New approach to tendon injuries

PoleSkivvies started this discussion · 8/27/2009

Hi - Did anyone else see this article? I thought it was really useful - info on treating tendon injuries, taken from tennis elbow. I think it's great for we pole dancers to know about it: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/ Jennifer

WellPhys Ed: An Easy Fix for Tennis Elbow?Researchers announced last month that they’ve developed an effective and supremely cheap treatment for chronic tennis elbow.

29 replies

simulpole · 8/27/2009
Wow, great info! Thanks for sharing.
Veena · 8/27/2009
Thank you for this!!! This is how I have been treating my bicep tendon issue after the exercises the physical therapist gave me caused more pain. I decide to try my own thing....eccentric and isometric movement... it has giving me fantastic results! 🥂 I think DRs might start to see more tennis elbow (lateral pain) and golfers elbow (medial pain) all in one injury...and we should call it pole dancers elbow, because it would affect both medial and lateral! LOL Ladies take care of you arms...stretch, warm up and don't over train. Very cool article. 🌸
PoleSkivvies · 8/27/2009
Glad you thought it was useful - I'm going to have to start incorporating it into my workout, too. My tendons hate me sometimes. 🙂
azzwoo · 8/27/2009
I find it a wee bit dodgy that the study was just 'terminated', surely a proper scienitific study can't do that?? Wouldn't they need to show the long term results rather than just short term? I'm always tentative on seemingly easy fixes! If it works thats great, has anyone here used it and can give us a review??
PoleSkivvies · 8/27/2009
I don't know the details of this study, but my masters is in epidemiology (the study of creating health trials), and it is common practice to terminate a study early, if the early results show very clearly that the exercise (or drug) is either significantly helping or significantly harming the study participants. The line of when to stop the trial varies by what is being studied and what harm is being caused, but it is considered unethical to continue a trial once it is already clearly showing that using it - or, in this case - not using it is causing harm. It looks like that was why it was terminated in this case - because those using the exercise were being helped in such strong statistical numbers over those not using it. I only read the article, not the study result itself, but the fact of its termination in this circumstance is not a red flag.
smokinangel · 8/27/2009
think something like this would work for wrists, too? I have an old sprain that tends to flare up just as I'm getting a new trick. =(
NicciWink · 3/30/2011
The article mo longer exists on that link. Can anyone tell me what it said?
monary · 3/30/2011
Hmm, I have elbow injuries that can flare. I have done several different therapies. I also would love to know what this article said. Hope someone can point us in that direction Ramona
monary · 3/30/2011
Hmm, I have elbow injuries that can flare. I have done several different therapies. I also would love to know what this article said. Hope someone can point us in that direction Ramona
BlueGirl · 3/31/2011
Hi Ramona, This isn't the original news article but I believe this is the exercises referenced. Hope it helps! -Lindsay
stoneycook · 4/1/2011
"Ouch", that's all I have to say". "The older you get the worse the condition", thanks Doc that's just what I wanted to hear … :-) Ice, rest and anything that works in terms of anti-inflammatory seems to be the mantra pounded into my brain from all the health professions I've seem over the years. For me what worked over time was daily Glucosamine, MSM and I'm trying a new homeopathic product from Univera for cell regeneration and repair. Veena sounds spot on with her recommendation of wise warmup activity. One that works for you based around gradual buildup in activities, with limited force and limited repetitions. Range of motion exercises without weight stress followed by the wonderful lengthening stretches. Since I'm really new to this technique and given the fact pole places so many different new stresses on my joints I'm very happy to have a wonderful instructor who can analyze what I'm doing and bluntly point out "NO not that, try it this way."
Scarlet Thunder · 4/1/2011
this is the full link http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/ ; It even has a little video. I'm going to try this as I've had wrist problems for weeks now.
Scarlet Thunder · 4/1/2011
PS it only seems to go to the right page if you copy and paste the link into a web browser. I don't know why?
chimponaut · 4/4/2011
Has anybody tried this with success??? I have bad "tennis" elbow in both arms and so far cortisone is not working and my dr is considering surgery :( I am trying to avoid that at all costs but I am a pole and chinese pole instructor and do aerial silks and lyra so I definitely over use my arms but I am also good about stretching, icing etc. And ironically both my arms hurt more when I am carrying my youngest son then when I pole!
Veena · 4/4/2011
@ Chimponaut, have you tried using heat instead of ice? This has worked very well for me with my own injuries. I had some bad ligament injury to my foot (when I broke it) and using heat, massage and conditioning exercises for my foot has done wonders! I also had a bicep injury over a yr ago and was getting no where, until I stopped icing and went to eccentric strength training, heat and massage. I think sometimes we over ice and there for slow down the healing process. When decided how to handle my recent foot injury I had come across a few studies where heat turned out to be more beneficial than the traditional ice, ice and more ice method. Ice is very important immediately following an injury for 48-72 hrs but after that I go for heat. If I find the article I'll post it. If your taking the lessons I also have 6 exercises that are great for conditioning the wrist, forearms and elbows. Starting with this one https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/72a0fb04-b88f-11df-856f-001b214581be
NicciWink · 4/4/2011
Thanks for all the info everyone. I just want my old wrists back. I've been poling for 3 years prior with no problems til now. Massage seems to be the best therapy for all pole related issues. But regardless of the ouch, every area has become stronger than before.
