New Tennis Elbow Therapy

[Halcyon]

Anybody else seeing any benefit from this device?

[alfanator]

reviving this old thread. Anyone have long term reports on the flexbar? my elbows are acting up. thx.

[Halcyon]

I keep mine on my desk at work and use it periodically. Haven't had a problem with my elbow since ... knock on wood.

[Kokoro777]

I cured my 'ochiburi-induced' tennis elbow with the exercises in this book and one of these. It took about a couple of months of diligent performance but the support brought instant relief (although it takes careful position to get the thing to work) for practising. I've lent the book to a GP colleague who trains with me and had many months off with pain from tennis elbow.

I hasten to add the exercises in the book are almost exactly the same as this but performed with a light dumbbell or Theraband: Eccentric extension of the wrist flexors. But the book provides the scientific evidence for how the therapy works.

[Toecutter]

I also have one, its the green one as well. It does help, as long as you do the exercises on a regular basis. In retrospect, I should have gotten the highest resistant one, yellow I think. The one below it needs to have just a little more resistance for me. But the exercises are pretty simple and easy to do when you have a little down time.

[pgsmith]

I forgot all about this thread, and never came back and did an update. Sorry!
I purchased the highest resitance level blue Theraband bar as I have Popeye forearms from early bodybuilding as well as many years iof iai. I used it regularly (2 to 3 times/day) in the manner described in the article linked by the OP. It took about 10 to 12 weeks to clear up completely. It occassionally flairs up when I do something I shouldn't, due mainly to the fact that I work on a computer all day I think. Whenever it flairs up, a week or two of working with the resistance bar is all it takes to get it back under control.

I highly recommend the exercises and Theraband for chronic iai elbow.

[sirius1906]

Is there any miracle equipment/cure for worn cartilage of the knees? I barely survived one iai/kendo session last week after a 2 month hiatus, now it's back to the condition 2 months ago. The knees can barely hold up my own body weight when bent.

[alfanator]

Thanks for the update, going to be twisting the green one to see what results i get.

[pgsmith]

Is there any miracle equipment/cure for worn cartilage of the knees? I barely survived one iai/kendo session last week after a 2 month hiatus, now it's back to the condition 2 months ago. The knees can barely hold up my own body weight when bent.

Nope, but I wish I did! I'm going to have to eventually have knee replacement surgery, but I'm still holding it off. The only things that have helped my knees are weight loss, compression sleeves, and leg strengthening exercises such as leg lifts (four direction) with attached weights. The stronger I make them, the less they hurt. Doesn't stop them from swelling like balloons if I'm not real careful what I do though.

[sirius1906]

Nope, but I wish I did! I'm going to have to eventually have knee replacement surgery, but I'm still holding it off. The only things that have helped my knees are weight loss, compression sleeves, and leg strengthening exercises such as leg lifts (four direction) with attached weights. The stronger I make them, the less they hurt. Doesn't stop them from swelling like balloons if I'm not real careful what I do though.

How'd you know I was fat? I suppose I could loose 15. :P I am going back to the doctor tomorrow. I think I used the wrong type of knee brace. It has 2 thick strips of elastics on the sides, and a gel ring to compress the knee cap. The side support was great, but the compression on the knee cap actually made it worse.

[Halcyon]

Gordon, have you tried a brace like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Jumper...rds=knee+brace

Also, to address the issue fundamentally you'll want to strengthen the muscles and tendons around the knee. Have you tried squats?

[Tort-Speed]

Thanks guys! I just ordered the Flexbar for my teacher. Should be here in 2 weeks or so, via Amazon. Question: are there instructions in the box it presumably will be sent in? I watched two video clips on U-Tube but still, duh, not sure.

[Laughing Gravy]

Thanks guys! I just ordered the Flexbar for my teacher. Should be here in 2 weeks or so, via Amazon. Question: are there instructions in the box it presumably will be sent in? I watched two video clips on U-Tube but still, duh, not sure.

Mine (bought from Amazon UK) had instructions, but not for this particular exercise, and all in German. I don't speak German, but the you tube vid was pretty clear anyway, I thought.

Get it upright, with your uninjured arm on top, and use that hand to twist it away from you using the wrist, and not allowing the other hand to move. Hold it out horizontally in front of you and allow the other hand to be rotated around to the same angle as the twist in the bar is unravelled.. Don't simply let it 'snap' around - keep it under tension. This is the equivalent of a palms down curl with a dumbell in the hand, more or less.

It certainly seems to have helped me, and I'm still doing it three times a week.

[Halcyon]

Thanks guys! I just ordered the Flexbar for my teacher. Should be here in 2 weeks or so, via Amazon. Question: are there instructions in the box it presumably will be sent in? I watched two video clips on U-Tube but still, duh, not sure.

Here's an article in the NY Times that has pretty detailed instructions, including a video.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/0...-tennis-elbow/

[sirius1906]

Gordon, have you tried a brace like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Jumper...rds=knee+brace

Also, to address the issue fundamentally you'll want to strengthen the muscles and tendons around the knee. Have you tried squats?

Paul,

I am not sure if the strap would help or not. I wore these last Thursday for 3 hrs of iai and kendo, then helped my brother move last Saturday wearing them. I went to my doctor yesterday, he doesn't recommend these braces for my condition. As much as it hurts, the damage to the cartilage aren't that severe. For now, icing and anti-inflammatory meds to bring down the inflammation and swelling. Then as you said, build the muscle group to support the joint. I need to learn to pace myself with injury, and not go a million mph right out of the gate.

ps: I am not going to the national's this year with the baby and injury. Have a good time.