Definitive Guide to Elbow Braces
Our arms are needed throughout daily life, whether playing a game of squash, trying to get an assignment finished or scrubbing the dishes, your elbow guides and drives all these movements.
While your hands do all the fiddly work, the elbow guides and pivots the arm to allow your movements to become even more dynamic. While the elbow joint can withstand a lot, it is still vulnerable to a range of injuries, diseases and other conditions.
If you're managing any discomfort in the elbow, this definitive guide to elbow braces may help you find relief.
To learn more about hand pain here: Definitive Guide to Hand and Wrist Braces.
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 the end of the article is a useful indication guide.
Contents:
- Anatomy of the elbow
- Types of elbow braces
- Indication guide
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.
Bones: There are three main bones in your elbow, performing two core functions. The first function is acting as a strong frame and support for your arm, allowing clear controlled movement. The second is a barrier for the nerves and blood vessels that travel from your shoulder down to your hand.
Guide to elbow braces
When it comes to injuries affecting the elbow, there are many different ways they can occur. Whether it’s a strained or torn tendon, ruptured ligament, fractured bone, or an issue affecting the nerves, wearing the right brace or support can make all the difference.
The support you select 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.
Elbow brace type: 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 treating 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.
Elbow brace type: 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 braces 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 selecting an elbow restrictor, here are 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.
Elbow brace type: Elbow strap
Elbow straps are relatively simple compared to the other types of supports available, made from a semi-flexible material which 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 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 an elbow strap, here are some 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.
Elbow brace 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 have gone through the more common issues affecting the elbow joint, and outlined below which elbow brace is the most effective for treatment.
If you require assistance selecting the right product for your needs, book a video consultation with a Bauerfeind expert: Book Video Call, or call us on 1300 668 466
Do you have private health? Most private health extras will cover Bauerfeind Products, check to see if yours is included. Bauerfeind Private Health Insurance inquiry.
Bauerfeind products are developed at our innovation and manufacturing facility in Zeulenroda, Germany. Based on years of scientific research, our award-winning braces and support garments are highly recommended by medical professionals and athletes worldwide.
Ligaments |
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Grade 1: Minor sprain |
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Grade 2: Severe sprain or partial tear |
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Grade 3: Rupture of ligament |
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Tendons |
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Golfers Elbow (Medial epicondylitis) |
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Tennis Elbow (Lateral epicondylitis) |
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Cartilage |
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Osteoarthritis |
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Rheumatoid arthritis |
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Fractures |
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Forearm Fracture |
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Fracture dislocation |
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Nerve damage |
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Ulnar Neuritis/Ulnar nerve damage |
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Cubital Tunnel Syndrome |
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Synovial issues |
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Elbow (Olecranon) Bursitis |
