Author Topic: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?  (Read 23589 times)

PDLSFR

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #30 on: February 15, 2016, 06:31:39 AM »
Thanks Corrego, I'll give that a try as well.

Took Fri-Sun off for rest, did the 400 mg of Ibuprofen 2x daily.

This morning I wore a Copper Sleeve, held the bar lightly, and got thru a solid 30 Min Rowing with minimal issues.
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Quickbeam

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #31 on: February 20, 2016, 01:56:39 PM »
Can anyone tell me if the length of the paddle could have an affect on the elbows?

Here’s what happened. I started getting sore elbows last spring / summer. I hadn’t ridden a bike in years and then bought one early last spring. My elbows first got sore while riding my new bike. I didn’t end up riding it very much as I ended up on my paddle board most of the time, and found my elbows continued getting sore. After every session on my board my elbows would be sore. At the end of the summer my elbows were really sore, and for just these past few weeks I have been getting treated with massage, which has been making a difference.

I also bought a new paddle which I thought might help. The paddle I used all last summer was the three piece, adjustable, Werner Nitro in medium, which I believe has around a 98 sq. inch blade. I just recently purchased a new, one piece Werner Trance with the 85 sq. inch blade.

So about 4 or 5 days ago I went out on my board and used my old Werner Nitro paddle. I had the paddle adjusted to the shortest it will go, which is at 74”. This is the length I normally used it at last summer. After about 1/2 hour on my board my elbows were really quite sore. This is the first time in a while that my elbows have been that sore, although I haven’t been paddling very much in the last little while. I was pretty sure it might be because the blade is so much bigger than my new paddle, as the little bit of paddling I have done this year has been mostly with the new paddle (with the smaller blade).

So today I went out once again and again took my old paddle, although this time I adjusted it so it was set to 75 1/2”. I was out for the same amount of time and in fact paddled the exact same route I did previously. My elbows were fine. So, I thought O.K., I’ll shorten the paddle back to where it was when my elbows got sore. So I shortened the paddle back to 74”, did the same route again, and once again everything was fine.

The only thing I can think of is that when I went out previously and my elbows got sore, I was a little tired, but that is the only difference I can think of.

The reason this is important to me is that I would like to cut my new paddle down to 74”. Right now it is at 75” and it just feels to big. Just doesn’t feel quite right. My old paddle at 74” seems to be at a comfortable height so that’s why I’d like to cut the new one. But before I cut it down, I want to be sure this won’t have any negative impact on my elbows.

Anyone have any thoughts on all this???

Oh, yes one final thing. I’m 5’ 8” tall, and in my stocking feet, with my arm stretched up over my head, from floor to the top of my index finger I measure 84 1/2”.

And sorry, one final, final thing is that I just purchased a “Thera-Band  FlexBar”. This is the one “Corrego” refers to in reply #29. I just got it yesterday so haven’t used it yet, but will definitely be starting with it soon.

Thanks in advance for any insight you might be able to provide.
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Eagle

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #32 on: February 20, 2016, 05:24:43 PM »
Had a sore elbow like that a couple of years ago - after too much repetitive strenuous SUP paddling for hours at a time.  After using the green Flexbar and reducing the amount of paddling -> elbow was fine after about a month or so.  Seems to have been caused from simple overuse -> so moderation was the key to getting back to normal.  The constant tension and stress on the joint and tendons was probably just too much is all.  The Flexbar should help a bit.

In regards to paddle length - maybe get your elbow back on track 100% -> then think about shortening it after.   ;)
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Tom

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #33 on: February 20, 2016, 06:39:07 PM »
trust  me , the  flex  bar  works   

PDLSFR

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #34 on: February 21, 2016, 04:55:47 AM »
Ok so which color flex bar it seems there are different resistance bars ???
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Eagle

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #35 on: February 21, 2016, 06:13:07 AM »
If you are a big person and have strong forearms you could probably go for the blue.  But it seems they want you to "progress" through different colours to gradually strengthen your tendons and muscles.  As smaller lightweights - we only got one colour - and the green one worked for us.  It has ok torque when you twist and hold.  We just did our own exercises after a while as what they demonstrate is very easy and low torque.
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Quickbeam

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #36 on: February 21, 2016, 08:57:09 AM »
trust  me , the  flex  bar  works

I started using the flex bar yesterday. I have the red one. Have to admit my elbows feel a little worse this morning, but I'll keep at it and see how it goes.
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Tom

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #37 on: February 21, 2016, 10:20:43 AM »
trust  me , the  flex  bar  works

I started using the flex bar yesterday. I have the red one. Have to admit my elbows feel a little worse this morning, but I'll keep at it and see how it goes.

