Should you use ice or heat to treat your Tennis Elbow? (Or Golfer's Elbow?) - Here's why you should consider using heat - Or at least stop the constant icing!
"What about the inflammation!?" you're probably wondering... All the medical websites and authorities say I should ice my Tennis Elbow to reduce inflammation! Could they all be wrong?
Podcast Version On Ice / Cryotherapy For Tendon Injuries
Here's an improved, better-sounding version of the "Should You Ice It?" podcast that you can download and keep by clicking the "download" link below:
And for an overview of the whole subject of treatment, comparing the standard medical approach to my contrarian approach, check out my page on the Tennis Elbow Classroom Treatment Strategy
Why Inflammation Is Not The Problem – And Ice Is Not The Solution
"Ice it" or "RICE it!" is certainly the #1 piece of advice that nearly everyone; Doctors, Physical Therapists, Coaches, Personal Trainers and your tennis-playing friends, seem to agree on!
Only, it’s wrong — At least, it’s wrong in the context of Tennis Elbow, because it’s based on two outdated, but VERY persistent medical myths:
- The false idea that Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow is an inflammatory condition (The same myth applies to most chronic tendon conditions)…
- And the false idea that you need to suppress, treat or “manage” this nonexistent inflammation supposedly in order to “help your tendons heal!”
"Numerous investigators worldwide have shown that the pathology underlying these conditions [Tennis Elbow, Rotator Cuff Tendinopathies, etc.] is Tendinosis or collagen degeneration."
'Overuse Tendinosis, Not Tendinitis Part 1: A new paradigm for a difficult clinical problem.' Phys Sportsmed. 2000 May;28(5):38–48.
Notice this quote is from the year 2000. This was known then, in fact, there are medical papers going back as fare as the 80's, saying that they were mistaken in classifying Tennis Elbow and similar tendon conditions as forms of 'Tendonitis.'
These conditions are not TendonITIS — (NOT inflammatory.) They are usually what's called 'TendinOSIS,' which is degenerative. So...
- Inflammation is NOT the real problem with Tennis Elbow,
- So, icing probably won’t help your elbow heal,
- And ice may actually slow your recovery instead...
Another reason why there's no benefit to icing Tennis or Golfer's Elbow, (as well as many other tendon problems) – OR using anti-inflammatories – or getting Cortisone shots...
Is because inflammation is actually part of your healing process...
What happens any time you injure something is that the healing process kicks in and inflammation is the first step in that process.
Now, sometimes when you have what they call an 'Acute Injury,' you get a lot of swelling, and in that case there MAY be some benefit to using ice, right after the injury to reduce the swelling
BUT, 'Acute Injuries' are almost always sudden, traumatic injuries, often involving some bruising or tearing – like a sprain or a strain.
And, although Tennis Elbow can sometimes start out this way – Most of the time it creeps up on you – It’s usually a sneaky, gradual breakdown.
For a good example of an 'Acute Injury' let’s take an ankle sprain…
Have you ever sprained your ankle badly – or seen someone who has?
You’re almost certain to see some swelling from the inflammation kicking in hard and fast, and putting some ice on that might make sense.
Let me emphasize that the appearance of swelling is what signifies that a significant inflammatory process is going on.
You can tell because it puffs up visibly and also feels kind of spongy when you press on the area. It's evidence of fluid building up in the area.
What’s Your Top Priority: Pain Relief — Or Healing?
So, should you stop icing your Tennis Elbow? (Or Golfer’s Elbow or similar painful tendon problem?) It really comes down to what your goal is:
- If your priority is simply short-term pain relief — then, maybe ice it,
- BUT if your priority is supporting your healing process — then, don't ice it!
- (I believe heat is a better choice, however — often for both goals)
If you really need some temporary relief from the pain, and the choice is between ice and taking anti-inflammatories…
Then putting a cold pack on the area from time to time is a healthier choice…
(Emphasis on ‘cold pack’ rather than an actual bag of ice, because an ice pack can introduce way too much cold to the area, too quickly.)
I would try heat first, however, and if it had the unfortunate effect of increasing the pain, I might try a cold pack at that point.
Inflammation Is NOT Your Mortal Enemy
The bottom line is, inflammation is part of your normal healing process — Not a terrible enemy to be treated and defeated.
Inflammation is 'Stage 1' — The first thing that happens when you injure something, whether you cut your finger or sprain your ankle.
And there's no going forward to stage 2 and 3 of that process if stage 1 fails or is completely suppressed.
