Tennis elbow
I have had 2 shots of cortisone in my right elbow, the second shot was 6 months after the first shot.
Before I took the second shot, I thought that with some physiotherapy, my elbow will heal and I can resume playing tennis. However, it got worse after couple of months and my doctor strongly recommended the cortisone injection.
My elbow has since healed but I still have a fear of picking up the tennis racket again; I do not know how much stress my elbow can take now.
I was told that one can only take up to 3 shots of cortisone in your lifetime; so if I sustain this injury again , does it mean the end of playing tennis for me? I love tennis and can’t bear the thought of not ever playing again.
Any sound advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!
7 comments
solaris
Thanks for the tips Oiler90.
I am now religiously doing those prescribed exercises at home with the hope that I do not sustain the same injury again.
I have been playing tennis for almost 10 years now (recreational level) and I do not think my strokes are wrong. I also received caoching and I believe all my strokes are correct, my only shortcoming is I don’t do warm up exercises before I start and I think I lack physical conditioning.
Do you know of any tennis elbow sufferers out there who have come back from their injury and play at the same level as they used to? Does jogging/swimming, weight training help to prevent tennis elbow? Also is surgery a cure all?
Thanks
oiler90
As a career tennis player and teaching pro, I can tell you that the stretching I’m sure you have been prescribed is essential. What I have also found very helpful to tennis elbow sufferers is to increase the grip size of your racquet. This grip size increase should be significant. Fore example: If you use a 4 1/2 inch grip, I would increase to a 4 5/8. Second thing to do is DECREASE string tension by at least 10%. This will enlarge the sweetspot and lessen the shock of the ball. Third thing is to add a very small amount of lead tape to the 3 and 9 o’clock positions of the racquet head. I would suggest 1/8 of an ounce to each side. Good luck.
solaris
Hi DFNU
Thanks for the reply.
My physio therapist gave me ultrasound and heat treatment only, then followed by gentle massage in the elbow – not what you mentioned. He also told me to do flexing exercises at home. Does that mean he is not doing the right thing?
Also the pain in my elbow is on the inside i.e. lateral epicondyl.
DFNU
What ‘physio’ were you given (ultrasound doesn’t count IMHO anyway!)
Frictions, MET, self stretching and prophylactic stapping (applied correctly) DO WORK (well in my 10yrs experience as a sports massage therapist I’ve found them v. successful
PS
Is the pain on the inside of your elbow (little finger side) or the outside
In my experience most tennis players get ‘golfers elbow’ ie: on the inside not ‘tennis elbow’ which is on the thumb side.
It is important to know because the MOI (mechanism of injury ie: cause) would be quite different hence advice would be also
solaris
Hi
Thanks for your replies.
The fact is I was informed about the risks of cortisone injections. Before I got the second shot, I had gone for about 5 sessions of physiotherapy and it didn’t help. The pain worsened and it was into my fifth month already.
I then went back to my doctor and she said my elbow will not heal as long as the inflammation is still there (she explained that the pain was due to the inflammation which must be cured first before any healing of the tendons will take place).
That was then that I agreed to take the second shot. I noticed now that the skin around my elbow has thinned considerably and it cracks easily if it gets dry – guess this is one of the side effects. But apart from that, the pain has gone away.
I was told by the doctor to give my elbow a 3 month break before playing any games; and if I do start playing again, to start slow and not to play for too long.
I am now faced with this uncertainty of how my elbow will hold up should I resume tennis again; even if I get proper coaching, will this injury recur? I definitely do not want to take any more cortisone shots but I also want to continue playing tennis.
What alternative cures are available out there? What about surgery? Will it help?
Confused.
ATsoccergirl
I would suggest seeing either a Certified athletic trainer or a physical therapist to have your technique analyzed. They will also be able to give you exercises to help prevent a recurrence and offer tips on bracing or taping which may help.
DFNU
Were you not given any advice on self management for your injury prior to an injection?
If not (IMHO)this is highly irresponsible, bordering on the criminal!
To simply give an injection without trying to determine the cause (and take remedial action) will simply give temporary relief and, since the injection will weaken the muscle (bet you weren’t told that if it does come back it will be worse. The reason for a maximum of 3 injections is because the muscle will not be able to recover after so much damage that the cortisone (catabolic) has done.
Please find a Sports massager therapist (or similar) who will be able to treat without using drugs and MORE IMPORTANTLY determine the CAUSE (nothing happens without a reason) so YOU can HELP YOURSELF
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Rant over…….I wish you all the best