Anyone play with a strap for tennis elbow?

[albatross]

I play a lot of racquetball, plus I'm getting old, and I had to take a 4 week break from golf because my arm is killing me.  I finally hit balls at the range last night, and it's still bothering me.  My instructor was there giving another lesson and I talked to him for a minute and he said that a lot of guys play with one of those straps on their arm and it doesn't seem to bother most people.

I know that The Mechanic wears one of these.  Any of you guys wear one and were you still able to swing alright?  I have one already and I'm going to give it a go this weekend.

[Yukari]

I got over my tennis elbow (which occurred due to weight lifting, not from playing golf), but wear an elbow strap as a precaution.  After having a tennis elbow, I know how painfully slow the recovery is, so I want to avoid getting it again at all cost.

Anyway, to get to your point, I have no problem swing a club with an elbow strap.  It has no effect on my golf swing.

[boogielicious]

I have used one and they work pretty well.  I have also used a compression wrap.  At the season start, I will wear one to prevent injury.

[airguard]

I have used one on both my right and left arm. No problems with my swing, at least not from the strap anyway!

[rustyredcab]

Been wearing one for about a month on my trail arm. Works great during swing. Noticed that mine looks just like the one worn by the Most Interesting Man in The World at the Open. Maybe I should grow my hair into a ponytail.

[ralphs007]

Years ago, I had tennis elbow in both elbows! I was hitting a lot of balls and it just took its toll on my elbows. I couldn't pick up a six pack with one arm. It felt like a knife was being stuck in my elbow. I started to ware  an ace bandages and it helped but when I found a strap called the bandit, I was able to golf without much pain. Here's a link to a very effective elbow brace. http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Band-Sports-ABI00-Therapeutic/dp/B000FML7SW

Using this brace and plenty of ice and advil , I was able to play golf. Without the brace , the pain was brutal. I hope I never need these braces again but I always have them in my golf bag , just in case.

[Lihu]

I tried to use athletic tape, but this is a great idea.

[nevets88]

Most tennis players use Kinesio tape. I used the strap many moons ago and the Kinesio tape, they helped a little but neither enough for me to continue using them. ymmv I'm not sure I'd mimick anything the Mechanic does sports medicine wise given his warmup routine. :-)

[Dirt Digger]

After 57 years playing golf and 25 years teaching golf I have torn both tendons in the right and left

forearms.  The surgeon told be he could repair them but could not guarantee the outcome of the operation.  I use a strap on both arms after rubbing them with Icy Hot or other products and I think I have tried them all and I play 18 holes just fine.  Be careful of cortizone because I was told it could cause a fatty liver.  I've had way to much cortizone.  I look like I'm a baseball player with all the wraps I have and on my wrist and fingers.  I now have to use a five finger grip and I went back to the Moe Norman swing and I try to sweep ball.  I took to deep of a divot in my youth.

Good feed back from the members and Good Luck.

[albatross]

Well this problem got a lot worse, so I'm digging up an old thread. Long story short, tennis elbow got so bad that I was having trouble picking up a coffee cup!.  Needless to say, I haven't played racquetball in several months, and I'm 2 cortizone shots and 5 weeks of physical therapy into recovery.  The shots happened a long time ago.  It's starting to feel better, and I'm just hoping it doesn't impact my golf.  Most Physical Therapists I have asked at the practice I go to have said that the golfing motion usually impacts the inside elbow more, and they think I'll be fine.

I'm also thinking about wearing a neoprene elbow sleeve instead of the strap on the forearm.  Not sure it that will constrict my swing too much or not.  Luckily the weather is buying me some time

[rustyredcab]

Thank goodness the weather stinks.

My elbow was impacted on the outside and the only thing I do to potentially cause injury is golf. After therapy I am luck enough that there are nearly zero lingering effects. I don't wear a strap but likely will if playing a lot. I also hope to limit shots on mats for a while and, if it ever gets nice, avoid ranges with hard dirt. Or at least hit fewer balls from hard surfaces.

My advise is find a PT you trust and do as they say. If you think they are not aggressive enough, find one on the same page as you are on.