Definitive Guide to Elbow Braces

Our arms are needed throughout daily life, whether playing an intense game of squash, trying to get that assignment finished on time, scrubbing the dishes at home or doing the chicken dance at that part of the wedding reception, your elbow guides and drives all these movements. While your hands do all the fiddly work (and we’ve covered them in another guide here link to wrist and hand definitive guide), the elbow guides and pivots the arm to allow your movements to become even more dynamic.

While this joint can stand up to a lot, it’s still vulnerable to a range of injuries, diseases and other conditions. To help you make sure you’re getting the most out of those two lovely limbs, we’ve put together a definitive guide on braces for the elbow, to give your pain the elbow.

While this guide goes into a lot of detail, we’ve designed it to be easy to use for everyone, so keep it around if you’ve had issues with your elbow at all. We’ve also included a useful indication guide at the end to make it nice and easy.

 

Contents:

1. Anatomy of the elbow

2. Types of elbow braces

3. Indication guide

 

 

1. Anatomy of the Elbow

The elbow joint is relatively simple in its construction, allowing for easy movement and high performance. Acting as a link between the finer movements and tendons of your hand and wrist, and the broader stronger muscles and ligaments in your shoulder, the elbow is essentially a bridge for your longer tendons and muscles to allow for all ranges of movement. 

 

• Tendons: These are flexible rope-like cords of connective tissue that join muscle to bone. Running along the inside and outside of your arm, these are used in almost every single action involving your hand

 

• Ligaments: Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that join bone to bone. As your elbow is relatively simple in the bone joints and movements, the ligaments in this joint are also quite simple and sturdy.

 

• Bones: There are three main bones in your elbow, performing two main functions. The first is acting as a strong frame and support for your arm, allowing clear controlled movement. The second main function is to act as a protective barrier for the nerves and blood vessels that travel from your shoulder down to your hand.

 

2. Types of Elbow Braces

When it comes to injuries affecting the elbow, there’s many different ways they can manifest. Whether it’s a strained or torn tendon, ruptured ligament, fractured bone, or an issue affecting the nerves, using the right brace or support can make all the difference.

Which support you go for depends on a few different factors, including the condition affecting your elbow, your general anatomy, lifestyle and issues affecting other parts of your arm. When choosing the support for you, it’s important to look not just at the short-term, but long-term recovery, and how it can work into your lifestyle.

 

Sleeve

Elbow sleeves range in design, usually made from neoprene, synthetic fabrics, or a cotton polyester blend. Designed to fit around the elbow, they sometimes have inserts made of gel, silicon or other materials, targeting the tendons in your arm to soothe and relax them. Some will have a hole or opening at the tip of the elbow, but this provides no benefit other than heat venting in stuffy braces.

The main purpose of an elbow sleeve is to provide compression across the joint to minimise swelling and pain, and provide a mild stability to the joint itself. Designed to allow the elbow to bend and move as normal, they’re most suitable for all day use. Some of the primary injuries and issues that elbow sleeves are most suitable for are

• Swelling
• Mild to moderate elbow pain
• Mild to moderate arthritis
• Mild instability
• Long-term post-op recovery from ligament and tendon damage
• Mild nerve issues
• Tendinitis

When looking for a good elbow sleeve, here’s some great tips.

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A good sleeve should conform to the shape of your elbow and arm, and stay flush against the skin with minimal bulging or loose parts, through all your ranges of movement.
• Sizing system: Check to see if there’s an extensive sizing system that caters to your elbow and surrounding anatomy. Generic sizing systems offering one size fits all or a small/medium/large may not provide the comfort and desired therapeutic benefit.
• Medical grade compression: Rather than just being firm fitting, the ideal compression is medical-grade. This provides support to the whole joint while giving strength back to the elbow and arm.
• Breathable cool material: Wearing a sleeve all day can have great benefits, but if it keeps overheating and getting sweaty, itchy and stuffy then it’s not going to help. Make sure it’s something that you can do your daily tasks in comfortably.
• Massaging and soothing: Finding a sleeve with gel support that minimises tension in the muscles and soothes pain is always a bonus.