Don't over due it. If it starts to hurt, stop. It does take some time for it to take effect so don't rush it.

Quickbeam

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #38 on: February 21, 2016, 11:33:50 AM »
trust  me , the  flex  bar  works

I started using the flex bar yesterday. I have the red one. Have to admit my elbows feel a little worse this morning, but I'll keep at it and see how it goes.

Don't over due it. If it starts to hurt, stop. It does take some time for it to take effect so don't rush it.


O.K., thanks Tom. Have to admit, I did use the bar quite a bit yesterday. I thought maybe it was normal for the elbows to start hurting more until they got better. Guess that's not the case. I'll ease off and not go at it quite so hard. Thanks for the advice.
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Quickbeam

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #39 on: March 30, 2016, 08:29:29 AM »
Thought I'd provide a quick update. I'm pretty sure I originally got my golfers elbow from bike riding. After years of not riding, I bought a new bike early last year and noticed my elbows were aching when I was riding. Never thought of it at the time, but later realized my handle bar grips were aligned in a way where my wrists were seriously flexed. I didn't ride the bike for all that long and then started paddle boarding. I think my time on the paddle board made an already existing problem worse.

I just put up with the problem last year and didn't really start getting treatment until early this year. I started off with massage and that did help. But after a while the condition seemed to plateau and while my elbows were better, they still weren't where they should be. I then tried the flex bar, and as mentioned in a couple of posts above, that actually hurt me. I maybe went at it too hard to start, but I got scared away from it and just didn't use it anymore. I next tried the treatment "addapost" recommended in reply #3 in this thread. That is taking 400 mg of iBuprofen twice per day and using ice and heat on the elbows for 15 minutes (see his post for a better description of the treatment).

It has now been two days since I stopped doing addapost's suggestion, and so far my elbows seem like they are back to normal. Definitely the best they have felt in a very long time. I should also say that I did not go on my paddle board during the time I was doing this treatment, and I haven't been on it since I've stopped, so I suppose the real test will be how my elbows feel after a couple of times on my board. But so far at least, my elbows feel really good.
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amheckSUP

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #40 on: May 02, 2016, 02:21:11 PM »
I'm gonna try one of those flexbars, see how they do from me.  I've had pain my outer forearm for a couple weeks.  Last week, I was wincing from pain when shaking hands and lifting a pan full of food or water.  I self diagnosed as tennis elbow.

I have been trying to ice and ibuprofin and bought a copper sleeve.  No idea what set it off, I actually took some time off of lifting and haven't been paddling in a while.  But it's a bit scary cause just the little movements here and there are kinda painful.
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Caribsurf

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #41 on: May 02, 2016, 10:00:14 PM »


Be sure to Determine if you have tennis elbow or golfers elbow before using the flex bar.  There are different exercises depending  on which you have..tennis elbow is pain on outside bone of elbow while golfers elbow is pain on the inside bone of the elbow and each has its own set of exercise. I had golfers elbow but was doing the exercises for tennis elbow with the green flex bar.  It wasn't getting any better until I figured out I was doing the wrong exercise. Check YouTube for some good exercises and video instruction
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PonoBill

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #42 on: May 02, 2016, 11:18:37 PM »
Anything that misaligns your wrists can cause that kind of pain. You don't even need to apply pressure. typing a lot with a non-split keyboard fired up my forearms.
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covesurfer

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #43 on: May 03, 2016, 12:32:24 AM »
One thing to watch for on your stroke is a high elbow on your top hand. It's not uncommon and it does put a strain on your elbows.

Quickbeam

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Re: Golfer's elbow... is my paddle stroke wrong?
« Reply #44 on: May 10, 2016, 08:00:22 AM »
A couple of things I am trying to help with my technique to alleviate my golfer's elbow. I am really trying to concentrate on not gripping my paddle too tightly, especially with my top hand. I'm not 100% sure, but I think gripping the paddle too tightly with my top hand might be one of my problems.

Another thing that was suggested to me, by one of the posters on this board, is I am trying not to feather my paddle when I take it out of the water. This other gentleman said he used to get sore elbows and by not feathering his paddle it helped him a lot.
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