Sore arm

[gillaspy]

I have developed "fencer's elbow" (probably the same as tennis elbow). Does anyone have any suggestions for therapy or cure?

[BySword]

I have developed "fencer's elbow" (probably the same as tennis elbow). Does anyone have any suggestions for therapy or cure?

go to your doctor, and your doctor will say probably the same thing everybody here says:
ice it, take some time off from fencing and avoid overusing your arm.

[D'Artag-NOT]

When I had tennis elbow (so-called), a rheumatologist suggested that I get one of those wrist braces from the drugstore--the kind that has a metal insert that immobilizes your wrist with your hand cocked up. He explained that tennis elbow was actually an injury of the extensor tendons in the wrist. I wore the brace at night for a number of weeks and it really helped.

You might also want to talk with your coach to see if you're doing anything that's contributing to the problem. (I'm assuming the problem is in your weapon arm.) Are you gripping your weapon too tightly? Tensing your arm? Attempting to flick? Is there a problem with your form or your footwork that's throwing your arm into a strained position as you fence?

Oh, yeah. See a doctor. I don't even play one on TV.

[DangerMouse]

Massage therapy has really helped my elbow.

[Rick Shellhouse]

I have to say my wife whose elbow was so bad she couldnt bind a blade bought a set of the compression sleeves ( recommeded by Jayhawk) and they have made a massive difference in her arms recovery.


Try a sporting good store...there are two in a set for about 25 bucks...


Rick Shellhouse

[counter riposte]

Try this thread: Fencing Elbow


or this website: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/T...tment-Overview

[Bout ender]

I have developed "fencer's elbow" (probably the same as tennis elbow). Does anyone have any suggestions for therapy or cure?

come to mind.....must behave..for Lent....but head will explode if I...can't let at least...one joke out..... can't give in....

*whew* saved by cell phone ringing...

[D'Art]

Chop it off and use the one on the other arm. When that one goes, you'll find yourself with a bit of a major decision....

[tkexi991]

Make sure you are not gripping your weapon too tightly. That is a big problem for folks using the pistol grips - they wrap their entire hand around the grip and hold on for dear life. Using just the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger might give your wrist some relief.

[Phrogger]

I'm having the same problem, a little spot right on the outside of my elbow around the joint. I've had similar pains in my knees that show up from time to time and then disappear, so I wasn't initially worried about it. I've just been pressing through the pain and continuing. At one time I was icing it every night, taking an ibuprofen and a glucosamine supplement and it was almost healed, but I went to another tournament and now it's worse. After reading the WebMD link I'm a lot more concerned about it. I'm thinking I need to see a doctor and maybe take the rest of the season off, if I want to fence at all next year. The trouble is, nobody wants to go to the doctor unless they have to (or unless they have a really cheap medical plan). So how would you know if it's serious or just one of those temporary things that you just need to suck up? I hate getting old...

[DBGlazer]

I had a similar thread going last year (although I confess to being too lazy to find it).

I had acute pain in my right elbow, where the several forearm tendons converge on the insertion point on the outside of the joint. I did several things:

1. Went to a chiropractor. That helped a bit. She suggested some stretching exercises (for lack of a better description or video clip, just flex your wrist up and then down, using the fingers of your other hand to gently apply pressure to the wrist being flexed). What she recommended that was really useful was:

2. A tennis elbow brace (believe it or not). I use an "Aircast" brace just below the elbow everytime I fence. I've found it very helpful.

3. I fenced left-handed for two months, giving my right arm a rest. Not recommended unless, like me, you're a relative noob (i.e., I may suck righthanded, but I suck only a little bit more lefthanded).

4. I switched from a large Visconti (a bad choice for my small hand) to a Belgian and also made an effort to avoid gripping or squeezing my weapon. That's easier said than done, but as I've gotten more experienced, the grip reflex has become less pronounced.

That's pretty much it. Good luck!!

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Strengthen your arm.

[Inquartata]

I have had it off and on for years, and the only thing which has ever worked for me was---ignoring it.

