If you suffer from elbow pain or know someone who has suffered from an elbow injury or pain for a longer time, you know the discomfort it can cause, especially while doing your routinely work. Many people also suffer from diseases such as arthritis and elbow tendonitis, all of which can be painful to bear.
Fortunately, there's a way to alleviate that pain; elbow compression sleeves. These sleeves protect your arm muscles from strain, help warm up the muscles and joints, and reduce discomfort caused by chronic elbow pain or any of the diseases related to elbows. Some of the best elbow sleeves to use are covered in this article.
Read on to learn more about the best elbow compression sleeve, its benefits, as well as how best to find a product best suited to your elbow problem.
What is an elbow compression sleeve?
An elbow compression sleeve is a tight supportive elbow brace that goes on your elbow and the most of your arm. It can be worn on the left or right arm, as per your preferences.
The sleeve is usually made of stretchable neoprene, which is a breathable material hugging your elbow, covering your upper arm to lower triceps. The elbow compression provided by the sleeve is non-adjustable and has a snug fit, so the sleeve will cover your elbow very tightly.
What do elbow sleeves help with?
An elbow compression sleeve helps alleviate your pain and bring pain relief to those suffering from elbow discomfort, be it from physical exertion, an injury or from a medical ailment. A compression sleeve is also reported to not only increase blood flow, but to also relieve muscle pain and provide pain relief to your elbow joint pain.
The increased circulation also keeps your muscles warm and has a healing effect on your joints, great for people suffering from elbow injuries.
Who uses elbow compression sleeves?
Elbow sleeves are mainly used by athletes who do a lot of physical exertion and accumulate a lot of muscle fatigue. The sleeves are also used by gym-goers who do heavy and straining exercises like lifting weights, as it prevents injured muscles, reduces muscle soreness, and heals joint inflammation, as well as keeping your arms warm.
The most important use of elbow compression sleeves is for people experiencing elbow injuries, or diseases like arthritis, tendonitis, etc. These conditions can take a toll on your body, especially the elbow, and the elbow compression sleeve are worn to alleviate some of the symptoms of these medical conditions.
Not only do the elbow sleeves increase blood flow, but they also add support to your arm properly, relieve tension, and help with muscle recovery.
Benefits of wearing compression sleeves for elbow problems
Below are the main benefits of wearing elbow sleeves, especially if you're experiencing problems with your elbow:
- In case of an injury, it provides a more efficient recovery for the patient
- Reduced risk of injury because of the padded protection it gives to your elbow
- Good for athletes as it increases blood flow
- Prevention of swelling and inflammation
- Reduced pain in joints and arms
- A fringe benefit would be an improved running economy
When it comes to choosing the right elbow compression sleeve for your injury or pain, there are a lot of options available with tons of variety. Choosing the right type of elbow compression sleeve is absolutely necessary for the recovery of your elbow.
Below, we've compiled a list of the 7 best elbow compression sleeves in 2022. These compression sleeves are considered the best, and we guarantee that you won't regret your purchase. However, before buying, it is advisable to first contact your personal doctor or a consultant and ask them if the compression sleeve can help you recover from your injury or not.
1. Copper Compression Elbow Sleeve
Are you looking for a high-quality elbow sleeve that provides support and comfort? Are you one of those who experience tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and other related problems? Then check out the copper compression elbow sleeve from Copperjoint.
The copper compression elbow sleeve is an efficient product that offers support and relief from joint discomfort and inflammation. It delivers the appropriate amount of compression to support joints without feeling too tight because it is made of a soft, breathable material.
In addition, this product stands out because it contains copper, which is well-known for having anti-inflammatory qualities. They have also been demonstrated to help ease tennis elbow symptoms.
Also, the copper compression elbow sleeve is suitable for daily wear or physical activity. It is ideal for people who occasionally experience joint pain and swelling because it helps to lessen those symptoms and hasten the healing process. Also, the sleeve's copper compression material facilitates the muscles and joints, which is crucial for injury avoidance and recovery.
Using a copper compression elbow sleeve has several advantages, including its ability to improve blood flow and circulation, which can boost overall performance and lessen discomfort in the muscles. It is perfect for athletes or anyone who leads an active lifestyle because it can aid in the prevention of cramping and muscular fatigue.