But can’t inflammation sometimes get so “out of control” — so severe that it becomes a serious problem?
Sure, it can!
We all know how serious and potentially life-threatening the cytokine / histamine reaction can be to a serious peanut or bee sting allergy…
However, this not what you’re facing if you have Tennis Elbow.
You are most likely dealing with a FAILED healing process — An absence of a healthy, normal healing response and progression, certainly not an excess of inflammation. (In most cases there isn’t even any visible swelling.)
In many cases of Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow, there may be an initial inflammatory reaction, but this very often fails in the mid to long term.
(Could that be because of too much inflammation suppression with pills, ice and Cortisone Shots??)
And to be clear, swelling is NOT the feeling of tenderness, soreness or pain OR the presence of redness you can see in your skin – Although those symptoms often go along with it.
Swelling is really only the build up of fluid.
Some would argue that’s not a good situation because it means the area has gotten all clogged up and congested – and your circulation has slowed way down – And you need good circulation for healing!
But that simply raises the question:
Can you see any swelling around your elbow?
Does it feel significantly puffy to your touch in that area?
Now, I’m not trying to diagnose you here, but if you don’t see it, there’s probably no significant swelling you need to be worried about.
And icing won’t do a thing for you except make your pain feel a little better for a little while.
Of course, once again, that’s better than popping anti-inflammatories.
As a side note, I’ve been focusing on treating Tennis Elbow, as a specialty, for over a decade in my practice, and I can’t remember ever seeing one person who had any significant swelling around their elbow.
Is RICE Wrong? Questioning The Whole Protocol
Word seems to finally be spreading and prominent trainers and other sports, rehab and therapy professionals are recognizing that the RICE protocol is not only useless for chronic conditions, (like Tennis Elbow) which aren't even inflammatory...
But that RICE and especially the ice part is also potentially counterproductive for mild-to-moderate Acute injuries!
(At least beyond the initial minutes following a significant, traumatic injury.)
One of the most visible (and quoted) sources is the Doctor who coined the RICE acronym in the first place, who has since radically changed his position on it.
The Doctor Who Coined The Term RICE Has Reversed His Position
Dr. Gabe Mirkin, co author of 'The Sports Medicine Book' from 1978, now says that:
Coaches have used my “RICE” guideline for decades, but now it appears that both Ice and complete Rest may delay healing, instead of helping. And he points out that:
- Healing Requires Inflammation - And
- Anything that reduces it also delays healing!
- Gabe Mirkin, MD Why Ice Delays Recovery
Joshua Stone, a heavily-credentialed Athletic Trainer has an excellent series on RICE and icing on his blog at StoneAthleticmedicine.com
Most of it is not specific to Tennis Elbow treatment but the same principles apply for the most part. He tells us in '10 Reasons – Icing Injuries is Wrong' that:
- "You cannot have tissue repair or remodeling without inflammation,"
- "Ice constricts blood flow and impedes the inflammatory cells from reaching injured tissue."
- "Inflammatory cells are designed to release a hormone known as Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1)" [But ice inhibits this essential healing component]
- Joshua Stone, Stone Athletic Medicine - 10 Reasons – Icing Injuries is Wrong
Video On Icing Muscles | Gary Reinl Interview
In this video Kelly Starrett (of MobilityWOD on YouTube, and author of 'Becoming a Supple Leopard') interviews Gary Reinl (Author of 'ICED! The Illusionary Treatment Option')
At one point, Gary, describing a conversation he had with a pro football trainer about ice and the “goal” of reducing inflammation, asks:
“Are you under the belief that your body doesn't know how to regulate that?... You think you need to 'regulate' the body's inflammation response? You're better at it than the body is?”
And later on he poses the rhetorical question:
“Could the body's natural inflammatory response actually be a mistake!?... If it's not a mistake, and it's right, then why are you preventing it?”
I was also delighted to see that Gale Bernhardt, the U.S. Triathlon team coach at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, seems to have also "switched sides" and now plays for the "RICE is wrong" team, according to her article on Active.com, where she references both Gary Reinl's and Dr. Gabe Mirkin's books.
OK, let’s quickly sum it up now:
- Don’t assume your Tennis Elbow pain is the result of inflammation — (Be aware that after a few weeks — especially after a few months, it’s more likely to be painful because of degeneration / Tendinosis — NOT inflammation / Tendonitis.)…
- RE-think trying to suppress any inflammation that MAY be present — with pills and especially Cortisone shots (because inflammation is a healthy part of the healing process)…
- Ice (or better yet, use a cold pack) only if you're desperate for pain relief — (If the choice is between that and drugs, but maybe try some heat first!)
