nagging elbow tendonitis from lifting

[Special K]

start doing some general tricep stretches (shoulder flexed, then elbow flexed). Don't stretch if it's uncomfortable - it should just feel like a light stretch - about 3 on a scale of 10 on the scale of discomfort.

Do you have a link to those two stretches? Here is the only tricep stretch I am familiar with:

http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/Triceps/Overhead.html

Is that one of the two you mentioned?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Do you have a link to those two stretches? Here is the only tricep stretch I am familiar with:

http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/Triceps/Overhead.html

Is that one of the two you mentioned?

Actually, the positions I mention are the positions for one stretch. Since the triceps cross both the shoulder and the elbow, you have to lengthen it across both. You do that by flexing the shoulder and flexing the elbow. The link that you provided is the stretch that I was talking about.

How is it feeling this week? Any better?

 

[Whisper]

I've had tendinitis-ish pain that'll pop up if I overwork (e.g., work out heavier, longer, and with less rest than normal, do a ORM competition, etc.), and the sets of advice SC and Macleod are mentioning have both worked for me. Working through the injury did not.

I still should get better about stretching and warming up, particularly with my triceps as they and my elbows will give me some pain between my first and second sets of skullcrushers, but I've been too lazy and stubborn to do so. Sigh.

 

[Muse]

I have heard the same from many physical trainers. And makes good sense since machines are easier on joints.

I'd think machines are easier on the joints, for one thing because you don't have to correct for random movement of free weights.

In my case (I'm 68!), I've had joint issues sometimes better sometimes worse for years. The term would have to be "chronic" but it does vary a lot, which gives me hope, of course. I really should try some of the stretches and special exercises. I was shown a few but haven't been doing them. Hey, when the pain goes away I forget about it. Pain's funny that way, and like my nephew said "it's always something," or maybe I said that. Thing is, if you aren't in pain you push it until you are, well I'm like that. If I had no pain issues I'd continue to pile on the sets and weight. I'd do that until I had issues and I'd have to back off. To avoid issues, you have to be basically fit and you have to train smart.

Lee Haney, 8 consecutive Mr. Olympias, used to say that he learned a lot from the older guys about protecting his joints, how crucial that is. Guys like Albert Beckles, who at 59 had a massive physique (a magazine I saw). Haney also said that body building was 85% about nutrition. I don't think I've gotten my head around that one.

I think one of the techniques is to not go too heavy too much. In my case, my chief strategy (like I said I think I should do more stretching and special exercises) is to go light and do a lot of reps. The only exercise I'm doing right now that I don't do at least 15 reps (I usually do 30 or more!), is my chinups. I'm doing 10 full clean chinups now, I max it out. I do a pretty maxed out set of curls with a curl bar at the end of my workout, 15 reps. Oh, and I'm taking Glucosamine, not sure it helps but WTH.

 

[Special K]

Actually, the positions I mention are the positions for one stretch. Since the triceps cross both the shoulder and the elbow, you have to lengthen it across both. You do that by flexing the shoulder and flexing the elbow. The link that you provided is the stretch that I was talking about.

How is it feeling this week? Any better?

Hey SC, I just wanted to check in with an update. The first thing I noticed is that once I dropped the heavy weights and started doing sets of 10-15 reps with lighter weight, the discomfort in my elbow during times when I'm not lifting immediately went away. I had to back off a little bit more on the weight as I was still noticing some discomfort there, but I am able to do higher rep military press and bench with a weight that doesn't cause any discomfort.

I also do the one arm DB skull crushers. How often should I do those? Normally I only do direct tricep exercises once per week, but if you are rehabbing an injury should you do the lift more often? I recall from a previous post of yours in one of my threads that you recommended high rep ab work 3x/week to rehab a previously pulled abdominal muscle.

I re-read your post and realized I also need to add the tricep foam rolling.

 

[tpaddick]

I have had a nagging tendonitis of right elbow for sometime. Just recently, I developed severe pain. I cannot bend my arm fully enough to touch my right hand to the top of my shoulder and the pain is really on the inside of my arm, actually opposite the elbow. I dont know if I aggravated it lifting weights or what happened. Has anyone experienced the sudden change from nagging to moderate/severe pain. I dont really recall hurting it while lifting, but I have been lifting weights, 2-3 times a week.

 

[Muse]

My elbows are an off again on again issue. They haven't stopped me from doing my routine every other day in the weight room.

Just today I picked up my ~5 lb. laptop with my left hand and ouch!!! Very sharp pain at the wrist where the base of the thumb meets the wrist. I've had an issue in that area for some time. I'm thinking maybe I should put off today's workout until tomorrow. Obviously something's wrong in there, I should be able to pick up a 5 lb. object with my hand without excruciating pain! I'm wondering if I'm a candidate for surgery.

I also do the one arm DB skull crushers. How often should I do those? Normally I only do direct tricep exercises once per week, but if you are rehabbing an injury should you do the lift more often? I recall from a previous post of yours in one of my threads that you recommended high rep ab work 3x/week to rehab a previously pulled abdominal muscle.

I do those, two separate DBs, both arms simultaneously, but use a light enough weight where I can do 30 reps. I do two sets during my choreographed routine. Later in the routine I do a set with heavier weight with one DB, also 30 reps.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I have had a nagging tendonitis of right elbow for sometime. Just recently, I developed severe pain. I cannot bend my arm fully enough to touch my right hand to the top of my shoulder and the pain is really on the inside of my arm, actually opposite the elbow. I dont know if I aggravated it lifting weights or what happened. Has anyone experienced the sudden change from nagging to moderate/severe pain. I dont really recall hurting it while lifting, but I have been lifting weights, 2-3 times a week.

Could be several things - not necessarily tendinitis. Could be distal biceps tendonitis, elbow joint dysfunction, or (if it hurts with wrist movement as well) wrist flexor or extensor strain. If it's bothering you, go to a doctor and get a prescription for PT. The pain should decrease in 3-7 days and you should be able to starting loading it again lightly soon thereafter. The key word there is LIGHTLY. It takes time and slow increase of resistance for stuff to heal properly.

 

[ultraspec]

One thing I read about when I was having elbow pain when lifting was to try a sauna to warm up before ANY lifting. I started doing that for 10 mins before lifting and had a lot less pain, I also combined it with glucosine and chronditron(sp) which seemed to help a little.

Im not a doctor obviously but those two things helped me to be without any pain or stiffness...