5 Best Tennis Elbow Braces for Immediate Pain Relief
Do you have tennis elbow? If so, you’re not alone. Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, is a common condition that affects millions of people each year.
Symptoms of tennis elbow include pain and stiffness in the elbow joint, as well as difficulty extending the wrist.
If you are suffering from tennis elbow, you may be looking for a way to get relief from the pain. One option is to wear a tennis elbow brace.
In this blog post, we will review 5 of the best tennis elbow braces on the market today. Plus we’ll discuss other pain relief options.
Best Tennis Elbow Braces
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1.AirCast Pneumatic Arm Band
The best tennis elbow brace that we found offers concentrated compression directly on the affected muscles for instant pain relief. It’s easy to use with a pre-inflated air cell. This is a strap style brace with an adjustable velcro strap.
Pros: Cons:2.Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace
Compression sleeve style tennis elbow brace applies even pressure across the elbow and upper forearm to reduce swelling and improve blood flow. It can be used to treat tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and arthritis. Soft, breathable fabric for comfort.
Pros: Cons:3.ACE Tennis Elbow Support Strap
This tennis elbow brace provides an adjustable strap for support and comfort. The gel pad provides targeted compression to sore forearm muscles for pain relief and improved blood flow.
Pros: Cons:4.Vive Elbow Brace
Two adjustable velcro straps for a custom fit. The brace can be worn on either arm. It supports the entire elbow during a variety of activities and repetitive motions.
Pros: Cons:5.Roylan Neoprene Tennis Elbow Band
This elbow brace is available in sizes small to x-large for a custom fit. It provides compression and warmth to improve blood circulation and relieve pain; adjustable straps allow for variable compression; latex free brace
Pros: Cons:What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is a type of tendonitis, or inflammation of the soft tissue that attaches muscle to bone.
The tendons that are most commonly affected are the ones that attach the muscles of the forearm to the bone on the outside/lateral side of the elbow. This condition is also known as lateral epicondylitis.
Symptoms of tennis elbow include:
- Pain on the outside of the elbow
- Pain that radiates to the forearm or wrist
- Pain that is worse when gripping an object
- Pain that is worse at night
Even if you don’t play tennis, you can develop this form of tendonitis that is caused by repetitive motions of the wrist and forearm.
One way to relieve the pain of tennis elbow is to wear a tennis elbow brace.
How do braces help with tennis elbow pain?
Tennis elbow braces can provide temporary relief from tennis elbow pain. They support the muscles and tendons that are inflamed due to overuse.
Some tennis elbow braces have a gel pad or air cushion that provides targeted pressure on the affected area to relieve pain.
Other tennis elbow braces offer compression to improve blood flow and reduce swelling which also helps to reduce pain and inflammation.
Still other tennis elbow braces have a cold pack that can be used with the brace. Cold therapy provides temporary pain relief and can reduce swelling.
Besides tennis elbow braces, what other options are there to reduce pain?
Gentle massage
Self-massage of the affected area can help reduce pain, improve blood flow, and decrease swelling. It can also break up any adhesions in the area which can aid in the healing process.
There are several types of massage that you can perform. Some of these techniques are demonstrated in the video here.
Cold therapy
Applying an ice pack for 7-10 minutes every few hours can temporarily reduce blood flow to the affected area which can control swelling. Cold therapy also provides temporary pain relief.
Pain cream
Over-the-counter pain creams can help to reduce tennis elbow pain. These creams are applied directly to the skin over the affected area.
The medication in the cream is absorbed through the skin and provides temporary pain relief.
What if I can’t sleep due to pain from tennis elbow?
Sleep disturbances due to pain from tennis elbow are common. Often the pain is worse at night due to swelling and inflammation from daytime activities.
If you’re having trouble sleeping due to tennis elbow pain, check out the recommendations here for a better night’s sleep.
Conclusion
We have reviewed the 5 best tennis elbow braces available to relieve elbow pain related to tennis elbow.
Whether you choose an elbow strap, elbow brace, or compression sleeve you are sure to get some temporary relief from the pain of tennis elbow.
If your pain persists, schedule an evaluation with an occupational therapist or physical therapist to determine a personalized treatment plan for your elbow injury.