- And do what you can to encourage healing and regeneration — Try to break the vicious cycle of stagnation and degeneration rather than inadvertently contributing to it by following “the conventional wisdom.”
Your Allies In That Mission To Support Your Healing Process Are:
► Encouraging and increasing circulation — (Heat is often very helpful!)
► Keeping it moving with gentle movement — (NOT immobilization with a brace, which is more bad “conventional wisdom.”)
► AND other forms of mobilization — (Since a large part of the dysfunction involves tight, ‘shortened’ and ahesion-restricted muscle and tendon tissues.)
My primary tools for mobilizing and releasing all that tension and “stuckness” are advanced massage (and self-massage) techniques.
As well as, stretching and exercise (although, I’m a believer that rehab exercises are often better deferred until ones symptoms have decreased significantly.)
If you’re tired of chasing your Tennis Elbow symptoms around in a vicious circle following the latest remedy, trick or cure...
You’re in the right place to get the big picture, to understand how your healing process really works, and learn how to help your injury finally heal.
Learn How To Treat Your Own Tennis Or Golfer’s Elbow At Home:
You’ll get instant access to a complete program designed by a professional therapist who specializes in treating these vexing injuries daily (me)
Just watch the videos, follow along, and I'll show you how to break your vicious elbow pain and injury cycle, whether you have Tennis or Golfer's Elbow from tennis, golf, using your computer doing construction for a living, swimming, playing your guitar or just working around your house or gardening...
You’ll learn all the therapy techniques, key stretches AND essential exercises you need to treat and recover from your injury at home.
A Complete Self-Treatment Program For Tennis Elbow
Learn more about the Tennis Elbow self-help treatment program - Including what's in all the video lessons, what the bonuses are and the success stories:
A Comprehensive Golfer's Elbow Self-Help Program
Learn more about the self-help home treatment program for Golfer's Elbow - Including what' in the video lessons, the bonuses and more:
Jonathan Peat says
Hello
I just watched your video and it all makes sense to me. I have started to suffer a little from tennis elbow symptoms and am hoping to nip them in the bud so I’m keen to do the right things and avoid doing the wrong things. My wife has had bad tennis elbow for a long time and has been resting and doing exercises for 5 months now but is still not completely better. I don’t want to go down the path she has been on! I’ll look at the other free info you offer and see where we go from there. Thanks. By the way, your website looks very professional. Well done.
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Thanks for the compliment, Jonathan! I’ve put a lot of work into The Classroom and I hope you find what you’re looking for here.
Kamal kant says
Dear Sir
I hv taken all.treatment like physiotherpy, injection and medicine all
But did not get any reliefe
I got this tannis elbow injury while gyming plz help me .
Its in my right side elbolw and sometime not able to lift evev five kg weight
Faraz says
Hello Allen
I have tennis elbow because I play tennis. I have undergone ultrasound therapy, ice therapy, braces, exercises, and gel. I have a physiotherapist who has asked me to do all this. I have been doing all this for a week. The pain has subsided significantly, but I have a feeling it will come back. I am ready to enroll in your program but I have a question. Can I start playing Tennis right away, and be in your program at the same time. I can bear the slight pain, and discomfiture, because my tennis elbow got diagnosed at a very early stage. I would like to have your comment.
Thanks,
Faraz
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Faraz,
It’s always difficult to give specific recommendations, of course – but, in general, Tennis Elbow sufferers with injuries on the mild-to-moderate side can often continue to play tennis if they’re getting the right treatment the rest of the time. (In my experience, anyway. Many of my patients never stop playing and still make full recoveries.)
I don’t know if you saw this already, but here’s a recent article and video I made on why rest is overrated and not as important as it’s usually made out to be:
http://tenniselbowclassroom.com/tennis-elbow-treatments/treating-tennis-elbow-rest-rice/
Laura Moncrief says
This makes sense. Friends were all saying to ice and brace. I am not going to do this. I can’t wait to read more. Thanks, Laura
Laura Hicks says
Hi, I practice martial arts, so my elbow is extremely important! I have found your information very helpful in the healing process..I have basically been leaving it alone, while still exercising and not doing certain things to aggravate or re-injure it. (Punching bag, dumbbells, etc.) I haven’t seen anything about heat…should I apply heat or just leave it the hell alone?
