throttle elbow

does any one have any good cures for throttle elbow? my right elbow on type, the tendon is shot! i know some one has this and maybe has had some treatment for it, the doc i talk to tells me to lay off riding (right) and ice it. so lets here some opinions. thanks

Can't say I've ever suffered from throttle elbow, but I do suffer from double carpel tunnel. I've got a Throttle Rocket that helps immensely with that.

hi shewolf, what is throttle rocket? what did you do for your carple?

I have yet to get anything done, but I am getting surgery on both wrists for it. Just right now isn't good cause I need em for fightin fires. The throttle Rocket is an extension for the throttle that velcros to the throttle grip. Instead of having to grip the throttle when my hand starts to burn, I can rest the heel of my hand on it and control the throttle that way. Works like a hot damn.

thanks for the info good luck on fire season, i have had one small grass fire down this way, just the beginning.

Not sure what to recommend for the elbow thing. Maybe check your ergos with respect to your seating position and bar height. Also check what else you're doing in your life. It may be something really tiny causing all your grief.

For example, I was having such problems with my wrist at one point I thought I may have to see a doctor about carpel tunnel and extreme measures. It was all but debilitating. I couldn't type, I couldn't mouse, riding was a problem, etc. I work on computers all day long, so this could pretty much ruin my income. My productivity at work was painful and low. I mentioned it to my massage therapist and he massaged the forearm for an hour and talked about what I do all day. In the end we discovered that it was from using the track pad on my laptop. My laptop actually has better ergos for my wrists than any "proper" keyboard, but I had been working extremely long hours at the computer with a lot of "mousing". For a mouse I use the track pad on my laptop because it's quicker and takes less time away from the keyboard. It turned out that just the effort of lifting my index finger 100s of 1000s of times a day was causing the forearm, wrist, and hand to swell internally to the point where the tendons and nerves where all bound up. I have since added a mouse and a Wacom stylus to my workflow. I now alternate between the three pointing devices, am not proficient at any of them now, but can work quite well.

A bit of a long anecdote, but the point is do not overlook the little things. It doesn't take much if it's repetitive.

The cause may be more direct also. For the elbow, make sure that you aren't resting on your forearm too much. That can cause compression on the ulnar nerve. For the wrists, make sure that you're hands are in line with your forearm during most of the riding time. (which is not what they teach you in MSF)

Ice, massage, and finding the cause is key. I would avoid any surgery if possible as it will only increas the scar tissue in the tunnel which will possibly make it more likely to recur. Curing causes is best. Curing symptoms is next.

Good Luck.

SheWolf wrote:

Can't say I've ever suffered from throttle elbow, but I do suffer from double carpel tunnel. I've got a Throttle Rocket that helps immensely with that.

Would it be possible to get some pics of it, or maybe a linky?

thanks zed, good info, yeah i have been looking at the small things and what it comes down to is really just over doing it. i have changed my posture and bars, i ride standing up a lot and that seems to help. it's just hours on the bike like hours on the computer, repetitive motion gets ya! massage works it out but the tendon is work. thanks for the feed back and we will all keep riding.

Fargo_Wolf wrote:

SheWolf wrote:

Can't say I've ever suffered from throttle elbow, but I do suffer from double carpel tunnel. I've got a Throttle Rocket that helps immensely with that.

Would it be possible to get some pics of it, or maybe a linky?

I think SheWolf meant to type "throttle rocker".

http://www.throttlerocker.com/

Yup, my typo thing is at it again. Thanks Chris.

drater wrote:

does any one have any good cures for throttle elbow? my right elbow on type, the tendon is shot! i know some one has this and maybe has had some treatment for it, the doc i talk to tells me to lay off riding (right) and ice it. so lets here some opinions. thanks

As has already been mentioned, get the "cause" figured out. And if it requires that you quit riding for a while to give the synovial sheath around the tendon time to clear up, you would be very well advised to do just that. Ignored, tendonitis in any of it's variants can be debilitating for life. I have had tendonitis that I developed piling lumber on the chain, and it got to the point where I couldn't even pick up a glass of water or raise my arm above my shoulder. You do not want to go there. Trust me on that.

Treatment. I am not a doc, although I still hold assorted EMT qualifications and at one time probably treated more cases of tendonitis in a week than most doctors do in a month. This is what I do, based on therapies I have been given and suggested by real doctors and physiotherapists. Talk these over with your doc when you are coming up with a plan.

1. The biggest one. REST that tendon. If something is making it hurt, stop doing that immediately. Get someone who knows how to build you a working splint for the arm.
   
2. Ice. Ten minutes on, five minutes off. Do not apply ice directly to skin - put something between the skin and ice. Do this religiously, as often during the day as you can manage it.
   
3. Contrast baths, on a three to one ratio. i.e. immerse your elbow in water as hot as you can stand it for three minutes, and then into water as cold as you can stand it for one minute. Repeat. This is preferable to straight ice.
   
4. NSAIDs. Generic Ibuprofen, 600 mg, three times a day. Only after talking it over with your doc first - Ibuprofen in those doses does not agree with some peoples' stomachs.
   

Let me repeat some of that again. I am not a doctor. You do need to go see your doctor. Don't do anything that causes your elbow to hurt - the pain is a sign you're reinjuring the elbow.

And yet again. Do not ignore this. Tendonitis will not kill you, but it can cripple you up to the point you require surgery and possibly cripple you for life. Untreated, the bleeding in the synovial sheath around the tendon turns from lubricant to a sticky goo, which in turn causes more microtears and bleeding. Ultimately, you end up with scarring inside the synovial sheath, possible calcification of the tendon, a date with the surgeon, and LOTS of down time recovering from the surgery where you absolutely won't be even wiping your ass, never mind riding your bike.

Take it from someone in their 50's - all those things you ignored when you were younger and didn't allow to heal properly will come back to make your life miserable once you pass the half century mark... if not sooner.

thank you jager, so helpful, i will take your word. thanks for time.

Quote :

Also check what else you're doing in your life. It may be something really tiny causing all your grief.

Now now, its not nice to point out how small his might be. We boys all know what causes us grief but my wife swears it isn't "tiny" .... at least thats what she says to my face.

+1 on the give it a rest advice. As an auto mechanic I got a very painful rotator cuff in my right shoulder over time from all the repetitive motions and lifting on the job. It just kept getting worse. Giving it a break by changing work habits plus 4 months of physical therapy and massage was the cure. It's been OK for over 3 years now. I know too many people who let it go too long and had to have surgery (Most with poor results). Nothing wrong with getting older, but you do have to make adjustments in lifestyle to keep it as pain-free as possible (I'm 65)

Second item: The throttle rocker design has been around for at least 35 years. I know some riders who swear by it - especially long distance riders with multi-carb motors.