Cubital tunnel syndrome surgery question.....?

Anyone out there have the surgery on their elbow? Did it help? I don`t want the surgery if it is not worth it. My hand is to the point of muscle wasting. And the pain is severe at times. How long is the recovery? I have to ocasionly restrain clients on my job so I need a hand that works. I know physical therapy would be needed afterwards but how long is a person generally out of work?

If conservative treatment is successful, you may see improvement in four to six weeks. You may need to continue wearing your elbow pad or splint at night to control symptoms. Try to do your activities using healthy body and wrist alignment. Limit repeated motions of the arm and hand, and avoid positions and activities where the elbow is held in a bent position.

Recovery after elbow surgery depends on the procedure used by your surgeon. If you only had the medial epicondyle removed, you'll have a soft bandage wrapped over your elbow after surgery. Therapy can progress quickly after this type of surgery. Treatments start out with range-of-motion exercises and gradually work into active stretching and strengthening. You just need to be careful to avoid doing too much, too quickly.

Therapy goes slower after ulnar nerve transposition surgery. You could require therapy for three months. This is because the flexor muscles had to be sewn together to form the new tunnel. Your elbow will be placed in a splint and wrapped in bulky dressing, and your elbow will be immobilized for three weeks.

When the splint is removed, therapy will begin with passive movements. In passive exercises, your elbow is moved, but your muscles stay relaxed. Your therapist gently moves your arm and gradually stretches your wrist and elbow. You may be taught how to do passive exercises at home.

Active therapy starts six weeks after surgery. You begin to use your own muscle power in active range-of-motion exercises. Light isometric strengthening exercises are started. You may begin careful strengthening of your hand and forearm by squeezing and stretching special putty. These exercises work the muscles without straining the healing tissues.

At about eight weeks, you'll start doing more active strengthening. Your therapist will give you exercises to help strengthen and stabilize the muscles and joints in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Other exercises are used to improve fine motor control and dexterity of the hand.

Some of the exercises you'll do are designed get your elbow working in ways that are similar to your work tasks and sport activities. Your therapist will help you find ways to do your tasks that don't put too much stress on your elbow. Before your therapy sessions end, your therapist will teach you a number of ways to avoid future problems.

i had surgery on both elbows its not as bad as a thought
been out of work since oct 26 first surgery
think im going back jan 8th
had cubital tunnel and tennis and carpal tunnel in both arms too
good luck with your surgery also Report It

let me know..I just had my 3rd injection of Kenelog...my next option is the surgery. Yikes!

i think you mean carpal tunnel. if so i also have it . it is caused by repetative motion in the wrist. i type a lot at my job. my brother, brother in law, and mother all have it and all have had the surgery. my mom's took well with no more problems, but she is retired now. both my brother and in law still have problems and my brothers doc said its really not helped him. i think its because they are back at work now for some time doing the same thing and so it just got worse again.

I knew someone who had it done on both hands and it made her hands worse, so bad matter of fact she can't use them . I don't think she can even write NOW, she had to get on SSS. REALLY SAD STORY

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