Okay guys, I’ve suffered through my share of injuries. Recently herniated 3 discs in my neck, one in my low back, torn pecs, etc. But this one has been the most frustrating. I now have what I consider “tennis elbow” in my right elbow. No idea what brought this on.
Hurts like hell where the forearm extensors insert up near the elbow towards the lateral side. I can’t do any form of curls, can do back work with pain, etc. I mean it hurts like a mofo just to pick up a cup and take a drink! I’m currently using NSAIDS, 9g fish oil per day, glucosamine/msm, ice, stretching the forearms, and wearing one of those cheezy little tennis elbow straps when I workout, etc. Nothing seems to help. This has lingered for over 4 months now! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA.
Two things worked for me. Rest, ice and NSAIDs, and working the antagonist… In your case it sounds like some tricep pushdowns with a rope would be ideal. Rest first though.
Thanks for the advice guys.
Beebuddy: I failed to be specific in that it was my forearm extensors that hurt (near the insertions). No pain above the elbow involving the triceps.
As far as ART, unfortunately the closest practitioner is over 2 hrs away. I’d try anything right now, have considered therapeutic ultrasound, but haven’t found much info on it in terms of data or anectdotal evidence either.
I had the same problem too, what helped for me…
Rest and modify workout, I couldn’t curl for a long time but was able to do a hammer curl.
Stretch.
Do not grip a bar using your thumb.
Do forearm exercises to stenghthen muscle around the injury, I bought some “heavy grips”.
It took some time but it healed. I think I injured mine doing incline curls.?.
Similar injury history here, except 3 bad discs in the low back and 1 in the neck. My elbow tendonitis isn’t completely history, but I have seen 95% improvement from the following:
ICE. Wrap it tightly.
Some exercises from Pete Egoscue’s book Pain Free. Specifically, the elbow move that seemed to help dramatically is to stand against the wall, facing it and pigeon-toed, stretch up arms and rotate thumbs completely away from the body. Hold for 2 minutes, then move arms to 11 and 1 o’clock positions, then out to 9 and 3. Hard to describe. Get the book!
Rest, as in quit the offending movement. For me it seemed to be launching the ball for my dogs with a nifty device called Chuck-it. Sad for the dogs!
I have a similar problem. I bought one of those tennis elbow bracelets and wore it 24/7 for a couple weeks. You’ll be amazed at how pain free you’ll be with in on, with all those ligaments and tendons in your elbow inhibited. At that point, the inflamation will go away, and it can begin to heal.
Good thread, same problem here that’s lasted a long time.
Previously just in 1 arm but the Doc gave me NSAID drugs that seemed to help a lot.
however, the pain has returned in both arms and I don’t like NSAID’s.
Curls are completely off limits for me and a lot of other excercises aggravate the problem too (even military presses?)
I’ve had great results from ART in relieving my sinus headaches by rolling a rubber ball around on the back of my neck, so I think I’ll give ART a try on the forearms and see what happens.
It’s a pisser not being able to do chins, curls etc, no probs doing the tri’s though, that’s good.
Well good luck to you on this. Ive had golfers elbow (the inside part of the elbow) for the last 8 months. I tried NSAIDs, and they work fine temporarialy. I went to therapy for 9 weeks, didnt really do much. They did ultra sound, strengthening, stretching, and I cant remember what the other moduality was, but was something electronic with an anti-inflamitory drug.
At the same time was going to a pain clinic. The doc there did multi point anti-inflamitory injections, went through 4 series of this. Also at the same time was seeing an ART guy. He did the best of all of em for me.
I feel that doing Gironda dips is what caused my problem and have stopped them. I still have the inflamation and I feel like Im more or less on my own now. Once I get some money saved up I will go back to the ART guy if need be.
Hope yours works out better then mine has.
What helped me 3 years ago was acupuncture. It took three sessions two weeks apart each. didn’t really notice anything but, the pain subdued slowly and a week or so after the last session I was painfree. After that I have been using those Expand-Your-hand -rubberbands, that Ironmind sells.