Injury keeping me from turning

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Texas Taco

Texas Taco

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I had an order for 3 pens I had to get out over the weekend and they about killed me. [B)]

Back in January I was cutting down a couple of small trees in my vacant lot when I felt and heard a bad pop in my elbow which turned out to be the tendons causing a real bad case of Tennis Elbow. To make a long story short didn't see the doc right away, tried to self medicate and actually caused more pain and damage. Doc didn't want to cut on it right away, try PT first. Seemed to work and was moving without pain and strength was coming back. That is until the pens over the weekend. I made sure I was using a light touch on the tools and was really watching how I was gripping everything. Before I could finish the last pen I was hurting pretty bad. So bad I didn't even feel like taking pictures of the pens before shipping them out, just wanted to get it over with.

Has any one of you had Tennis Elbow to this extent and did you go under the knife or work thru it? How about the Cortisone shots? Insurance has cut off the PT so my next option is to go under the knife if it doesn't start getting better. Just don't know if I should start trying to line the surgery up or give it a little more time. There is also the possibility I damaged the tendons on the other side of the elbow at the same time which would mean I really have Tennis Elbow with a side order of Golfers Elbow. [xx(]

I have only been able to turn 6 pens since the first of the year and riding my dirt bike is also out of the question so this is about to drive me crazy. Not to mention the brand new, still in box VS Jet sitting in the shop just begging for some sawdust. And then I look at the pens y'all are turning and it is really making me sick. So I'm either going to have to do something or y'all are going to have to quit posting picture of your pens :D
 
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*****HEY....I just hit a 1000 posts!!!....Only took over 2 years to do it!!


A bad ligament or tendon tear could take up to a year to heal. I tore 3 ligs in my ankle a few years back and it took about 14 months to finally get over the pain. I don't know that surgury gets it fixed any faster. PT seems to help the most.
 
Originally posted by ilikewood
<br />*****HEY....I just hit a 1000 posts!!!....Only took over 2 years to do it!!


A bad ligament or tendon tear could take up to a year to heal. I tore 3 ligs in my ankle a few years back and it took about 14 months to finally get over the pain. I don't know that surgury gets it fixed any faster. PT seems to help the most.
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Congrats on the 1000 [8D]


I tore my ankle up a little over 30 years ago, back before "Sports" medicine and PT was an option and I still have a messed up ankle. Doc told me after the third time if I would go ahead and break it he could fix it. At that time the only other "cure" for torn ligaments in the ankle was to cut it off. And the "cut it off" is a direct quote of the doctor, the former Orthopedic surgeon for the Green Bay Packers.
 
Tony,
Sorry to hear about the accident; that sounds painful. If the lure of the VS Jet is becoming too much for you, you can send it to me and I'll make sure it gets covered in sawdust! [:D]

Feel better soon whichever way you decide to go (rehab or surgery)!
 
Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Tony,
Sorry to hear about the accident; that sounds painful. If the lure of the VS Jet is becoming too much for you, you can send it to me and I'll make sure it gets covered in sawdust! [:D]

Feel better soon whichever way you decide to go (rehab or surgery)!
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Jim,

If the arm was strong enough to pick the VS Jet up off the floor I would really give your offer some serious thought. [:D]
 
I've heard of surgery for repetitive motion injury but not for tennis elbow. I used to play a lot of tennis, to the point that I developed tennis elbow, but was too stubborn, or stupid, to quit playing. I found a gizmo marketed for that. It went on my forearm just below the elbow, was fairly tight and also amazingly effective. I couldn't serve aces, but I learned to put lots of spin on my serves and was able to keep playing. You might check with a tennis pro shop and see if they have anything like that.

I hope you recover soon, I know just how painful that can be.[xx(]
 
I have had tennis elbow problems for almost a year. The best I can tell you is to get one of the straps that go on your arm below your elbow and use it any time you will be using that arm. That strap holds things in place and helps with the pain. I now have days that there is no pain but when it starts to hurt its back to the strap. Good luck and take it real easy on that arm.
 
I tore my ankle up a little over 30 years ago, back before "Sports" medicine and PT was an option and I still have a messed up ankle. Doc told me after the third time if I would go ahead and break it he could fix it. At that time the only other "cure" for torn ligaments in the ankle was to cut it off. And the "cut it off" is a direct quote of the doctor, the former Orthopedic surgeon for the Green Bay Packers.
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I hope your not considering the "cut off" method for your arm![:D]

I hope it gets better pretty soon so you can get back to work. I do think PT is your best option. In my honest opinion, any time you open up a joint, it will never be the same. I am not a doctor by any means...I just have had it done both ways.

One thing to note...make sure you are sleeping correctly as at night, sometimes you will get your arm in a position to inflame things (aka..sleeping on it).
 
Originally posted by gerryr
<br /> I found a gizmo marketed for that. It went on my forearm just below the elbow, was fairly tight and also amazingly effective.
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I bought one at a local sporting goods store on the advice of a tennis pro. The only problem with it, the brand he recommended, is that it is meant to be used on slight injuries. The doc had me get a different style that actually anchored the tendon below the elbow. I use it almost daily. Have to remove it to try and build the arm back up with some daily exercise routines.

I hope your not considering the "cut off" method for your arm!
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Wasn't thinking of that until I finished the third pen. [:D]

One thing to note...make sure you are sleeping correctly as at night, sometimes you will get your arm in a position to inflame things (aka..sleeping on it).
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I've got another brace that holds the wrist at the prescribed angle to keep from bending it and doing more tendon damage. The doc told me I would be using this for at least 6 months but it would probably be a lot longer. Found out during PT that the doc also has tennis elbow and has been wearing his night brace for a few years even though his was a mild case or at least that is what the therapist told me.

