Healthcare Advice

Inside knowledge

Transformative Products

Here when you need us

Advice

Best Tennis Elbow Straps and Braces

26th March 2021

Pain, tender and sore at the outside of the elbow? You might have tennis elbow.

Our blog today focuses on the best tennis elbow straps and braces which can help to manage this common and troublesome problem.

There are many different types of tennis elbow related straps on the market but choosing the right one is essential for helping to meet your needs.

We have taken 6 of the best tennis elbow supports which you can purchase online to discuss their merits and how they can help you.

Whether you need the most comprehensive brace or something that’s quite basic, we can explain all of the key features so that you can make the best choice.

 

What is tennis elbow

 

Tennis elbow is a term used to describe pain that comes from the tendon attachment at the outer aspect of your elbow.

There are other terms such as lateral elbow pain and lateral epicondylitis which all mean the same thing.

Tennis elbow occurs when the tendons of the elbow cannot deal effectively with the load that is placed upon them and they become painful.

Tendons help to generate force and absorb load – when they experience a sudden increase in what they do or an increase in the load being handled – this causes inflammation, pain and weakness to develop.

The symptoms are typically caused by microscopic tears developing within the tendon which causes the symptoms and dysfunction.

Tennis elbow commonly develops with manual labour type jobs where excessive use of one upper limb is involved. Gym based exercises which include lifting and gripping. Even office workers using a mouse and typing can fall foul of tennis elbow.

Anyone can suffer tennis elbow but it is typically seen in people aged over 25 and always in people who have had a sudden increase in a certain activity.

As mentioned previously, symptoms can include:

 

  • Pain – experienced at the outer point of the elbow, which can radiate in to the forearm and into the fingers in worst cases
  • Swelling – in worst cases where the tendon is very aggravated, it will swell up to try and protect and initiate a healing response.
  • Weakness – loss of strength in the forearm for tasks such as gripping, lifting and typing are common. This is due to the tendon becoming damaged and painful – this inhibits the ability for it to be strong and perform normally.

 

Anatomy

 

The tendon involved in tennis elbow is officially known as the extensor carpi radialis brevis – this applies to the tendons that sit on the elbow which operate wrist extension.

This is the reason why a lot of wrist dominant tasks will cause pain at the elbow.

Other tendons will be involved in tennis elbow and they all attach at the lateral aspect of the elbow and are collectively known as the common extensor origin.

This is because all of the extensor tendons of the wrist originate at this point.

 

Treatment

 

Ensuring you get the right treatment for your recovery is essential for optimal recovery from tennis elbow. Enlisting the help of a good physiotherapist is the first stop. Following a good assessment you will be given a plan for the rehabilitation of your tennis elbow. This will include some of the following treatments to help your problem improve:

 

  • Loading exercises – light resistance exercises which repair and strengthen the tendon
  • Habit / Routine & Work Advice – changes you can make to your activities which will help improve your problem
  • Shockwave Therapy – state of the art mechanical shockwaves help to improve the speed of healing in tendon injuries
  • Soft Tissue Therapy – massage is helpful to improve blood flow and manage pain in the forearm and elbow.

 

Why use a strap or brace?

 

If your problem is preventing you from completing activities like exercise or work – a strap is a great idea. Let’s say you work in a manual job which involves a lot of gripping and lifting or you go to the gym and you are having difficulty performing certain movements.

A strap or brace is a great way to reduce the tension in the tendon and make those movements possible.

It works by taking the pressure and contraction out of the painful tendon and allows you to perform the movement of lifting, gripping and typing with a reduced amount of pain.

If you are struggling to work or do certain tasks – a strap or brace is a great way for you to keep active with tennis elbow pain.

 

Top Tennis Elbow Straps and Braces

 

 

Bionix Tennis Elbow Support

 

This strap is designed for the more sports minded individual. It comes in a striking red and black design.

Helps with the recovery of injuries – It’s ideal for sufferers of tennis and golfers elbow which are both tendinitis of the elbow.

Because it is adjustable it fits any size forearm.  The ergonomic unisex fits both forearms and sizes between 7- to 13 inches. The appearance of the brace is very slim in nature.

This strap is made from high-quality nylon and neoprene, making it comfortable to wear and durable for all of those sporting activities.  The material used is breathable to help maintain a good quality if it is repeatedly being used for sport, it doesn’t allow it to get to wet with sweat.

The price of this strap is another great positive at only £6.29 it is ideal for those on a budget.

