Tennis Elbow...

[Rip Rokken]

I've never experienced an injury that doesn't get better on its own before, but this is one of them. No, it's not from jacking off, lol... started after doing some inverted arm curls with a heavier weight. After a couple of months, I went to see a doctor thinking I may have knocked chip of bone out of my elbow somehow, but learned it was nothing more than tennis elbow. They gave me a cortisone shot which pretty much cleared it up within several days. Then, started working out again and the shit came straight back. I hate it with a passion.... any advice?

[Rick]

I've never experienced an injury that doesn't get better on its own before, but this is one of them. No, it's not from jacking off, lol... started after doing some inverted arm curls with a heavier weight. After a couple of months, I went to see a doctor thinking I may have knocked chip of bone out of my elbow somehow, but learned it was nothing more than tennis elbow. They gave me a cortisone shot which pretty much cleared it up within several days. Then, started working out again and the shit came straight back. I hate it with a passion.... any advice?

That's one of those injuries that is caused by repetition. First, stop jacking off. Second, heat and Ibuprofen are your friend here. Some say alternate ice and heat.

[Journey Mom]

I feel for you. I got the same thing from shoveling snow. Worst pain I can ever remember having. You're probably going to need another cortisone shot to quiet down the irritated tendon. I know - those damn shots hurt like hell in their own right. They had me go to Occupational therapy too. Helped some, but not much. It's been 3 years since it was so bad, and I still get flare ups if I do something stupid. It never really goes away. Lifting the weights isn't a good idea. Puts too much strain on that elbow. Are you dealing with an orthopedic doc for it? If not, find one that specializes in arms. In the meantime, ice your elbow right away after doing anything that might set it off, and let a bottle of Advil become your best friend.

[Rip Rokken]

I've never experienced an injury that doesn't get better on its own before, but this is one of them. No, it's not from jacking off, lol... started after doing some inverted arm curls with a heavier weight. After a couple of months, I went to see a doctor thinking I may have knocked chip of bone out of my elbow somehow, but learned it was nothing more than tennis elbow. They gave me a cortisone shot which pretty much cleared it up within several days. Then, started working out again and the shit came straight back. I hate it with a passion.... any advice?

That's one of those injuries that is caused by repetition. First, stop jacking off. Second, heat and Ibuprofen are your friend here. Some say alternate ice and heat.

Thanks, Rick - I actually got advice for icing it daily and a prescription for a supposedly really strong anti-inflamatory. Neither seems to be helping at all. Maybe I should try the heat, but I've never really understood the ice vs. heat benefit thing.

[slucero]

jack off with the arm that isn't hurting..

[Rick]

I've never experienced an injury that doesn't get better on its own before, but this is one of them. No, it's not from jacking off, lol... started after doing some inverted arm curls with a heavier weight. After a couple of months, I went to see a doctor thinking I may have knocked chip of bone out of my elbow somehow, but learned it was nothing more than tennis elbow. They gave me a cortisone shot which pretty much cleared it up within several days. Then, started working out again and the shit came straight back. I hate it with a passion.... any advice?

That's one of those injuries that is caused by repetition. First, stop jacking off. Second, heat and Ibuprofen are your friend here. Some say alternate ice and heat.

Thanks, Rick - I actually got advice for icing it daily and a prescription for a supposedly really strong anti-inflamatory. Neither seems to be helping at all. Maybe I should try the heat, but I've never really understood the ice vs. heat benefit thing.

Me either, but Debbie had a bad arm sprain recently, and she had a noted improvement with alternating the two.

[Rip Rokken]

I feel for you. I got the same thing from shoveling snow. Worst pain I can ever remember having. You're probably going to need another cortisone shot to quiet down the irritated tendon. I know - those damn shots hurt like hell in their own right. They had me go to Occupational therapy too. Helped some, but not much. It's been 3 years since it was so bad, and I still get flare ups if I do something stupid. It never really goes away. Lifting the weights isn't a good idea. Puts too much strain on that elbow. Are you dealing with an orthopedic doc for it? If not, find one that specializes in arms. In the meantime, ice your elbow right away after doing anything that might set it off, and let a bottle of Advil become your best friend.

I'm not dealing well with the reality of this 'injury'. I've hurt stuff before, but always found a way around the tough ones. Had a sharp pain once that used to get me right where my right arm met my pectoral muscle, and felt it when I bench pressed. Suffered that a couple of years before an occupational therapist told me it was nothing but a calcium buildup -- a deep tissue massage apparently broke it up and I haven't had pain there since.

This one is getting on my last nerve.

[Rip Rokken]

jack off with the arm that isn't hurting..

Noted...

