Tennis elbow clasp - any good

[robgraham]

On the basis that there may be some tennis players here, but there are many more who've wielded a hammer for extensive periods and similar activities which can generate RSI in the elbow, has anyone any experience of what is called an "Epicondylitis Clasp"?

A pal was wearing one today saying his physio daughter recommended it, but he'd not had it on long enough to know if it works.

I collected problems in both elbows many years ago - I blamed it at the time on handling too many bricks probably the wrong way, though I'm not sure if there actually is a right way. Anyway both elbows can give me bother on occasions and anything that does't cost a session at the physio is worth a try.

Any comments ? Rob

[polygonum]

I didn't use one of them - but did try various other ways of applying pressure in the right place - and they certainly gave some temporary relief.

What actually worked for me in the end was ultrasound - I actually felt something almost melt away as it was applied. The physio doing it didn't seem to get that - so seems like she just happened to do it right by accident.

I promise not to mention my hobby horse in this context - though it is, IMHO, as valid as ever.

[Newshound]

Ultrasound did my shoulders some good too. I had "grumbling" symptoms for a while which turned into a "classic" frozen shoulder, which also showed classical recovery over a period of a year or two.

I'm almost reluctant to admit this, but I found that a magnetic bracelet was remarkably effective. As a physicist with a research background I am very skeptical indeed about most of the "alternatives" including magnets, but they have given me a lot of pain relief.

I now use one periodically when problems flare up, and it still seems to work, although not so dramatically in the chronic phase as it did in the initial acute phase.

[polygonum]

Have you speculated on how it could be having such an effect? I too am deeply sceptical - sometimes, I fear, excessively so. But I also believe that all sorts of things do have unexplained abd often unanticipated effects.

[rbel]

I have a Thamert Epi-med clasp which has served me well.

always use it when carrying out any heavy lifting or any work that is likely to jar my elbow and it really does provide excellent support.

rbel

[Newshound]

Being of a somewhat scientific bent, of course I have!

1) Counter irritant: the distraction of rubbing bracelet means you stop noticing the shoulder ache so much. 2) Lorenz effect: current in a conductor (nerves) within a magnetic field generates a physical force. This stimulation affects in some way the nerve signals which get channelled to the brain via the spinal column. 3) Faraday effect: moving conductor (blood flow) in a magnetic field generates a potential difference across the blood vessels in the wrist. This either affects nerve signals or perhaps influences blood chemistry somehow. 4) Placebo effect. The possibility that one or more of these physical process *might* be doing something convinces the brain that it could be doing some good.

But honestly, I didn't come up with hypotheses 1 - 3 until after the device, tried in some desperation, had a truly remarkable effect. Pain mitigation within a couple of hours, almost full pain relief within half a day (to fairly severe pain which had not been really successfully treated by GP, orthopedic consultant, and physiotherapists).

[robgraham]

Thanks guys - in danger of the conversation turning to quackery, but the input on the magnetic bracelet is interesting too. The trouble is that both elbows suffer; ummm ....I'll buy one and see if it does anything !! Rob

[SS]

Thanks guys - in danger of the conversation turning to quackery, but the input on the magnetic bracelet is interesting too. The trouble is that both elbows suffer; ummm ....I'll buy one and see if it does anything !! Rob

I would be inclined to try anything Quakery or not, reason being some things are not so mad as we think although like most I am not convinced, however, I got to thinking.... Some people hear voices, now if you think about it the atmosphere is littered with sound waves that we cannot hear but tune in a radio and it picks up the sound, so what if a person was tuned slightly different, would he not hear those sounds? A dog hears things we dont hear as its hearing system is tuned differently to humans, maybe some humans are tuned different and can hear things most of us cant.

Just my pennys worth but worth a thought. Going to pour another pint now :-)

[Newshound]

This one is cheap and seems to have a reasonable number of rare earth magnets

"main" one looks more like a stainless watch strap and has larger, probably not rare earth magnets.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "SS" saying something like:

Only if he takes the tinfoil from his head.

FFS.

[AnthonyL]

I tried one for a couple of years after damaging my elbow overdoing badminton at an age when I should have known better (my wife said my backhands were weak so she did some lobs for about 10mins which I tried to hammer back before there was a crack and my elbow went).

Anyhow - the clasp gave some relief. But strangely the tennis elbow became golfers elbow (ie moved from the back of the elbow to the front edge).

I went for several sessions of physio, including ultrasound and there was some improvement and the best relief I got was from wearing a Sports Tennis Elbow Support from Boots.

Several years on and I don't wear anything now. There is still some discomfort when I'm doing certain activities and I've not tried badminton or tennis since though I have hit a few golf balls.

My wife says she's had relief by wearing magnetic bracelets.

[Mark Bluemel]

I hope you're very carefull when hammering nails...