Elbow Injuries And The English National Badminton Championships

The English National Badminton Championships arrive in Milton Keynes this weekend in what is the qualifying tournament to the National Championships later in the year, bringing together both Olympic and Commonwealth athletes.

The first tournament took place in 1963, won by Bill Havers in his one and only title. It is now Rajiv Ouseph who holds a supremacy on the tournament who will be looking to make it seven titles in a row whilst Carl Baxter, who has been runner up in the last five, will be looking to take the glory for the first time.

Sports injuries are common place with each injury causing a potential stumbling block to a professional and holding them back from competing. This article focuses on some of the most common forms of injury sustained to the elbow and how these can be managed.

Elbow injuries

In racket sports elbow injuries can be common, since the joint is essential in making a shot. The majority of sports injuries are as a result of overuse and the elbow is no different, with a number of conditions a player can be susceptible to. The two main overuse injuries relating to the elbow are golfers elbow and tennis elbow.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis occurs where there is damage to the tendons within the forearm resulting in pain centred on the outside of the joint. The condition can also cause inflammation which in turn can affect a players mobility. Despite the name suggesting otherwise tennis elbow can occur as a result any repetitive task from playing badminton, tennis or even painting. Golfers elbow is a similar condition, though the pain is centred on the inside of the elbow joint.

Both conditions are described as being self-limiting in that a player should expect recover naturally, though this can take up to two years and in serious cases may require surgery to remedy the problem. In terms of treatment options ice can be used to help manage any inflammation whilst an elbow band can be worn during an activity to alleviate discomfort to the area.

Using an elbow band as part of injury management

An elbow band is available in a variety of styles depending on the condition you wish to manage. Where there is bruising and swelling of the elbow region following a fall an elbow support can be used to help manage any inflammation and to manage pain. The key part of this product is in applying compression to the entire area of the joint.

Where you are suffering from a specific condition such as tennis elbow or golfers elbow then you may need an elbow band which offers a bespoke level of compression. The band can be tightened by the player to apply varying amounts of compression depending on the severity of the injury and the degree of pain the player is in.

An elbow band typically sits beneath the elbow joint with the compression applied to the tendons affected by the condition with the compression helping to manage inflammation and pain and allowing the player to continue on the court for longer during their recovery.