The copper compression elbow sleeve is simple to use and needs little upkeep. It is made to be tough, enduring, and simple to clean and reuse, as common with most Copperjoint products.
Anybody looking for a high-quality and efficient solution to support their elbow joints and lessen inflammation should make this product part of their shopping list. The proper copper compression sleeve must be chosen because they come in various sizes.
In addition, this item is an excellent option for athletes or anyone who leads an active lifestyle because it enhances blood flow and circulation, lessens muscle soreness, and prevents cramping and muscle fatigue. Finally, the copper compression elbow sleeve is a fantastic investment because it is adaptable, strong, and simple to use.
Factors to keep in mind when buying elbow sleeves
Before you purchase elbow sleeves, here are a few factors you need to keep under consideration so that you get the product best suitable for you without wasting any money. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:
- Material: if you have neoprene allergies or any other fabric allergies, we suggest you look out for those materials before purchasing an elbow sleeve. The fabric also has to be flexible and breathable if you want a more relaxed fit, and snug or knitted if you want a tighter fit.
- Choose the correct size for the sleeve
- The support level should be mild
- If you're on a budget, make sure not to buy a pricey sleeve
Difference between elbow braces, wraps, and sleeves
Elbow sleeve: An elbow sleeve does not wrap around the arm, it comes in a tube-like shape that is non-adjustable. This product helps increase blood flow and compression.
Elbow brace: An elbow brace is usually made up of metal products, and has a wider and more open frame. It does not offer compression, but rather, only support while moving the joint or muscles.
Elbow wrap: An elbow wrap is kind of like an elbow sleeve except that it wraps around the elbow and can be adjusted as per your own preference.
Types of elbow injuries, diseases, symptoms, and causes
Here are 5 of the most common types of elbow injuries and diseases. We'll also be listing their symptoms and causes below so you know how to identify and avoid them:
1) Arthritis
Arthritis is the loss of cartilage within a joint. Elbow arthritis occurs when the elbow cartilage gets worn down or damaged. The causes of this damage can be overuse because of agedness, or because of repetition of activities. Another cause can be an injury you contracted in your elbow, a fracture, or a dislocation.
Arthritis can cause unbearable pain while moving your elbow or bending it, thus it can interfere with the way you do your daily chores.
Here are some common symptoms of elbow arthritis that you can use to find out if you have the disease or not:
- Popping or crackling sound when you move your elbow
- Pain in the elbow
- Stiffness in the elbow joint
- Swelling of the muscles around the joint
- Tenderness and warmth in the elbow joint
2) Golfer's elbow
Golf elbow or Golfer's elbow (medical name: medial epicondylitis) is a condition that causes pain in the tendons that start from your wrist leading up to the bump on the inside of your elbow. The pain is most evident near the elbow joint, on the inside of your arm.
As the name suggests, this issue is mostly faced by golfers who use their dominant hand to play golf regularly, thus putting strain on their tendons and causing this medical ailment. In addition to that, people who clench their fists a lot or use their lists for chores or work also have a high chance of developing this condition.
The main symptoms of this ailment include:
- Pain, tenderness, and inflammation on the inner side of your elbow, sometimes even extending along your forearm
- Stiffness while attempting to make a fist or clenching your fingers
- Weakness in your hands or wrists
- Numbness in the fingers while moving and a tingling sensation following afterward
3) Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow or elbow tendonitis, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a sports injury that causes pain in the tendons of your forearm leading up to your elbow joint on the outside of the arm.
This is a contrast to golfer's elbow, which caused pain in the tendons on the inside of the arm. The condition focuses on the sharp part of your elbow, located on the outside of your elbow joint.
It often happens when you overuse the forearm muscles located near the elbow joint. These muscles are normally used to straighten your wrist. Any activity, including tennis, that puts a high amount of strain on your elbow joint can cause tennis elbow.
This injury can be developed by tennis players or other people who do activities that stress their elbow joints, such as carpenters, butchers, or plumbers.