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Sorry for the late reply, Laura. Thanks for asking! (I’ve been so single-minded in finishing the Golfer’s Elbow Program this past month.) I do like heat for chronic tendon problems, so as long as it’s not an Acute Injury then it should be safe to apply some heat to it.
Kwynn says
Hi, I don’t know what is wrong with my elbow, I am 13 years old. Hi, so I play a volleyball game tomorrow, and we won’t make tournaments if we don’t win both games. This is very important for our team and if I don’t play, then we have a very high chance of losing. So today my arm just started hurting randomly in school, and I didn’t really do anything with it. Do you have any suggestions what to so to make it feel better? I need it to be a little better to be easy enough during the game tomorrow. In school I couldn’t even pic up a small paperback novel with that arm, it hurt so bad it fell on the floor when I picked it up. It feels twisted weird and it hurts to close the car door and picking up light things. Any suggestions? My dad said never to ice it, he is a highschool health teacher and coach. It also feels like I might have stretched something g in there. I can’t get a brace, they won’t let me wear them in games, and I can’t see the doctor because my parents said it was minor. Any at home things u can do to help heal up a little before our game? Please answer fast! I need an answer by early tomorrow! Sorry!
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Hi Kwynn, Sorry I wasn’t able to get back to you before your game. I hope it went well, though! (As much as I like to help, my focus here is really on Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow, and in trying to offer useful information for those very specific conditions – to people who know that’s what they have already or are at least close to confirming it. I can’t be very useful when it comes to actually “diagnosing” anything for anyone – That’s technically out of my scope.)
Shawn says
Hi Allen, how about heat? I have been trying to apply heat to my golfer’s elbow 15 minutes 1-2x daily to increase blood flow. What are your thoughts on that?
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
I think that’s a great idea, Shawn. I like heat for chronic tendon problems.
patra says
my daughter has had tennis elbow for two years off and on with cortisone shots aND TWO mri’s then went to a chiropractor for the voo doo flushing and nothing has worked she still has pain. she has rested it for 6 weeks doing exercising with a book I bought just for tennis elbow please help any suggestions.
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Hi Patra, How many Cortisone shots has your daughter had? (Two is significant and three or more is a really big deal in my experience) And what were the results of those MRIs?
Cameron says
Hey I’ve been dealing with outside elbow pain for about 4 months now. It first started from baseball (throwing). I’ve just recently been applying heat 1-2 times a day and then stretching immediately afterwards. I’ve also been doing forearm strengthening 3 times a week and trying to lift in the gym 3-4 times a week. I guess my question is, when could i start throwing again and lifting aroung 6 times a week which is my usual regime? Also is this something that im going to have to deal with my whole life or is there a way to cure this 100% after a while? i know its tough to answer these questions when you cant diagnose me in person but i’ll thank you in advance.
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Hi Cameron, Thanks for stopping by. I know 4 months probably seems like forever to you when elbow pain is coming between you and the things you want to do, but don’t worry, that’s not actually a long time when it comes to Tennis Elbow – and it’s unlikely that you will have to deal with it your whole life.
Just the same, you want to treat it the right way so it has the best chance of healing well and not recurring later on. (And you’re in the right place for that here.)
When can you start throwing again? I can’t really give you personal advice on that, but I hope this article and video I did will help give you some guidelines:
Can You Still Workout With Tennis Elbow?
One thing I would definitely not do is to go back to lifting 6 times a week right away. I would ease in slowly with just a couple of workouts spaced 2-3 days apart at first to allow for plenty of recovery time. Then try going to every other day. Hope that helps
Jackie says
Hi Cameron, thanks for your articles ! I have tennis elbow (or sometimes if feels like it is at front also ie golfers elbow) but not from repetition but from dog bite where his teeth locked into all the little nooks n crannies of the elbow bone, and damaged the tendon – the doc said tennis elbow. Everyone is giving me conflicting info about treatment which is very confusing. I started with brace which did abs nothing, then warm pack then was told should be ice bc all sports people etc when have tendon/muscle injuries use ice & to reduce swelling etc….your article made a lot of sense thanks ! so i am thinking will go back to heat. Altho I did read you mention heat not good if a trauma injury, so if ice nor heat any good – is there an alternative?? I take some anti-inflammatories but they do not appear to help at a lot (I still take them at the moment). Maybe I should just persevere & let body heal itself, its been 4-6wks now. thanks .
eric says
I rock climb A lot. I developed bad golfers elbows in both arms. My PT told me I wasn’t stretching enough and he did normal pt tendon stuff, which I did for a few months.
I went about a year not using ice and focused on only stretching and exercises. Time off from climbing helped a little but my problems never really went away.
I switched to ice dips and Anti-inflammatory pills and my right arm has totally healed and I’m back to climbing. My left arm is still there but I feel like its managable and getting better. I don’t ice dip my right arm anymore.
Maybe this article is or isn’t the way to go for people but I can tell you from my experience: Ice dips, anti inflammatory stuff and stretching have yielded the best results, for me.
tim says
Yeah I don’t know who to believe anymore – but, icing has not seemed to have cured my chronic tightness and mild pain. I think I have some tendinosis from computer work under my arms and shoulders that won’t go away. Consulted a tendonosis expert and he actually advised me to ice regularly! I have to say it hasn’t cured the problem for many months now. So I guess I’ll try heat – who the heck knows.
I would be curious how you did ice dips? In the bath tub, with a bucket?
Sarah says
This is all very interesting. The good news is that medical professionals are starting to get the message. I am in Nurse Practitioner school, and my textbook says exactly what you are saying above. Basically, that tendinitis and tendinosis are completely different, and with “osis,” the problem is collagen breakdown which needs to be re-built over a long time, and that RICE won’t help. At least the medical professionals who are currently in training should have this info!
Allen Willette, Tennis Elbow Tutor says
Thanks for sharing that, Sarah! So glad to hear they’re making that key distinction. At least the next generation of medical professionals may start to change the standard protocol now!
Angie says
I’ve been a hairdresser for 16 years and 12 weeks ago my elbow started hurting. I’ve tried acupuncture, steroids, chiropractor, Rolfing, exercises, oh and had a cortisone shot which did nothing but turn red and was bruised. Also have tried the ice dipping in my sink, which was painful to me!!! Wow!!!! Have also don PT with ultrasound. I have to work bc if I don’t work I don’t get paid. I’m a single woman so you know the rest of the story:) at first I put heat on it for a couple of days and saw no relief. The ice only numbs it to be honest. I have had swelling in my arm. My c5 c6 are messes up, so I also have neck and shoulder issues. So I have a double whammy going on. I’m sitting here right now with the heating pad wrapped around my arm, hoping it will help. The pain is debilitating and I just want it to go away!!!!!! I’m doing exercises for my neck and shoulders. All I know is I can’t have surgery bc I have no health insurance. It cost 220.00 for the cortisone shot😳. Don’t want another one. I’m 53 and feel like I’m falling apart. Any words of encouragement?
Ashley says
Doesn’t getting down inflammation to a point enables blood to flow through more effectively. I just started a treatment that does promote the blood flow, but is advised to use cold when needed. For example, I really over strain it one day I should go back to cold. I understand the purpose of inflammation but also think the treatment I am doing makes sense. If it is on going problem, reduce the inflammation when it comes up then consistently promote the blood flow. It is more effective that way. Am I wrong? I like the concept and the theory makes more sense to me. Thoughts?
Page I bought treatment from – kingbrand Tennis Elbow
mido says
I carried a heavy wieght in wrong way , then pain and weakness in my arm elbow and wrist , since 4 mounthes ,still tired and pian while work , how can i treat it ? thanks.
Derek says
Ice works great for my tennis elbow. I use it twice daily, including a frozen ice massage at night. Works wonders. You’re way off on this.
Allen Willette, Neuromuscular Therapist says
I’m happy to hear that you’re happy using ice and feel it’s working for you, Derek! And I may be off about it for you but I don’t think I’m wrong when it comes to the science.
(For example, I referenced the Dr. who coined the acronym RICE in the article about how he has since reversed his position on icing – and there were at least 2 other reference sources.)
The question for most people is not whether it works wonders at pain relief – it can provide great, temporary pain relief – The question is whether it’s going to assist or hinder the healing process. The evidence suggests that it may be more likely to hinder it.
The vast majority of people I see in person and work on who have been told to ice their Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow tell me they hate icing and it feels wrong, for whatever that’s worth, too.
(They are not only relieved to stop icing but they tend to make more progress with heat – This is anecdotal, of course, but a fairly large sample size if you believe me. I’ve been specializing in these tendon disorders for 15+ years.)