chimponaut · 4/5/2011
Thank you soooo much for the advice Veena!!! I've been so frustrated as my ortho has been sort of back and forth on what I should do. I definitely feel much better when using my arms then when letting them rest so I was wondering what strengthening exercises I could do. I have signed up for a year of your lessons so I will definitely start right on the ones that you suggested!!! As for the heat, how often do you recommend that I use heat and for how long? And with the massage are you actually massaging the actual tendon?? I have tried that and it really hurts so do I continue and over time it hurts less? Thanks again :)
Veena · 4/5/2011
Chimponaut...if it was a new injury then Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, would be needed for 48-72 hs. But it sounds like this has been an on going issue. For myself, if something was chronic and on going like my bicep issue. I found this worked for ME.. Rest..as soon as the injury begin acting up I would rest for at least a few days, still using the arm but not doing anything I knew would aggravate it. After rest...Heat for 10-20 mins and then follow with stretches. I did this at least once a day for a while. Try using the stretching lessons for the forearms. Once I was feeling better, I started with conditioning exercises using isometric and eccentric movements. You could try using the exercises for forearms in the lessons here. I added massage when I started the conditioning. You don't need to massage the tendon, but rather along the triceps and forearm muscles. Don't forget to stretch after your exercises too! Once your back on the pole always stretch the forearms after every pole session and even throughout your session if you can. Most important...listen to your body, if your not improving then something isn't working and needs to be adjusted.
chimponaut · 4/5/2011
Thanks for your advice!!! And yes it is an old injury (about 8 months or so). Ironically the thing that hurts my elbows the most is holding my youngest son. He is very strong (and turning 2 on Thursday) so he tends to fight being held and almost immediately after holding him my arms hurt for the rest of the day. I find the days I do anything aerial they hurt a lot less as I am aware that I am "using" them so I do a few of the stretches my dr actually showed me (before,during and after), take motrin and ice etc. It's just the "rest" days when I am doing my every day activities that I find that I tend to slack as, I am not as aware of how much I am using them or when until it's to late! I guess I will have to start paying more attention to what I do on my rest days and make sure I follow through and stay consistent on those days as well :)
smalltownboy · 4/6/2011
I am currently suffering with "Tennis Elbow". It has been painful for at least 6 weeks and I think it was caused by a recent decorating project which involved painting the ceiling on my hall, stairs and landing with a brush. I currently have to wear a double layer compression sleeve that extends from axilla to wrist and have been using topical anti inflammatory cream and at times taking oral analgesia and anti inflammatory medication. Thankfully it is getting better but I am still reluctant to trust it when it comes to pole moves. A sudden pain could lead to loss of grip at the wrong time and fall from my pole could leave me with a greater injury than this. What this has shown me is the importance of working both sides in pole work. We all have a dominant side and I am sure I am not the only person guilty of favouring this side when it comes to learning pole moves. When I try moves using the other side and find I can't do it easily I revert to using my dominant side. Now I am in the situation of having learn all my moves a second time.....it's almost as if I have never poles before! The moral of my story is... Work both sides of the pole to make sure you develop your ability, flexibility and strength equally.....it will also double your choices when it comes to getting in and out of moves.
smalltownboy · 4/6/2011
I am currently suffering with "Tennis Elbow". It has been painful for at least 6 weeks and I think it was caused by a recent decorating project which involved painting the ceiling on my hall, stairs and landing with a brush. I currently have to wear a double layer compression sleeve that extends from axilla to wrist and have been using topical anti inflammatory cream and at times taking oral analgesia and anti inflammatory medication. Thankfully it is getting better but I am still reluctant to trust it when it comes to pole moves. A sudden pain could lead to loss of grip at the wrong time and fall from my pole could leave me with a greater injury than this. What this has shown me is the importance of working both sides in pole work. We all have a dominant side and I am sure I am not the only person guilty of favouring this side when it comes to learning pole moves. When I try moves using the other side and find I can't do it easily I revert to using my dominant side. Now I am in the situation of having learn all my moves a second time.....it's almost as if I have never poles before! The moral of my story is... Work both sides of the pole to make sure you develop your ability, flexibility and strength equally.....it will also double your choices when it comes to getting in and out of moves.
stoneycook · 4/6/2011
@https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/bc36cd42-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12 - I completely agree with the heat and stretch aspect especially if we have any muscle tear as we need to gradually re-lengthened the muscle to avoid a pull again with return to poling because it will have healed in a shortened state.
laura salazar · 4/13/2011
Would like to read the article that is refered to in the New York Times, does anybody have such article? I tried to look for it but no luck
sputnik258732 · 10/7/2017
Hi Veena! Sad to say that I've been struggling with a bicep tendon injury too :( i wasn't seeing much improvement until I took up your tips and started to stretch, massage and applying heat and the pain has gotten much better!! As the exercises my PT prescribed are still causing pain, could you share some of the strengthening exercises that you did? Thanks so much!!
sputnik258732 · 10/7/2017
Love the new app by the way!!! 💖

Load more replies (page 2 of 2)