 

Yosoo Health Gear Adjustable Elbow Support

 

This tennis elbow support comes in the shape of a elbow brace and support rather than a typical strap. It offers more of a comprehensive support for the elbow and could be used for other elbow complaints.

The elbow brace provides support and protection during all activities which require repetitive elbow movements. Using this brace can help [ towards improving recovery period for short and long term elbow issues.

A great feature of this support is the dual-spring stabiliser on each side of the brace. The spring stabiliser is durable and will not limit your mobility. The brace can be worn for sports without compromising performance, it will actually enhance your performance.

The brace is adjustable which means it can fit elbows of all sizes, the adjustable straps help to make the brace more comfortable, dependent on what activity you use it for or the pain levels you are in.

The brace is made of premium neoprene material with ventilation holes which help to draw perspiration away during intense exercise and brings you comfortable wearing experience. This helps to reduce smell and also the brace becoming over saturated with sweat.

The elbow brace is ergonomically designed to fit the curve of the elbow, it can be worn on either right or left hand.

This strap come in at a price of £15.29 on amazon which is around the mid-range for a strap, however it is a more comprehensive brace than others on the list.

 

Vive Tennis Elbow Brace

 

This next strap is one of the more eye catching ones with 4 different colourways to suit your fashion and style! It is a padded clasp design which will definitely enhance comfort of use. Lined with a firm foam padding, the elbow brace fits the arm perfectly for precision comfort.

A main feature of all the braces is to provide targeted compression, the tennis elbow brace supports the elbow and forearm tendons to relieve painful tendonitis and muscle fatigue.

The brace is made of a lightweight, breathable neoprene blend to remain cool and dry, which is excellent if you are planning on using it throughout the day. The strap will stay ion place with its secure fitting, whether you use it for sport or work.

This strap can again be worn on either elbow and is adjustable up to 18 inches.

Its price point comes in at £11.99 on amazon and if you aren’t happy with it, it has a money back guarantee of 60 days.

 

Bodyprox Elbow Brace

 

This strap is a hybrid design which incorporates a sleeve design but also has a strap fitting which helps to compress the painful forearm/elbow region which commonly becomes an issue with tennis and golfers elbow.

This is an excellent elbow sleeve which is made of polyester, spandex and nylon, which provides elasticity and a perfect compressive fit.

The adjustable strap for forearm compression ensures the precise treatment of the painful elbow tendons. Like the other straps moisture wick features help to make it more durable and prevent sweat and odour build up – the materials used are comfortable and lightweight.

This elbow strap is designed to keep you active. It offers general elbow support and forearm compression which means you can play your favourite sport or go to work knowing that you have support from the brace. The design is made to stay in place so you will rarely have to adjust it.

The Bodyprox Elbow Brace with Strap is available in Small (9″-10″), Medium (10.5″-11.5″), Large (12″-13″) and Extra-Large (13.5-15″) and its price on Amazon comes in at £13.99.

 

Ionicore Elbow Support

 

This Ionicore elbow support and protection system is one of the more premium options on the list. It is priced at £19.99 but offers more than the other braces.

This brace is made of 88% copper compression which provides maximum joint support and a compressive fit without restricting your movement, mobility or blood flow.

This sleeve is unisex and has perfect technology which combines compression and support which is a great solution to persistent elbow pain from things like racket sports and keyboard/computer use. The design of this sleeve is plain and comes in a dark colour, which makes it less vibrant than some of the others on the list. If you like a simplistic design then this one is for you.

Compression has been proven to stimulate better blood flow, increase circulation and reduce inflammation and swelling to aid recovery of injured or strained muscles and joints. This sleeve will be useful for joint pain such as arthritis. As well as being a compressive sleeve design, it also has the adjustable strap which can help to alleviate forearm pain.

This sleeve comes in a variety of sizes so ensure you measure before ordering.

 

Summary

 

If you have tennis elbow, golfers elbow or any other type of elbow joint pain – using a tennis elbow brace is a great way to help manage your symptoms.  Compression of the painful tendons takes tension out of the tissue and helps you to function with reduced pain. Consider using a strap if you are finding work or sport difficult.  If you have swelling to the forearm, compression is great for reducing this and helping to speed the healing process. Choosing the right strap is important for you pain level and also your level of activity.

If you have found this guide helpful then please send this to someone you know. Thanks for reading.

60 Minute Online Physiotherapy Appointment

The Back Pain Solution

Knee Compression Sleeve