Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser Review: a Tool No Paddler Should Be Without
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Years ago when I was a climber, I ended up getting tendinitis in my elbows. It went away quickly with rehab, but showed up again later during a 560-mile kayaking trip. After the trip, the tendinitis went away with minor rehab, but I started noticing it again now and then. Then a couple of years ago on a 350-mile kayaking trip I had a major flare-up as a result of adjusting my paddling style to account for another injury. This time, the tendinitis didn’t go away easily. I took a full year of rehab exercises before I had any temporary relief from the pain. It took one more year of exercise until I was able to complete a 800-mile kayaking trip pain free — something that I never thought I’d experience again. One exercising tool that I used to get over the injury was the Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser.
About the Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser
The Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser comes in a lot of flavors, such as plain ole’ plastic, which is what I used, with lights, with a computer, with a special docking station to get it started and in metal (I want this one!), and they all work on the same concept. A gyroscope inside an outer ball spins and creates a random force that works all the muscles and tendons in your arm. There’s a lot of medical mumbo-jumbo about why this works, and if you want to learn about that you can find that info online, but regardless of the reasons, it does work. When combined with a program such as the one in Treat your Own Tennis Elbow
The hardest part of using the Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser is getting it going. It comes with a string that you wrap around inner gyroscope. You pull the string to get it started. After it’s going, you rotate your wrist in a figure 8 or circles to speed the ball up further. Once it’s going, it stays going as long as you continue to rotate your hand. I long ago lost the string, so instead of pulling a string, I pull the ball along a flat surface to get it going.
During exercise, it feels like the ball pulls your arm around and you have to fight against that pull.
My Experience
During my initial rehab, I didn’t really start noticing a constant reduction in pain until I added the Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser to my routine. I added it later in the routine, so I’m not positive that it was completely responsible, but it sure seems that way.
I still notice the pain now and then. When the pain comes back I just use the Dynaflex for five to 10 minutes a day for a week or so until the pain goes away. I plan on using the Dynaflex religiously again before the start of next years paddling season. I’m going to incorporate it into my exercise program three times a week for the three months prior to the start of the season.
At any rate, the Dynaflex helped me and was well worth the $25 I paid for it. If you worry about tendinitis, have tendinitis or suffer from a repetitive stress injury, I highly recommend trying the Dynaflex Gyro Exerciser (Of course, you should consult with your doctor before adding anything new to your workouts). It also helps to strengthen your forearms. Plus it’s fun.
A Few Other Afterthoughts For Kayakers or Canoeists Suffering from Tendinitis
A few other things that I think helped me (remember I’m not a doctor so talk to a real doctor before you try this) are Super B-Complex with Vitamin C
Bryan Hansel
Bryan Hansel is a freelance writer, award-winning photographer and a former American Canoe Association L4 Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor. His home port is on Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota. He also teaches photography workshops.
5 Comments
DonLW
I have had tennis elbow since August of this year, from repetitive paddling my kayak guiding multi-day trips. To complicate things, I got behind on putting up my firewood for the winter and so the tennis elbow didn’t have the chance to get better and a recurring problem that cropped up about 5 years ago that occurs in my hands by lifting heavy hardwood logs has kept me down in production of firewood so that now I am only able to work at the firewood for an hour or so each day, then take ibuprofen to avoid total incapacitation of my left elbow and both hands. Massaging of elbow and hands really helps to ease the pain until the ibuprofen kicks in. Rehab has helped some on my hands back a few years ago, but the elbow problem is a new problem that I hope your gyro exerciser might help.
Thanks so much for your PL site. You have taught this old horse some new tricks.
Bryan Hansel
I can’t emphasize using ice enough. Lots of ice to get the inflammation down. For me that helps more than ibuprofen. Good luck on fixing the problem.
Andrey Factor
I have one of these that i got for tennis elbow it is fantastic once you learn to use it. I have recommended it it to several friends with all sorts of strain related problems it works well for pinched nerve to.
Ron Wagner
Inflammation is a major mechanism of the body, that is behind tendonitis, fibromyalgia, and aches and pains of all kinds. Check out the RICE treatment – rest, ice, compression, and elevation. I am also trying out a grounding mat. Its use is based on the theory that negative ions help reduce inflammation.
It is $59.95 on Amazon, and comes with the book Earthing, which explains the theory behind it. Negative ions are used in submarines, burn wards, and space stations so it is worth looking into. A few years ago, I saw a special kayak paddle at Canoecopia that had offset handles where you hold on to the paddle. It was more radical than the minor offsets I have seen on other paddles. I don’t know if they are still available. They were designed to be easier on the wrists. Do you have any experience with that type of paddle?
Bryan Hansel
I’ve used bent shaft kayak paddles before, and I don’t really care for them. Instead, I keep a loose grip on a straight shaft which seems to do the same thing for me.