Fits a large-ish arm, is comfy, protects the elbow
No one would ever accuse me of having skinny arms--they're quite plump past the elbow--and this thing stretches to fit my chubby upper arm just fine. It's not binding, it stays in place, and best of all, it cushions my sore elbow really well. Time will tell, as I've only been wearing it about half a day, but so far, I'd give it an A+. If there are any changes, I'll update.<br /><br />UPDATE 5/5: As of today, I have been wearing my (what is it, Bird & Cronin?) mesh elbow sleeve/protector for a little over a week, and I really like it. To help you decide whether or not this is the right thing for your elbow issue, I've measured my arm in two places so you can compare with your own arm size; personally, I find reviews that provide this kind of info very helpful. So: just below the elbow, the circumference of my arm is 10-3/4&#34;. Just above the elbow, it's 11-3/4&#34;. The sleeve fits me comfortably with *plenty* of room to spare; the mesh is very stretchy. Seriously, it could stretch two more inches, maybe even 2-1/2&#34;.<br /><br />Something you may want to be aware of is that it does tend to slide down during the night while you're sleeping, but a strip of medical tape on either end easily prevents this. And if, unlike me, you don't squirm around in your sleep very much, it shouldn't be an issue at all.<br /><br />Conclusion: If you have contact dermatitis, a persistent rash, or any kind of minor cut or abrasion on your elbow and you're on the fence about this item, I recommend that you try it. My allergic rash (to a synthetic fabric in which I had encased a decorative bed pillow) had become increasingly irritated every day I left it uncovered, even though I had removed the offending allergen. The rash is now virtually gone, and I owe that healing to this garment as much to the hydrocortisone cream I used to treat it. We all lean on our elbows probably more than we realize--until we injure them in some way. After this experience, I'm convinced elbows don't heal especially well without some sort cushy covering; without that, you just keep reinjuring it. Of course, you could make a thing like this at home--I'm all for Do-It-Yourself, if you can make improvements without spending too much money or time. In this case, however, a homemade sleeve would probably not be much better functionally--and when you think of all the different bandaging products you'd have to buy to make it work, definitely not cheaper.
Rating: 5 stars