BTW, I apologize...just posted a pen
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Dang I guess I'll have to go look at it too. [:D]
 
NO tennis elbow BUT I have serious carpel tunnel and every night after tunning I pay the price I wear braces to bed or I would never be able to stand it !! once in a while thou it does act up bad enough to sideline me fron the lathe !!! IMHO the only cure for both is rest them !! unless you tore somthing then thats diffrent ! hope your back and turning soon






http://affordablepipes.com/
 
Get feeling better. Everything I've heard has said to keep up the P.T. Also, to make sure you take good care of it. I wouldn't get involved with any more pen orders for a bit, or at least one at a time.
 
What is the up date on your elbow? Did you decide on surgery? I had tendonitis on my elbow and it lasted almost a year but it sound like maybe you do need surgery.Take care, Alice
 
Has any one of you had Tennis Elbow to this extent and did you go under the knife or work thru it? How about the Cortisone shots?
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I'm really sorry you're going through this - it is really a painful thing to endure.

Two years ago, I went thorugh this but I didn't hear any pop. Mine was caused by trying to fill several orders of conducting batons right before Christmas. Each order was for 40 batons, and there were three orders received on December 10 - all needed to be done by December 18 so the universities could get them into the bookstores. I made all 120 batons during a five day marathon of turning, gluing, balancing, and lacquering. I was working on the last set when I started to feel pain every time I worked the skew. Foolishly, I kept going with no Advil or therapy to reduce the inflamation - and I made it worse.

When I finally visited the doc, he gently pressed one spot on my elbow and I about passed out from the pain. I didn't have to go under the knife, but the doc gave me a choice between cortisone or his therapy with a band on my arm. He recommended the latter and said it would take two months - so I followed that rec and recovered. Let me tell you though, I was taking 4 advil every 12 hours, and I slept with the darn heavy duty band on my arm - it only came off for showers or swimming. I kept it cranked tight - just short of numbness in the hand - and it limited my movement with that arm to some degree. I had to limit my turning during this period - but after almost two months exactly, I was pain free. I had endured enormous pain up until seeing the doc.

If you have to go to corisone - you should know that there are some problems with that therapy - you should ask your doc about the risks.
I don't know if this helps you or not - but I hope you get through this with some relief.

Best,
Roger Garrett
 
I had tennis elbow once and wore a brace at work for two years, I even had the cortizone shots and they caused my arm to hurt even worse the next day. As you know the pain is absolutely terrible at times. I had to try something, even if I had to pay for it, so I went to an accupuncturist and I was as skeptical as anyone but I tried it. When I went in I couldn't shake hands with the doctor because of the pain, when I left I could make a fist and pick up a chair. You might give it a try, it might not work for you but it sure did for me.
 
So glad to hear you are doing fine now. We seem to run into all kinds of injuries from woodworking.
 
Originally posted by elody21
<br />What is the up date on your elbow? Did you decide on surgery? I had tendonitis on my elbow and it lasted almost a year but it sound like maybe you do need surgery.Take care, Alice
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No surgery yet. I've gone back to the daily brace/arm band and ice three to four times a day, while still doing the streching and exercises the therapist had me doing.
 
Originally posted by RogerGarrett
When I finally visited the doc, he gently pressed one spot on my elbow and I about passed out from the pain.
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I know the spot, he did the same to me. If I could have grabbed his finger I would have broke it for him, man that hurt.
 
Sorry to hear of your predicament, Tony. If I'd known, I'd have come by and hauled that Jet away for you when I was visiting my brother a few weeks ago (he lives in Conroe)[:p]. Truly, I hope you get back up to speed real soon!
 
I've been lucky that I have no arm/elbow/wrist problems. My wife recently had shoulder surgery from an old injury and I know how hard it is to do without arm for any period. I do have a lot of ankle problems due to abuse to it at any early age (if I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself). After a few hours of standing at the lathe it really bothers me. Putting rubber floor mats in throughout the shop (that interlocking puzzle piece stuff) helps a bunch but still gets tough after a few hours. Tried surgery that helped some, a brace that does little good, OTC pain killers, and alchohol after a long turning session. Even tried sitting on a stool to do some work with no luck.

So take good care of your arm, do the PT, and listen to doctors advice. [:)]
 
Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />If I'd known, I'd have come by and hauled that Jet away for you when I was visiting my brother a few weeks ago (he lives in Conroe)[:p].
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You might have missed out on one heck of a deal. [:D]
 
Originally posted by Hemibee
<br />
Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />If I'd known, I'd have come by and hauled that Jet away for you when I was visiting my brother a few weeks ago (he lives in Conroe)[:p].
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You might have missed out on one heck of a deal. [:D]
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It's just as well. I actually didn't make it to the Houston area this year. We never got further east than I-35, but it sounded good. [:D] But that also means that I missed my usual summer trip to Houston Hardwoods. [:(] Oh well, LOML is thankful for the savings.

BTW, I hope you're doing better now!
 
Originally posted by alamocdc
[:D] But that also means that I missed my usual summer trip to Houston Hardwoods. [:(] Oh well, LOML is thankful for the savings.

BTW, I hope you're doing better now!
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Back to feeling about the way I was before I turned the last three. Still got one more I need to turn but it is only one so I think it won't be pushing it to do.

You make it to Houston Hardwoods more than I do and it's just down the road from me. Actually I've only driven by there one time and didn't have time to stop.
 
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