[Peartree12249]

I had tennis elbow so bad from moving and lifting heavy boxes that I wouldn't even lift a glass of water it was so painful. Here's what my doctor told me to do. Go to the drug store and purchase a tennis elbow brace. It's a strip of material with a plastic pad about 2 inches wide with velcro that you wear just below your elbow. Wear it for a few weeks. You can also do some mild physical exercise with a theraband. While sitting, put one end under your foot and hold the other in your hand palm up and bend your arm to your shoulder. Do that for 20 reps Twice daily. Then repeat with your palm facing down. It works like a charm.

[Journey Mom]

How's the elbow doing?

[Seven Wishes2]

Lay off the inverse curls, reverse bench, and tricep extensions. Limit your range of motion so your ECRB has time to heal. Also, go light for a while. I've had this before and it took me anywhere from 2-6 weeks to get back to full strength. When it's one of my clients we modify form to prevent over-extension and look for higher rep counts. Also, ice it a couple of times a day and get yourself a moveable brace.

[AR]

I've never experienced an injury that doesn't get better on its own before, but this is one of them. No, it's not from jacking off, lol... started after doing some inverted arm curls with a heavier weight. After a couple of months, I went to see a doctor thinking I may have knocked chip of bone out of my elbow somehow, but learned it was nothing more than tennis elbow. They gave me a cortisone shot which pretty much cleared it up within several days. Then, started working out again and the shit came straight back. I hate it with a passion.... any advice?

Rip, I have a bad neck injury from continuing to play over 30 baseball at age 43. Sitting at a computer all day is not helping my neck and upper back either.

I can sometimes belch and feel it under my left shoulder blade. Doesn't hurt - just noticable and odd.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Gave myself tennis elbow from excessive dumbbell curls and daily push-ups. Required four months off from the gym and it still flares up every now and then. My advice is to do less weight and more reps, and switch from free weights to cable/Bowflex type stuff. I have also changed up my lifting routine to one day on/one day off. Tennis elbow is a bitch. You almost have to re-teach yourself how to lift because some moves are now impossible. Skullcrushers for tricep are def. out. I have also cut out bench press. I sympathize Rip.

[Rip Rokken]

How's the elbow doing?

No progress yet but I've been incredibly busy at work and haven't been doing what I need to do for it, either. Icing it now. Thanks very much to everyone for the advice, and I'll be trying those things very soon.

[Rip Rokken]

Lay off the inverse curls, reverse bench, and tricep extensions. Limit your range of motion so your ECRB has time to heal. Also, go light for a while. I've had this before and it took me anywhere from 2-6 weeks to get back to full strength. When it's one of my clients we modify form to prevent over-extension and look for higher rep counts. Also, ice it a couple of times a day and get yourself a moveable brace.

You're right on, man... I think those two are exactly what got me into this mess. I was really pushing it with both. I do have one of the little support straps they gave me, and wore it all day yesterday. Do they really help that much?

I notice the pain most if I hold my arm straight out while making a fist, then bend it upward at the wrist, and obviously any type of lifting in that direction is a real no-go. The first cortisone injection did exactly what he said it would do - made the pain worse for 2 days, then it rapidly seemed to clear up until I had no more pain. Apparently I wasn't actually healed, and went back to doing the same exercises (just with a bit more caution). Once it started to come back, I laid off those exercises, but it just kept gradually getting worse. I've read that cortisone injections can actually rupture the tendon over time, so I'd rather go without getting another one if possible. Thanks again very much for the advice.

[Journey Mom]

Straightening the arm and bending the wrist stretches out the tendon that's messed up. That's why it hurts so much when you do it. The physical therapist I worked with gave me a wrist guard with plastic inserts in it to keep my wrist from bending. That helped more than the elbow brace did. You can have up to 2 cortisone shots in the elbow safely. Anything more than that can cause problems. I still think you should go see an ortho that specializes in arms, but that may just be the mom in me coming out more than anything.

[Rip Rokken]

Straightening the arm and bending the wrist stretches out the tendon that's messed up. That's why it hurts so much when you do it. The physical therapist I worked with gave me a wrist guard with plastic inserts in it to keep my wrist from bending. That helped more than the elbow brace did. You can have up to 2 cortisone shots in the elbow safely. Anything more than that can cause problems. I still think you should go see an ortho that specializes in arms, but that may just be the mom in me coming out more than anything.

I do appreciate that -- luckily, the doctor I saw was exactly what you recommend - an ortho specializing in arms. They gave me some exercises to do that involved slowly stretching up and down at the wrist (but with a flat hand, not a fist). It doesn't seem to hurt when I do that, unlike with a fist. I have been icing a lot more, hoping it will help. Worst case, I'll go back for another cortisone injection and will keep in mind that I don't need more than 2. Thanks again - Rip

[hoagiepete]

Got tennis elbow from doing push ups of all things. Sucks getting old. Hurts like hell. I now do push ups on my fists. Seems to work.

Don't try lifting clothes on hangers off a rack with the affected arm. Holy crap.