Tennis elbow=Arborist elbow=Oh, great!

[lync]

capcacin cream (made from hot peppers. ) its for arthritis but it works great, just wash your hands before you do anything after applying it, especially going to the bathroom.

Corey

 

[juststumps]

Yep I hear ya, I've been warned by my Doctor (three shots max). I hate going to the doctor/hospital and avoid it at all costs. I went to three different specialists before deciding on the one I use, and even he had misdiagnosed me before he gave me the shot(he was more interested in asking questions about trees on his property)

I think the cortizone is waaaaaaaaaaaay better than surgery!

i have it in both elbows.. got 2 shots in the right.. doc retired,,, new doc told me if i keep getting shots,,,my tendons will snap.. and i'll have to get cut...i just live with it.. it sucks,, can't hold a pen sometimes,,constant pain,, no grip,,, bump into stuff,, sometimes brings tears... i think the only cure is a few months rest, and a career change... and i don't see that happening anytime soon.. it really sucks!!!

 

[Bermie]

I just started having the tennis elbow problem. Why is it all old farts replying to this thread?
I found one site that had a bunch of stretching exersises that seem to help.

Who you callin' an old fart?:fart:

I concur with TackleTree 100% -
Rest, Ice , Compression and a sports oriented physio.
I too play sports, field hockey, in addition to the job, preventative strenthening and stretching is very important.
The cortisone is to be taken with care, have too many and it can do you damage!
Good luck with the rehab, it takes time but be sensible and it will go away.

 

[Adkpk]

i have it in both elbows.. got 2 shots in the right.. doc retired,,, new doc told me if i keep getting shots,,,my tendons will snap.. and i'll have to get cut...i just live with it.. it sucks,, can't hold a pen sometimes,,constant pain,, no grip,,, bump into stuff,, sometimes brings tears... i think the only cure is a few months rest, and a career change... and i don't see that happening anytime soon.. it really sucks!!!

But your just stumps.

 

[elmnut]

Yep I hear ya, I've been warned by my Doctor (three shots max). I hate going to the doctor/hospital and avoid it at all costs. I went to three different specialists before deciding on the one I use, and even he had misdiagnosed me before he gave me the shot(he was more interested in asking questions about trees on his property)

I think the cortizone is waaaaaaaaaaaay better than surgery!

I had a cortizone shot for my elbow a few years back, great results, the doc also had me see a physical therapist. The therapist got me to think of different ways to accomplish repetitive tasks such as starting saws with my other arm, fishing left handed, etc... felt like I was useless at first, but you pick up on things quick! both elbows feel O.K. now though. Most insurance covers a certain number of visits to a therapist, just have to tell your doc that you would rather try to fix the problem rather than medicate.

 

[elmnut]

I try to stick to remedies like the one you describe, I won't even take an aspirin.

I do not have carpal tunnell but wrapping my wrists really tight helped (before the shot) I also got a pair of gloves that were for high impact work like running a jackhammer. The combination worked reasonably well..................but not as good as the shot.

The funny thing is working at a computer has caused more wrist pain than running a saw ever did!!!!!!!!!!!!!

do you use a laptop? I do, and the touch pad causes alot more discomfort than a saw. Less enjoyable too.

 

[Bermie]

do you use a laptop? I do, and the touch pad causes alot more discomfort than a saw. Less enjoyable too.

I swear using the touchpad to do all this Aborist site chat is aggravating my tennis elbow more than working!!! Who can we sue? Where's that lawyer dude!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Don't know if this was mentioned, I was skimming threads again.

They say that onehanding a saw will make you more suseptable to tendonitis. FWIW.

 

[jmack]

Well, today I found out that I have tennis elbow, only I don't play tennis or any other raquet sport. My doctor told me carpenters get it from sawing. Well, gee, I guess I do a "fair bit" of sawing, don't I! Don't we all! Rest is highly recommended and you're not supposed to stress the area or it can get worse. A period of two weeks to two months is the usual time to recover, but if you go back to the same old same old, you're asking for trouble.

