elbow funk

[bird]

I tweaked my elbow about three weeks ago in the gym and haven't climbed since or done anything that would aggravate it very much and it is still messed up. The motion that hurts the worst is holding a forty-ounce bottle of Olde English out in front of me. Pulling straight down doesn't really hurt. I'm going to see an orthopedic specialist next week, but I just wanted to know if anyone has experience with this particular type of elbow injury and knows how long it takes to recover. Is my fate to become a post-holing mountain slogger or a 5.5 choss specialist this summer? Let me know.

[matt_warfield]

Sounds like elbow tendinitis. Mine hurt the worst when using my hands with the elbow bent. Shaking hands made me grimace. You'll have to rest it and try hard not to aggravate it in everyday life (i.e. try 12 oz. brews instead for awhile ) The surgeon probably will give you anti-inflammatories but if you don't get relief consider cortisone. But you have to rest it or it will get worse and perhaps chronic. Take care of it now and you should be climbing fine this summer. Good luck.

[catbirdseat]

Bird, meet klenke. Klenke, meet bird. Stefan, meet bird...

[Elevation]

Bird...

 

I'd agree that it sounds like elbow tendonitis. I've had similar problems in the past -- how did you injure it? My advice, beyond the ortho (which certainly can't hurt) would be to dose up on Ibuprofen (5, 2-3/day) and ice it a lot. Likely, though, you've been doing this. The other thing you can do is light weight, high repetition exercise for both the flexors and extensors. Use a can of soup or something. As long as you're working without pain, it'll help (assuming it's tendonitis). A little self-massage of the effected muscle/tendon might help too.

 

Good luck! Don't give up on your non-5.5 choss dreams!

[glassgowkiss]

no such thing as elbow tendonitis. you have either medial or lateral epicondylitis. both forearm flexors are and extensors have "common tendon". forearm flexors are on medial epicondylitis (the bony part of the inside of your elbow). your flexor digitorum profundus is also atached to the interosseus membrane between your radius and ulna. now where does it hurt- on the inside or the outside of your elbow? if inside you have an inflammation of the common tendon of forearm flexors. if it is on outside of your elbow, most likely you have an injury to your brachioradialis. while in pronation brachioradialis is one of the primary elbow flexors.

and if you are not a cheapskate you'll pay your $5 to vertical world and attent my workshop on monday at 7:30 pm. there you can have it looked at, i can also tell you what your options are as far as treatment and what to do to avoid it in the future.

[glassgowkiss]

Sounds like elbow tendinitis. Mine hurt the worst when using my hands with the elbow bent. Shaking hands made me grimace. You'll have to rest it and try hard not to aggravate it in everyday life (i.e. try 12 oz. brews instead for awhile ) The surgeon probably will give you anti-inflammatories but if you don't get relief consider cortisone. But you have to rest it or it will get worse and perhaps chronic. Take care of it now and you should be climbing fine this summer. Good luck.

translation. the surgeon will give you NSAIDs, so they can fuck up your liver and mask the symptoms. you'll start climbing and re-injure yourself, then they will give you cortisone shot and fuck it up forever and you'll never climb harder then 5.5. why not try ice, ice massage and some decent rehab program first? don't waste your time- go and see a pt or a chiropractor.

[icegirl]

there is also a nerve that runs over the condyle. Sometimes it is not wasting your time to go see a good orthopedic surgeon. Contrary to popular belief they are not in it just to operate. They can/will usually point you in the direction of a good PT. At least the ones I work with are not heavy into prescribing NAIDS or steriod shots. Tylenol effects the liver. Ibuprofin effects the stomach lining if you are already taking asprin or have a sensitive tummy. Make educated decisions.

 

Bob, sorry to not already know this, but are you a PT or chiropracter, you seem to be quite knowledgeable...

[skyclimb]

I sometimes have these pains in my left elbow. I have found that rest coupled with coupious amounts of water do the trick. The key is to keep the shit lubrucated.

[glassgowkiss]

the mentioned nerve is ulnar nerve. with inflammation and limmited space this nerve will be pressed by the common thendon of forearm flexors, hence the pain. decreasing the inflammation in the area will bring quick pain relief. honeslty for inflammation ice, elevation and MLD (manual lymphatic drainage) will bring quicker results then any pills. stay away from cortisone injections. they can lead to severe tissue degradation and not only in the area of injection.

somehow there is this belief, that we can fuck up and abuse our bodies and then pop a magic pill and keep doing what we are doing- wrong!.

but what do i know? i am just a massage therapist.

[fern]

 

I had elbow pains this winter while ice climbing and Bob poked them and told me some stretching and strengthening exercises to do, which I have done and had no elbow troubles since. That $5 clinic at Vertical World (Monday March 29th 7:30pm) sounds like a pretty good deal

[bird]

Hey, thanks for the input everyone. I think I'll check out that clinic tonight at VW. I'll probably still see the orthopedic surgeon later this week. I'll keep you posted on what I find out.

 

By the way the pain is on the outside of the elbow. Looking on the internet it looks like a tennis elbow injury. It happend working a boulder problem that required me to reach across and pinch something and then bring it close to my chest.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

The guy who wrote the article on Prolo and Meso therapies in the latest RockandIce also has a thing on general injury maintenance, which is located HERE (CLICKETY CLICK). There are a couple of articles, which were informative.

 

He recommends Bromelain as an anti-inflammatory, which DFA has had excellent success with as well. It is highly advisable that you research Bromelain thoroughly before just gulping it down though, as there is some practical and safety-related information out there. Try the PDR online (pdr.com or something? It's the Physician's Desk Reference, and it's searchable, very useful; lists drug interactions and general info).

 

Good luck; hopefully the thang heals up!