UKC

Whether you're recovering from an injury or hoping not to get one, this odd-looking self-massage device could be part of the answer, says Rob Greenwood

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In reply to UKC Gear:

Easily cured, I'd have thought.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Been using it now for two years, best training/rehab investment I have made.

Cured the long term nagging elbow problem in no time and since then try to use it after every climbing session. Even went as far as taking it abroad to help on a trip.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Does the Armaid have a CE mark (with a number?) If so what is it?

 

 

Just for a bit of balance, and this not intended as a dig at anyone, but I found it did nothing for me. Correct rehab from a physio (Julian Saunders via Skype) and plenty stretching was the only cure. Physio was pricey, about the same as the armaid, but more effective for me. 

 

Like i said, not intended as a dig, just honest review of a fairly expensive thing. I think there can be a danger of trying a very simplistic fix for a complex problem. There is no magic cure. So like rob says in the review, if you are actually injured, go to a physio. 

In reply to UKC Gear:

I've been using an Armaid for the past couple of months not due to a specific injury but because my forearms have become extremely tight from climbing indoors a lot. It certainly seems to get in to the tight muscles in a way that isn't usually possible and relieve some of that tightness. Hopefully this will help to prevent some future injury.

I also find it really useful for warming up for fingerboarding - it gets the blood flowing in your forearms so your fingers warm up more effectively and it also relieves some of the tightness that might hinder your session otherwise.

In reply to Theo Moore:

Theo, does the Armaid have a CE mark and a small number on it?

I has ask is this is linked to the manufacturers claims on what it should do.  Academic interests!

In reply to Theo Moore:

I have tennis elbow and intend to buy an Armaid massage tool. Which one would you recommend?

Thanks Chris.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Given that the 'normal' variant of this device allows for the ball units to be exchanged, why isn't the large single ball available as an add-on, rather than only as a entirely separate full unit?

I'd be interested in giving these things a try, but I am balking at having to buy two in order to experiment.

 

In reply to Rob Parsons:

I got mine from the European distributor in Sweden, and they do sell the orange ball as an accessory.

In reply to AlanLittle:

Ah, righto. The review's a little misleading/incomplete on that aspect then.

Thanks.

In reply to Rob Parsons:

I'm out at a trade show in Germany currently, hence the brief reply, but if you click on the BUY NOW link at the base of the page you'll see they're available for £16.95 from The Climbing Academy.

I'll get the article updated when I'm back, as I'll admit it could be clearer in this respect.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Ok thanks.

(What's available on that 'BUY NOW' link keeps changing, by the way. So that's added to the confusion.)

In reply to Rob Parsons:

I ordered the orange ball as well when I bought it, but have to say that after a year, the white balls still provide enough 'pain'

In reply to GDes:

Yep. I had tennis on one elbow and golfer's on the other and it was getting seriously painful and limiting, from a combo of climbing, weight training and farm work. I tried 'rest' ie. no climbing or weights for a few months = useless.

I followed Julian's directions for dumbbell lowering over my knee, negative reps only - very much avoiding any lifting of the dumbbell between reps by using the other hand to lift it - and the relief and improvement was almost magical. It immediately felt better, though crept back after a few hours. But I kept it up a for a few weeks, every day or every other day, a few reps each arm of 10 reps or so, and the condition soon improved and has been fine since.

I balked at the price of an Armaid (to import to Australia etc) but also because I'd found that hard massages and stretches felt good at the time and gave short relief but did nothing to actually fix the problem.

 

 

In reply to alx:

Sorry, missed this one before - still out in Germany. I'm back tomorrow and will have a look then. Sorry about the delay!

In reply to GDes:

Don't think those words could be taken as a dig: they're sound, intuitive, and come from experience. It's always good to get a bit of balance from other peoples experiences too.

Still, it's a shame that fixing yourself isn't as simple as buying a single product, or even seeing a single person...

Hope you're mended

In reply to Damo:

Glad you raised this point Damo as that was exactly what I was thinking. I wasted a lot of money when I was younger getting endless massage sessions when what I primarily needed was some basic eccentric strength training to resolve the underlying problems. I've had some equally good experiences with massage it has to be said, but with tendinopathy I've generally started with eccentric exercises and then sort massage as a secondary measure. Strong evidence in literature for eccentric exercises. A dumbbell set doesn't cost much as you say. I can appreciate this device is much cheaper than numerous massage sessions though. 

In reply to Damo:

Sorry, just realised that should be a few SETS of 10 reps each arm. I normally did around 10-12 reps with a 7kg dumbbell. This was a bit light in the end but the condition fixed itself before I could be bothered adding weight.

Also, I realise the treatments recommended are different for each condition - golfer's v tennis - and I did this mainly for the golfer's (inside elbow), but it seemed to help for both.