OK, so, now what to do? I have jobs coming in all of the time. I like to climb, I like to saw, I like to make a living and pay my bills. This is a tough situation, even though I'm trying to make light of it here.

I know full well that it's the old pole saw that has done this to me. I have the tennis elbow in my right arm and I'm a lefty. It's leading with the right up the pole while the left pumps from the bottom that has done this. If I switch arm positions, I get pretty tired, but I may have no choice. Then again, the right elbow will still be flexing and relaxing over and over again and that's what causes this crap.

I knew I was in trouble a few weeks ago when I could no longer shake hands with clients without pain. This big guy, about 6'5" and 325 lbs., shook my hand through my truck window after I finished his job, and I literally saw stars, although I didn't shout out until after I drove through the gates of his upscale gated community and onto the highway. In my better days, I never gave on a firm handshake. On grip meters I could always get the highest score and cause big guys to wince if they tried to muscle me on a handshake. Now I'm Mr. Wuss. Crap!

I have a power pruner, so I can work that from the ground, but I can't see climbing with it.

Any of you guys/gals experienced this? If so, how did you get through it?

Any info and/or advice is appreciated. I'm starting to wear this weird brace now and doing the ice-downs and exercises. Darn it!

yup same deal hand shaking was painful try a chriopracter for adjust ment mines been right as rain ever since

 

[murphy4trees]

me too

Just got it for the first time last week after working a day with the crane and demoing a new 18" chipper...

I was one handing the big pieces of brush to feed the monster chipper and drop starting saws all day...

Couldn't even pick up the phone in the morning without wincing... Went to the chiro to get it put back in place, then elbow support brace and days of real light or no duty... Feeling better every day... very careful now in how I use my body... keep the arms in close to the body when starting saws and minimal extension when reaching for a cut.. also switched to the stihl 192 as my main ground saw for limbing... keep it real sharp and it does alright...

In retorspect I think form is really important... espacially in dragging brush and carrying... don't just let the arm hang so all the strain is on the joints, keep a little bend in the arm and don't shock load by jerking heavy brush to get it moving or over rough terrain...

 

[woodchux]

switched to the stihl 192 as my main ground saw for limbing... keep it real sharp and it does alright...

You'd be alot better off to use a rear handled saw on the ground...
Those top handled ones cause extra wear and tear on your wrists and forearms.

 

[gitrdun_climbr]

Tennis elbow is very cureable

I had severe tennis elbow and my physical theraphist was able to massage the scar tissue out. I can go 100% all day with no problem now. I thought the pain was going to be with me forever...boy was I wrong and boy am I glad!

Cortisone is only temporary, right? The ice chips at night and brace during the day was used very little, though was recommended. The deep massage once every two weeks cleared it right out after having such pain for a year I almost couldn't pull the sheet up over me!

There is an end...try to find a good physical therapist in need of some tree service...you can both do each other some good.

Good luck!

 

[Sunrise Guy]

"capcacin cream (made from hot peppers. ) its for arthritis but it works great, just wash your hands before you do anything after applying it, especially going to the bathroom.

Corey"

YOW!!! I tried this stuff on your rec, and it is terrible! It went on OK, kind of cool, but after ten minutes this stuff was burning more than the worst sunburn I ever had. I honestly thought that my skin was going to blister and slough off. No way, Jose, never again. I realize you meant well, so thanks, but this stuff and I are not fated to have a good working relationship.

 

[TackleTree]

As your body temp increases so does the temp of the capcacin. That stuff is like breaking your finger on purpose because your elbow hurts. I have used it on my knees and the stuff still was burning while I slept. I am not a big fan of the topical creams. I feel they only mask the problems by tricking your brain into feeling like the area is warm or hot. But if it does trick your brain successfully, why not. Hard to overdose on creams, but easy to on meds ( Ask T.O.):monkey: