inside of arms/elbows get strained

[Bill_Simpkins]

The inside of my elbows get strained sometimes. It is a broad achy feeling on the inside of my arm that renders me weak. This happens a couple times a year and puts me out of the game for about a week or two. It usually happens after a day of strenuous routes. Doing curls with light weights (25 lbs) and that seems to help a little, but it still happens. I also warm up and stretch pretty good. Any suggestions? Does this happen to anyone else?

Thanks

 

[ 11-17-2002, 11:50 PM: Message edited by: Bill Simpkins ]

[Jim]

Sounds familiar. I had (continue to have) bouts of this, diagnosed as tendinitis. The one suggestion that seemed to help is to do curls with a varying wrist angle, wrist down instead of up (reverse curls), and to the side (inside) instead of up. It was explained to me as an over use and muscle balance thing. Avoiding pullups in the gym and saving it for the real thing also helps. I also found that adding swimming once a week has help the muscle balance thing.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Thanks Jim,

If it could be tendontis, I wonder if large amounts of Vitamin B12 would work. I used to get it in my hands from playing too much guitar and the B12 got rid of it. Thanks for the input, I never considered that possiblility until now.

 

[ 11-18-2002, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Bill Simpkins ]

[Cpt.Caveman]

I have had tendonitis a few times. The only remedy for me seemed to be stretch stretch stretch and also not to climb or use the muscles effected too many days in a row at a strenuous rate. Rest days every now and then will help. Often when I am more fit and climbing better it can be more difficult to know how hard I am stressing my muscles. Thus it was harder for me to tell when I needed to take it easy. Just some thoughts.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Dr. Flash Amazing will second the recommendations for rest, and add to that ice after your workout. The stuff is great for keeping aggravating inflammation in check. OTC anti-inflammatories like Vitamin I (that's ibuprofen, e.g. Advil) or naproxen sodium (e.g. Aleve) also help. And work those antagonist muscles. As you noted, reverse curls were helpful; perhaps some presses or other pushing-type exercises would be additionally useful, especially if it's a muscle imbalance thing. Oh, and drink lots of water to keep that blood flowing and keep those tendons nice and supple.

[Jim]

Bill,

 

Maybe it just those manky bar chords your working with.