it some years ago. I rest my arm for 3 weeks and from this time and then never feel this pain again.

[brutus]

I had tennis elbo a while ago, when I went to my chiropractor for other treatment I mentioned the elbo, they did some acupuncture (sp?) and it went away within a week and has never come back. Result!!!

But I hear that stretching it out will help alot, I think the moto that I've heard people say is, when stretching it, if it hurts (in a tennis elbo, muscular way) keep doing it.

[DLEE]

Pancavalier has it exactly right.

The Merck manual has an easy to understand discussion of the problem and an easy test to differentiate lateral and medial epicondylitis and useful exercises to treat the problem. The exercises are very good and easy to do. If you don't have a Merck manual check the online version.

It is important that you don't let the condition go too far. I have never seen a good surgical result in the sense that the person returned to absolutely 100% pre-injury status. (However my sample group is very small - probably less that 10). So, rest, ice, and performing the exercises diligently will pay off in the long run. (Also helps to stop twisting your arm or whatever you are doing to cause it).

[Greg]

Thanks for all the good advice. The Merck online manual is really helpful. I have a sports med doctor appointment Monday. The problem started when I fenced both foil first then epee at an October meet. My pistol grip epee broke early on and I switched to my French grip backup for the rest of the pool and the DEs. (I did get 3rd though!) I hardly ever use a French grip and I really felt the pain after the meet. It slowly increased since I kept fencing for the past six week. Now I done for a month or so. Need the rest anyways.

[OROD]

Originally Posted by Greg

...The problem started when I fenced both foil first then epee at an October meet...

Well there's your problem!

.