Training around injuries

[wheresmybacon]

I have a nagging joint injury in/around my left elbow that makes it somewhat to very painful to train my biceps. Right now I'm of the do-what-doesn't-hurt school of thought, but I wanted to hear your collective "DO IT" or "REST IT" stories regarding training around injuries.

I clearly am not training my bis as much as my other groups right now, and it's because I can't. I want to, but pain is your body's way of telling you to stop...I've learned this the hard way so I'm not pushing anything. I guess it's sort of getting better, but it's taking a while.

So frustrating!!!

 

[themisfit610]

Stretch a lot and don't train it yet would be my advice. More information about the injury!

~Misfit

 

[wheresmybacon]

I visited my internist for something unrelated and mentioned the injury; I first injured it probably 3 years ago. He told me to rest it. Don't lift if it hurts. I'm basically doing that. It just sucks!

Basically, if I flex my left bicep, then rotate my forearm inward such that my thumb is moving from vertical to horizontal, I get a sharp pain inside my elbow that shoots from there down my whole forearm.

The worst part is this little part of my arm is used in stabilizing just about every lift I do.

The pain is bearable most of the time, I just hope I'm not making it worse.

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: hungfarover
I visited my internist for something unrelated and mentioned the injury; I first injured it probably 3 years ago. He told me to rest it. Don't lift if it hurts. I'm basically doing that. It just sucks!

Basically, if I flex my left bicep, then rotate my forearm inward such that my thumb is moving from vertical to horizontal, I get a sharp pain inside my elbow that shoots from there down my whole forearm.

The worst part is this little part of my arm is used in stabilizing just about every lift I do.

The pain is bearable most of the time, I just hope I'm not making it worse.

How much of a rest did you give it? If you stopped training your bicep, but kept doing other exercises that you admit use this arm for stabilization, you might be prolonging your recovery.

Have you stopped lifting entirely for a week or two, then tried again? How did it go when you did that? If you felt significantly better, but then it got progressively worse to the point that you were back where you started, I'd say take a break from lifting and heal.

Keep in mind I'm no doctor, this is just what I'd do if I were in your shoes. Though you did say your doctor basically said the same thing.

 

[jiggahertz]

Go to a doctor specializing in sports medicine or something of the sort to figure out what the injury is. The recommendation from the internest of resting is pretty useless if he didn't provide any further insight as to what's causing your pain.

 

[Pugnax]

Sounds like you might need an MRI. I messed up my shoulder from a friendly thanksgiving football game and took off two full weeks from lifting. When I came back, I was actually stronger (rest is good) and didn't have the shoulder pain. Semi-rest doesn't cut it.

And why are you so concerned with working out your biceps so much? Yes, I get the gun show performances for the ladies, but in reality, there are far better exercises with muscles you might actually use!

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: paulxcook

Originally posted by: hungfarover
I visited my internist for something unrelated and mentioned the injury; I first injured it probably 3 years ago. He told me to rest it. Don't lift if it hurts. I'm basically doing that. It just sucks!

Basically, if I flex my left bicep, then rotate my forearm inward such that my thumb is moving from vertical to horizontal, I get a sharp pain inside my elbow that shoots from there down my whole forearm.

The worst part is this little part of my arm is used in stabilizing just about every lift I do.

The pain is bearable most of the time, I just hope I'm not making it worse.

How much of a rest did you give it? If you stopped training your bicep, but kept doing other exercises that you admit use this arm for stabilization, you might be prolonging your recovery.

Have you stopped lifting entirely for a week or two, then tried again? How did it go when you did that? If you felt significantly better, but then it got progressively worse to the point that you were back where you started, I'd say take a break from lifting and heal.

Keep in mind I'm no doctor, this is just what I'd do if I were in your shoes. Though you did say your doctor basically said the same thing.

After I visited the doc I stopped lifting entirely and did only cardio for about 2 months. It got better. Then after a few months I tweaked it again. I honestly don't even remember how. I just woke up one day and could barely move my arm.

I lifted heavy chest/tri's last night and could definitely tell it's still an issue. Even on flat bench I can still feel it.

I'm just going to go to a sports med doc and see if I've torn something or what. I hate going to the doctor but it looks like I don't have much of a choice...

blargh

 

[LongTimePCUser]

Try the recommendations in this book.
Start reading about page 106.
Trigger Point Therapy Workbook

I had a "tennis elbow" problem that would not go away and kept getting worse when working out with weights. The treatment here produced immediate relief but had to be repeated for several weeks.

This is medically tested pain relief massage therapy. It is somewhat controversial. That means that most doctors don't know about it.

 

[purbeast0]

i thought that my lower back was pretty much fine now, and although I don't do squats/deadlifts still because it didn't feel quite that ready yet, I tried to do bent over rows yesterday.

needless to say I re-activated my back injury

it wasn't full fledged screwed up, but i got this really sharp coldness to my lower back and when i moved i could feel that same type of pain before. luckily i caught it before it got real bad.

today it's bugging me and i plan on doing chest/tri's today since i don't stress my lower back at all, but i'm hoping it'll be completely fine come next week.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

Sounds like a bit of tendinitis/tennis elbow. It's just going to get worse if you keep hassling it. Better to just go to a physical therapist, they'll know what to do, it is their specialty.