Elbow Problems During Presses

I just got back in the gym from a wrist injury and I was doing dumbbell shoulder press and my left elbow felt like it was going to pop so I couldnt fully extend at the top. I have this problem with both elbows on certain days. Someone said it was clicking joints. Im afraid my elbows going to snap/pop out of place in the middle of a rep and I dont want that to happen. I also dont bench press because of this I usually use DBs.

Would elbow wraps solve/help my problem? Also what elbow wraps would you recommend? Id need 2 elbow wraps not too expensive. Any advice will be appreciated! Thanks.

[quote]PJDUNN wrote:
I just got back in the gym from a wrist injury and I was doing dumbbell shoulder press and my left elbow felt like it was going to pop so I couldnt fully extend at the top. I have this problem with both elbows on certain days. Someone said it was clicking joints. Im afraid my elbows going to snap/pop out of place in the middle of a rep and I dont want that to happen. I also dont bench press because of this I usually use DBs.

Would elbow wraps solve/help my problem? Also what elbow wraps would you recommend? Id need 2 elbow wraps not too expensive. Any advice will be appreciated! Thanks.[/quote]

Do you usually supinate your hand while on the bottom part of the lift? I’m asking because this change in the movement pattern solved most of my elbow pain issues when using dumbbells. What I mean is, I try to use the same pattern I’d use when I throw a punch, supinate on the way down, pronate on the way up, basically you start the lift from the bottom with your thumb facing you, and you progressively rotate outwards on the way up.

Not only it does create less impingement of the shoulder joint, it also helps you keeping straining forces away from the elbow joint at the most critical moment of the push. I’m saying this because maybe you’re using dumbbells with a path that is too similar to the one you had on the bench, hence running into the same issues you had there.

One would think that this way you take pressure away from the pec muscle, but in reality the feel of reduced pressure you have just comes from using a more anatomic pattern/less internal friction. Just a hint, if you’re doing this disregard. Whatever that is sleeves can’t be bad for you, just don’t use very tight ones. I’d pick a pair of rehbands, not exactly cheap but will last you long and are very well made, they just fit like a glove.

dezer7 is correct in my opinion.
I had elbow and shoulder issues with strairbar and a forced mouvement pattern.
In martial arts a short punch rotates 90 degrees, a medium 180, a long punch a bit more.
In our librairy there is a video about the arnold press wich might help you.
Using rings and dumbbells plus avoiding friction by rotating naturally is great for joints.
Just long sleeves and a warmup will probably be ok when you stop imposing a pattern that is irritating.

We are all a bit different so it is up to you to find your groove.
After some rest i would use light weights and do 3 sets of 30 to grease the groove of some new patterns.
All the best!