 

The EpiTrain is the ideal elbow sleeve, combining a lightweight breathable cotton weave, soothing gel pads and massage inserts to stabilise and relieve in all actions.

 

Restrictor

Elbow restrictors are braces designed to limit the movement of the elbow joint. This can be a simple strap the reduces bend of the arm, a partial immobiliser that prevents hyperextension and dislocation or a full immobilising brace that stops the elbow from moving at all. These are usually made from a combination of rigid and flexible components, often with some kind of adjustability built in.

Often used in post-op recovery, as well as managing recovery from more traumatic injuries, elbow restrictors can perform a wide range of functions. Some of the primary injuries and issues that elbow restrictors are most suitable for are

• Severe and/or chronic instability
• Severe pain
• Severe arthritis
• Post-op recovery
• Moderate to severe nerve issues
• Dislocation and subluxation
• Hyperextension

When looking for a good elbow restrictor, here’s some great tips.

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A good restrictor should conform to the shape of your elbow and arm, and keep the elbow within the range of movement without digging in or causing pain.
• Sizing system: Check to see if there’s an extensive sizing system that caters to your elbow and surrounding anatomy. Generic sizing systems offering one size fits all or a small/medium/large may not provide the comfort and desired therapeutic benefit.
• Breathable cool material: Wearing a brace all day can have great benefits, but if it keeps overheating and getting sweaty, itchy and stuffy then it’s not going to help. Make sure it’s something that you can do your daily tasks in comfortably.

 

The Sports Elbow Brace is a great elbow restrictor that prevent hyperextension and dislocation of the elbow, while still allowing for comfortable movement.

 

Strap

Elbow straps are relatively simple compared to the other types of supports available, made from a semi-flexible material that fastens around your forearm at the base of your elbow, usually with Velcro, but sometimes with a buckle or tension system.

The main purpose of an elbow strap is to relieve tension and pain in the tendons of the elbow. Some of the primary injuries and issues that elbow straps are most suitable for are

• Mild elbow pain
• Mild nerve issues
• Tendinitis
• Golfers elbow
• Tennis elbow

When looking for a good elbow strap, here’s some great tips.

• Comfortable anatomic fit: A good strap should conform to the shape of your forearm without pain or undue pressure.
• Breathable cool material: Wearing a strap all day can have great benefits, but if it keeps overheating and getting sweaty, itchy and stuffy then it’s not going to help. Make sure it’s something that you can do your daily tasks in comfortably.
• Massaging and soothing: Finding a strap with gel support that minimises tension in the muscles and soothes pain is always a bonus.

 

The EpiPoint is the ideal elbow strap, slim fitting and adjustable to give you support at all times whether you’re playing sport, working at the desk or just relaxing at home.

 

3. Indication Guide

With a wide range of conditions affecting the elbow, from nerve issues caused by strokes to tendinitis from repetitive strain, it’s crucial to get the right support for you. We’ve gone through all the more common issues affecting the elbow joint, and outlined what’s most effective in treating each one.

If you can’t find your condition, or you’d like more help, just give our office a call and one of our trained staff will help you find the right product for you.

 

Ligaments
Grade 1: Minor sprain	EpiPoint
Grade 2: Severe sprain or partial tear	EpiTrain
Grade 3: Rupture of ligament	EpiTrain, Sports Elbow Brace
Tendons
Golfers Elbow (Medial epicondylitis)	EpiPoint, Sports Elbow Strap, EpiTrain
Tennis Elbow (Lateral epicondylitis)	EpiPoint, Sports Elbow Strap, EpiTrain
Cartilage
Osteoarthritis	EpiTrain
Rheumatoid arthritis	EpiTrain
Fractures
Forarm Fracture	EpiTrain
Fracture dislocation	EpiTrain
Nerve Damage
Ulnar Neuritis/Ulnar nerve damage	EpiTrain, Sports Elbow Brace
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome	EpiTrain
Synovial Issues
Elbow (Olecranon) Bursitis	EpiTrain