Armaid - Skier's Elbow Treatment

[Killer]

been dealing with skiers elbow (medial epicondylitis) that won't go away after lots of therapies (accupuncture, myofacial, chiro, stretching, strengthening, etc).

I've had it before and dry needling helped a lot, combined with strengthening my shoulder and back. Getting older and find it's not healing as quickly.

so I came across a few things - Grafton technique it seems almost no physio/chiro do in my area and the armaid:

https://armaid.com/products/armaid-1

anyone ever used it? Thoughts?

very inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. I'm in no way associated with this product or company FYI

[MISkier]

I tried it. I don't recall any immediate benefit and didn't stay with it. I got much better results by doing my deep water starts with both palms down and ensuring my arms were straight for the pull from from buoy to centerline. Some folks say a bent handle helps, but I was able to correct it without switching from straight handle. I'll get a flare up now and then, but nothing debilitating or chronic and no pause needed during my 6-month season. If I skied year-round, I might have to either look at a bent handle or some of the exercises like Theraband Flexbar, etc.

[Killer]

I have almost always used a bent bar and I get up palms down. From past injuries I moved this direction. Switch ropes frequently too.

I have a flexbar and use therabands for strengthening.

thanks for the feedback! I wont be skiing until the spring most likely now so time to get things healed up and strong

[ski6jones]

Not really answering your question but I had never had this till last year. About the same time it was really starting to bother me a friend noticed I had begun pulling the rope in by bending my elbows as I crossed the wake. Just a bad habit I picked up but pretty sure that's what start my elbow pain.

Since then I've worked really hard to stop doing that and my elbow has gotten lots better but is still sore. That and avoiding the big hits

Kind of what @MISkier said. I also get up palms down.

[Than_Bogan]

Graston is silly amounts of pain/discomfort but it can be a miracle in specific cases. I've had some tendon issues where it didn't seem to do lot, but others where BAM it was gone!

[ETskier]

The bonus of having your arms straight through the wake is that your wake crossings will be 100% better. Slalom skiing 101.

[SlalomSteve]

I have an Armaid and I love it. I can't speak whether it will heal a true medical issue, but it sure feels good!

[ToddL]

I've had Graston done. Use Arnicare gel to minimize bruising. Yes, it sort of hurts while being done. I have let a few choice words fly. My chiro (and friend who slalom skis) said that's his affirmation that it is working. LOL. Seriously though, once the soreness of the treatment passes, the original issue is resolved or greatly improved. It isn't really done on the tendons unless there is some mild adhesion to address. Rather, it restores full movement and function to the associated muscles so that the tendons can go back to just being connectors and not straining so much.

[bkreis]

Totally treatable, fix the cause not the pain sight!Zero of my people get these type of issues…you must train properly off the water and dial in nutrition.

[BobF]

Reverse tyler twist exercise with the Theraband Flexbar fixed this for me.

Afterwards, starting with both palm down helps relieve as well.