I have tried rest, and wraps, and ice, and aspirin, and the rest. Invariably they lessen the pain but do not make it go away altogether, and when I resume fencing ( or weighlifting ) it goes right back to its former severity. Eventually I lost patience, concluded "Screw it", and just went back to my customary routine, no matter how much it hurt. Sooner or later it would heal on its own and quit hurting.

It's both encouraging to know that the body heals itself in the end, and discouraging to realize that there's nothing I can do to help it along.

I still do the ice and aspirin, because that reduces the pain between practices.

[Durando]

I have developed "fencer's elbow" (probably the same as tennis elbow). Does anyone have any suggestions for therapy or cure?

Tennis elbow manifests itself inside the elbow. It comes from the repeated shock of "closing the gate" against the ball. The shock of the stroke is what causes it. Unless you're a right hander performing an egregiously incorrect beat 4, I doubt this would be the cause. The only sure cure for tennis elbow that I know is to stop playing for a good while.

As someone else said, your pain might be from gripping the weapon too hard. This is certainly not the only possible cause. An old team mate of mine ended his promising competitive career due to pain on the outside of the elbow. Which is a fact I keep in mind when I feel the same pain. (I usually only feel this when I'm flicking incorrectly.)

[journalmom]

I had a similar thread going last year (although I confess to being too lazy to find it).

I had acute pain in my right elbow, where the several forearm tendons converge on the insertion point on the outside of the joint. I did several things:

1. Went to a chiropractor. That helped a bit. She suggested some stretching exercises (for lack of a better description or video clip, just flex your wrist up and then down, using the fingers of your other hand to gently apply pressure to the wrist being flexed). What she recommended that was really useful was:

2. A tennis elbow brace (believe it or not). I use an "Aircast" brace just below the elbow everytime I fence. I've found it very helpful.

3. I fenced left-handed for two months, giving my right arm a rest. Not recommended unless, like me, you're a relative noob (i.e., I may suck righthanded, but I suck only a little bit more lefthanded).

4. I switched from a large Visconti (a bad choice for my small hand) to a Belgian and also made an effort to avoid gripping or squeezing my weapon. That's easier said than done, but as I've gotten more experienced, the grip reflex has become less pronounced.

Fencer's elbow can be caused (if fencing is the only repetitive activity you do - more on that later) by repetitive extension of the wrist. Touch the ouside (thumbside) of the joint while you extend your wrist. You'll feel the muscles contracting. When you do this on a daily basis and with a sudden strong contraction (as in flicking or backhand in tennis), you will irritate the tendons of all the extensor muscles leading to tendonitis.They will stayed inflamed as long as you overly or repetitively use your arm.

Grip size is very important as it will affect the way you use your muscles. You may need to change the grip type and size so that the muscles are comfortable when in holding the weapon.

Having said that, in addition to fencing, what other activities do you do exacerbate the already irritated elbow. Do you use tools, say a screw driver, for work, like carpenters? Do you have a hobby that requires you to turn your wrist or extend your wrist all the time? Do you play tennis? You have to look at your activities too and not just fencing that might irritate the elbow. Yeah, fencing alone can cause it but you have to look at your other activities as well.

One therapy I used to treat tennis elbow as a chiropractor before I turned fencing mom is a technique called a "Cross Friction Massage" to the injured tendons - it brings the good blood to the area and heels the injury. It's no brainer - anyone can do it - but only if it's really tendonitis is what you have. You can contact me and I can tell you how.

Meanwhile, as CBGlazer said, using a tennis elbow brace to stabilize the extensor muscles right below the elbow joint can also help.

[Greg]

Rest is best. It takes time to heal or the injury could be chronic. The tennis elbow straps do work well once it has begun to heal. There are a series of rehab exercises with light weights that also work. You might want to see a sports med doctor just to confirm things. It took me at least two months to heal with no fencing.

[gillaspy]

Now if my fencing addiction will allow me to take the necessary rest...

[Blakeian]

Stretch it and rub/massage it. Thats all you really need to do.

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

I've had tendonitis in my weapon elbow for a couple of months now...and I have kept fencing. Unfortunately, I have a high threshold for pain. Now when I look at both my elbows in the mirror, my weapon elbow is obviously larger. Oops. I hope taking the Summer off will be enough. I guess I won't be doing the potato tournament.