Dan Aldrich says
I have had wrist problems for over 10 years. It’s not horribly painful. Just enough to keep me from doing the things I want to do. It makes sense that it would be some sort of breakdown of collagen. It just won’t seem to heal. I’m hoping you can answer a few questions for me. What is the best way to build back collagen? Is it possible for a repetitive strain injury that has been bothering me for over 10 years to heal still? Is there anything specific I can do get the healing process going? I have tried hand and forearm exercises and they don’t really seem to help. I had a very poor diet for many years which I recently corrected. Could this be part of the problem? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Dan
Allen Willette, Neuromuscular Therapist says
As we age, the body doesn’t keep up fully with our collagen, elastin regeneration – as seen in skin wrinkles. There is a degree on inevitability in this. Good nutrition, as you mentioned, hydration and exercise (and low stress levels) will mitigate this.
But, locally, when it comes to tendons, there is an unfortunate tendency for the body to fail to heal and to slip further and further into degradation and degeneration / ‘Tendinosis’ – for reasons not fully understood to this day. (And tendons are mostly collagen.)
It seems to have something to do with stagnation and the circulatory / molecular state in and around the tendon – And the LACK of motion (bracing) + ice + anti-inflammatory drugs will tend to increase stagnation in the tendon.
Rehab exercises are a key component of recovery, (and of collagen remodeling / strengthening) but I don’t believe they are enough for most sufferers. My program focuses on targeted release and stimulation of the muscles and tendons and holds off on exercise until progress is first made with the therapies.
Fist break the cycle of tension / stagnation / degeneration – get some blood flowing – release adhesions – get symptoms down (naturally, by encouraging the healing process – not by suppression) THEN add exercises.
Keep up your good work with better nutrition! That’s important (but it can take a long time to see improvements in your tissues, so try to be patient.)
Don’t waste your money on collagen supplements, by the way. See my article on Tennis Elbow Supplements
Jim says
I have tendinitis, but in the shoulder. You’re an advocate of heat. Do you have any thoughts on far infrared heating pads that are supposed to penetrate deeper than normal heating pads?
Sincerely,
Jim
Allen Willette, Neuromuscular Therapist says
Hi Jim, I don’t have an opinion on heating pads, really. I do believe in heat, of course.
What I really believe in is the critical priority of doing your self massage on your muscles and tendons – ideally with heat – especially first thing in the morning, which is when I recommend the “Hot Shower Technique”
LINK to Self-Massage Techniques Article and Video
Jim says
Thank you so much.
superreggie says
It may defy logic, but a while back I had a bit of both golfer’s and tennis elbow in the picking arm from guitar playing and computer. So I did a hot/cold treatment. Went from putting my elbow in a very hot water bath for a few minutes, to an ice bath, about 3-5 times, starting with hot, ending with ice. It went from really tight to completely cured in a week.
Generally I’ve found with wrist/tendon issues that stretching doesn’t help, like direct stretching, but finding a cirucular kung-fu style movement combined with a gentle holding out sort of stretch to be great. Like, when you just stand with your arms and fingers outstretched. It doesn’t feel like much, but you can feel your whole arm gently stretching out. And by circular, do some kind of breast-stroke style complete arm movements that involve the whole arm from shoulder to hands. I believe getting the whole… arm system to work is what your arm is asking for. The thing that caused the problem was over focusing movement on one tiny part of the system. By doing the whole arm thing, you are sort of teaching the arm the context of that one small thing within the context of the larger system.
I know. You’re going to think I’m insane, but this is just my own wuwu system that seems to work quite well for me.
Priya says
Hi Allen,
You have deep knowledge of tennis elbow and golfer elbow both and all in your article makes total sense and is a blessing.
I am someone who got diagnosis with RA last year and post covid shot got all this swelling and not able to bend completely or stretch completely my right elbow. The mri says the tennis elbow and bone marrow edema(my rheumatologist said all this is due to RA and aggressive ra medication will help it to be better, which I don’t understand how
But I really want to heal it as I want to have a family soon. With such elbow limitations Extending a family would be tough.
I also have pain on inner side of elbow.
My elbow ortho has referred me to a PT saying that i have limited range of motion and PT will help me with that.
I am really keen to get your blessing and ways and treatment from you. I am so much looking forward to get a cure for my this elbow issues from
Someone like you who is really so knowledgeable about the diagnosis and real problem
Allen Willette, Neuromuscular Therapist says
That’s a rather complicated issue. I noticed you signed up with the program (thank you!) and the best place to get help is in the members’ forum. I check and reply to questions there a lot more regularly there than here in the blog comments.