The common symptoms of this medical condition are as follows:
- Pain on the outside of your elbow traveling down when lifting or bending your arm
- Elbow joint pain when lifting small things
- Pain when twisting something like a jar lid
- Shaky hands when gripping objects
4) Elbow tendon rupture
Tears of bicep tendons at the elbow may be uncommon, but they cause great problems for the people experiencing them. Once torn off, the tendon does now grow back to the elbow and heal, causing you to lose the movement of rotating your forearm from palm up to down.
This is caused by an injury, incurred when you force your elbow straight against something. For example, when you lift up something heavy without accounting for how heavy it is, your arm muscles force themselves straight against your will, causing the tendons to tear at the elbow even as you struggle against the weight stress.
This injury has very apparent symptoms, listed below:
- Visible purple-pink bruising around the joint
- Swelling of the joint
- Weakness is bending and twisting the elbow
- Bulging of a part of the upper arm
- Gap in the front of the elbow
5) Elbow dislocation
An elbow dislocation completely or partially dislocates the bones present in the joint, usually as a result from an impact or injury. The dislocation occurs when the forearm bones dislocate, compared with the upper arm bones, thus the joint present in the elbow dislocates.
The cause of this injury can most commonly be a fall, usually with your arm cushioning the fall and landing on the surface before the body. A car crash or motorbike accident are also very common causes of elbow dislocation.
The symptoms of a dislocated elbow include:
- Severe pain in the elbow
- Deformed arm
- Inability to bend the arm
- Swelling
- Losing feeling in your hand
- No longer feeling your pulse through the wrist (arterial or nerve injury)
How can elbow injuries/diseases be treated?
Most elbow injuries are treatable, and the pain can be alleviated at home with the products you have available. So don't be alarmed if you get your elbow injured.
Ice: This is the one thing that helps the most when you have an elbow injury. Just press it onto the tender or warm area where you think the damage or bruising is the most visible, and press it onto the swelling for 20 minutes. Keep checking from time to time to see if the swelling has reduced or not.
If ice doesn't help reduce pain and swelling, we advise that you immediately seek medical attention as the problem could be more serious and would require urgent treatment.
Elevation: Keeping your arm upright can help decrease pain and swelling since it reduces the blood flow going through your elbow.
Most doctors recommend that if you sustain an injury or if your elbow problem acts up, elevate your arm so that the pain doesn't get to an uncomfortable degree before you get it checked out.
Compression: Using products and things such as elbow compression sleeves that bind your arm perfectly and tightly enclose it help the most for elbow injuries and diseases.
Doctors recommend tightly binding your arm with an elastic bandage or a long piece of cloth to alleviate pain, improve blood circulation and keep the problem under check before it's looked at.
Tips for preventing elbow injuries
To preserve the health of your elbow, you need to make sure the joint does not sustain any injuries with long-term damages. Here are some things you can do to ensure that:
- Use walking sticks, especially while hiking
- Wear joint protection when doing dangerous physical activities like skiing
- Regularly work out (no overexertion)
- Take care of any minor elbow injuries
- Use your non-dominant hand to balance motion stress on both hands and elbows
- Seek medical advice on what else you can do
FAQs
Q: Do compression sleeves help with elbow muscle pain?
Compression sleeves not only relieve the stress and tension from your elbow, but they also provide it support, increase blood circulation, and help with recovery. They're also good for your elbow if you have chronic elbow pain.
Q: Are elbow wraps or sleeves better?
Elbow wraps are wraparounds that you can adjust according to your own comfort. Elbow sleeves are non-adjustable and come in different sizes which fit onto your elbow like a glove. So if you're looking for an adjustable option, go for elbow wraps, if not, go for elbow sleeves.
Q: Should I buy an elbow brace instead of an elbow sleeve?
Elbow braces help support your arm and help it move when it is otherwise difficult to do so. Elbow sleeves help with recovery and blood flow, while also providing support and relieving tension.
Final thoughts
Elbow compression sleeves are a great way to relieve your elbow pain and help with elbow-related medical issues such as elbow arthritis, golfer's elbow, tennis elbow, tendonitis, and many more. By now we hope you know which elbow compression sleeve you want for yourself. Good luck!