_edited.jpg)
This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/Wy3vqiB9X9A
Mike: Elbow pain right here can be very annoying, painful, and last for weeks. And many times people who don't even play tennis have this pain.
Brad: Because they call it Tennis Elbow. Exactly, I had this same problem a few years ago, and it was going on for weeks. I was doing typical treatments, that we therapists do. It was getting better, but not near fast enough. So we looked into a new option. Now, just to be clear about this, some typical symptoms with this elbow pain are you're oftentimes going to irritate it by like, grabbing the doorknob and twisting hard. Or if you bump into this area right here, like walking through a doorway and you hit the door frame, it can be really painful. Gripping, pulling. That'll set it off. If that's what you have, this is going to work very well for you.
Mike: So tennis elbow is actually called lateral epicondylitis, and it is located where Brad is pointing to Sam the skeleton there. Oftentimes it is due to a repetitive movement, over and over again. So yes, that does happen in tennis, but oftentimes this happens with people who are typing a lot.
Brad: That's right. Or maybe a weekend warrior, where you don't do too much, and all of a sudden, one weekend, you've got a big painting project going on and you're using that, and it flares it up. So anyways, a common irritant is the muscles in the forearm actually connect up to that point. They all connect there.
Brad: The muscles, the tendons actually start to tear away from the bone right there a little bit. It inflames, and becomes very tender. And if these muscles are not relaxed, it's going to cause pain, and actually make the pain go on for weeks on end until you get these muscles to relax, allow circulation, and take stress off of the point.
Mike: So oftentimes if you see a physical therapist, they'll have you do an arm straight out stretch, pushing your wrist down like this, and then they'll get into some deep aggressive massaging. But this doesn't always work for everyone.
Brad: Right, so I found a technique from Dr. Lawrence Jones. This is called strain-counterstrain. It's been around for decades, actually. There has been research on this technique with great success. And I tried it, and it worked wonderfully. I thought, "Why didn't I do this a long time ago?" So we're gonna show you the simple technique. Once you get set up, it takes 90 to 120 seconds, and it is that particular. So let's go into it. All right, so this technique is known as strain-counterstrain, historically, actually now it's changed into positional release. We're not going to get into why they changed it. It's not important. I'm going to demonstrate the technique on my left arm, Mike will demonstrate his on his right. It's the same thing. It is nice, I'm going to do it as if you're seated at a chair at a countertop or at a table. You could do it seated in any recliner and use a couple of pillows, just so you can relax the involved arm. So, we're going to start out with a test. You go to the sore muscles that are tight and tender, and you're going to push in and go back and forth and find that tender spot. When you find it, you're going to stop, and you're going to give that pain that you created by that pushing on that tender spot, a number. Ten means you're screaming and yelling. Zero means there's no pain at all. Mike, we just did this before. What do you get?
Mike: I'm at an eight. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.
Brad: You're a really good actor, Mike. So, you're probably going to be over five, seven, or eight, whatever it is, then you're going to write it down or just take a mental note. No, for the technique. It's very simple but specific. So you're going to take that arm and flex the elbow. Bring it up and flex it. The next thing you're going to do is take your palm and open it up with the other hand, and we're going to extend it. So this is extension. Take this hand over your fingers. Now you're not going to push down into an aggressive stretch. It's just the relaxed stretch. And once you get to that point, you're going to monitor how the muscle feels here.
Brad: Now at this point, that pain should be released and feeling better. Now you're going to actually rotate your palm. You're going to stop at a position that this area feels the most comfortable, okay? And you'll feel it. Go around, and if you don't feel anything, you can put it anywhere. But typically you're going to find one area. Mine is right there. Feels good. Did you find the most comfortable area?
Mike: Yeah, mine's over here. It's a little more stretched out there, but it feels good here.
Brad: Right, and that's exactly what you're going to look for. Now, at that point, you need to have a timer. Either someone timing you, or looking at your cell phone or whatever. And you're going to go for 90 seconds. You're going to be completely relaxed. And 90 seconds is going to take a little while, you know? But the big thing is to relax and breathe. Just let those muscles relax. So, the idea is those tightened muscles, while you're doing this for that 90 seconds, will actually release, the muscle spindles relax. If you take the course, it tells you why it happens neurologically. We're not getting into it. After 90 seconds, though you can go to 120 seconds if it's feeling good, but no more than that. But at least 90 seconds. When you're at that point, time is up, Mike, simply let go slowly, relax, and do not do anything fast with that arm. Kind of straighten it out, and work the wrist back and forth in a slow motion. And we want to keep those muscles relaxed. At this point, you can do a gentle massage. And then we're going to retest on that same point, just like you did prior to the technique, and push. You were at an eight before Mike.
Mike: Now it's at a four.
Brad: Now it's at a four. So if you get significant pain relief, you're doing the right thing. Now, oftentimes you'll get better than half. He went from eight to four. I wouldn't be surprised if you go down to a one or a two. At that point your whole goal is, after you're done for the next 30 minutes to an hour, you're not going to be aggressive with this hand. Hopefully, you can schedule it so that you can do some work that does not stress this. The other thing you're going to want to do is activities that consistently irritate your elbow. You need to stay away from those. And you're going to do this technique every one to two hours for that first day. The second day, you're going to feel much better, and you're going to do it less and less, and it'll improve. If it is the right technique, if these muscles are the cause of this chronic pain, which is oftentimes the case, you will have good success with this. It's amazing. All right, so I did this on my elbow just like we did. Actually, mine went away almost completely within one to two days. We made a video on this three years ago. We put it out to everyone in the YouTube world, and there was such a gracious response. People were very thankful. We wanted to put another one out so you can experience the same. But if it doesn't work, Mike has the answer.
Mike: So we have another video on how to treat tennis elbow "Stop Tennis Elbow Pain Now! (3 Minute Self-Treatment)." This one involves using the dull side of a butter knife.
Brad: Yeah, it's actually an interesting technique, and it works well. One or the other should work well.
Visit us on our other social media platforms:
YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads
Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts.
For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways
Bob and Brad’s Products
Pain Management:
C2 Massage Gun (US)
Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US)
Fitness:
Stretching:
Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop
Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.
תגובות