Thread: Anyone else getting tennis elbow?

Should it be called honer's elbow? I have noticed significant discomfort in my elbow and I believe it is from the buffing, sanding, honing, and stropping I've been doing recently. I've been pretty much working on one razor or another everyday for the past few weeks. Any one else have this issue?

Take 4 Ibuprofen and call me in the morning.

yes, but not from honing, or hand sanding

I recommend Naprosyn. It seems to work great for inflammation.

Over the counter you can get Aleve which is just a lower dose.

Over time, you will build up these muscles and you will likely not have any lasting problems...unless you will only need to hone a razor or two per year...then you may never build them. Personally, I like sharpening knives also...so my muscles stay in shape

Actually, I do have problems with both honing and stropping, but they occur in my right shoulder which has received a repair to what was referred to as a "massive rotator cuff tear". Sometimes I have to do these in stages.

MRV, tennis elbow might not be correct term now to think of it.
Tennis elbow is inflammation of a ligament in the elbow that connects one of the forearm muscles, the one responsible for contracting fingers to form a grip. The result is one can't grip and lift things, for example it is impossible to lift a glass of water it is so painful.
Your condition sounds more like carpal tunnel, may be consultation with a doctor if it is a serious condition is the best way to go.

Naproxen rules,but take it with food,an absolute cure (for me at least) are those small air pillow bands you place on your forearm over the nerve (ligiment area) that go's to the elbow.
They really work.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Naproxen rules,but take it with food,an abosolute cure (for me at least) are those small air pillow bands you place on your forearm over the nerve that go's to the elbow.
They really work.

The band never really worked for me, it gave relief but I'd aggravate the issue all the time if I was not careful.
What worked for me, much to my surprise, was CT cream. I started using it and without noticing the inflammation was gone ~ 1/2 way trough the tub.

Taking NSAIDs once in awhile to combat inflammation is alright. OTOH, if you eat them on a regular basis , for years like I did, you can get liver damage ..... like I did.

The strength of the human hand is in grasping things. While we have muscles in the forearm to open the hand we hardly ever use them and they are small and located back in the elbow. There is no logical motion in opening the hand that allows us to do anything with that motion. It simply opens the hand to grab something else. E.g. you can't shave with an open hand holding the razor on the backs of your fingers. If someone here can do that, I want to see the video, and no duct tape, just a plain grasp!

The problem is that the gripping muscles are larger than the opposing muscles and they pull the tendon through the small loop that connects it (like a pulley) to the elbow. If you didn't have the pulley the motion would not be efficient. But the opposing give and take causes the tendon to see saw back and forth creating the irritation. Not being able to lift a coffee cup or glass of water with pain in the elbow is a strong diagnostic indicator.

One cure is anti inflammatories. Another is an injection of anti inflammatory. But, an old blacksmith/knifemaker first introduced me to a real treatment. (Al Dippold of the Republic of Al in Missouri)

Take a Sunday newspaper strength rubber band (or several of the skinny ones) and wrap that around the outside of your fingers. Then expand your fingers against the resistance of the rubber. This will strengthen the small opposing muscles (the expanders) and will reduce the ability of the larger muscles (the grippers) to pull the tendon through the pulley that creates the irritation in the first place. You can carry one of these everywhere you go and exercise whenever you remember to. If this doesn't work, then you probably do need something a doctor can offer, but I would bet a lot of money you won't run into a doctor who has ever heard of this method.

Carpal tunnel is the classic palm of the hand numbness when the wrist is bent. Also an inflammation problem but a different location.