Issues with OHP; Need substitute

*Note: before I begin, I know how important the OHP is and I'm not simply trying to cut it because I'm lazy. I actually prefer it to the BP and don't like the idea of having to take it out*

I've been having continuous problems with the OHP in that it severely aggravates my distal bicep tendon and/or other muscle structures just past the elbow joint. PTs and doctors can't figure out what's going, but the closest I've gotten to a diagnosis was severe tendonitis at the insertion of the bicep, possible tendonosis and possible entrapment of "something" (gotta love the expertise here). There is also now a weird clicky noise when the elbow joint is fully flexed with the hand pronated, similar to a sound made with snapping hip syndrome.

I have identified that the issue stems from the eccentric portion of the OHP, which I assume puts extra stress on the bicep as it's lowered.

If anyone could give and recommendations to work around this issue or find a substitute, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Do you have a video of your squat you could post here?

Trigger points in the belly of the biceps can cause pain in the crease of the elbow, if that's where you're having pain. I'd work over the muscle with a lacrosse ball, using lots of pressure, and see if you can get some relief.

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Originally Posted by Dust Devil

Trigger points in the belly of the biceps can cause pain in the crease of the elbow, if that's where you're having pain. I'd work over the muscle with a lacrosse ball, using lots of pressure, and see if you can get some relief.

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What makes you think it's a trigger point? That would be pretty apparent and probably something he would have included in the post.

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Originally Posted by AndrewLewis

What makes you think it's a trigger point? That would be pretty apparent and probably something he would have included in the post.

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No, it wouldn't be apparent at all. Most people don't know about them, much less how to detect or eliminate them. Trigger points often cause pain at a different location from where the trigger point is located, as might be the case here.

As for why I think it might be a trigger point, I don't. I think it might be, and that's mainly a guess based on statistics. The vast majority of my own weird pains are relieved by assuming they're caused by trigger points and treating them as such, and I suspect the same is true for most people. PTs and orthos typically don't seem to know much about trigger points, which is why they never show up in diagnoses, matching the experience of the OP.

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Originally Posted by AndrewLewis

Do you have a video of your squat you could post here?

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I was going to ask about the squat too, before even finishing reading the whole post.

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Originally Posted by AndrewLewis

Do you have a video of your squat you could post here?

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No vids of recent squats. The ones I did have were deleted because I've been out for quite a while and currently starting from ground zero.

I also assumed my squat arm position was playing a role in the issue, so I ended up getting a transformer bar to see if it would help (and because it looked fun); irritation remained at the same level during eccentric portion pressing movements and the worst at the bottom of the OHP.

TLDR: no vids at this time, but even changing arm position for the squat did but reduce the pain/irritation during pressing

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Originally Posted by Dust Devil

No, it wouldn't be apparent at all. Most people don't know about them, much less how to detect or eliminate them. Trigger points often cause pain at a different location from where the trigger point is located, as might be the case here.

As for why I think it might be a trigger point, I don't. I think it might be, and that's mainly a guess based on statistics. The vast majority of my own weird pains are relieved by assuming they're caused by trigger points and treating them as such, and I suspect the same is true for most people. PTs and orthos typically don't seem to know much about trigger points, which is why they never show up in diagnoses, matching the experience of the OP.

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Im fully aware if trigger points (used to be a massage therapist with focused training in myofascial and basic clinical massage) and this is definitely not a trigger point. I did experience significant relief when compressing the insertion of the bicep tendon (where the pain originates/radiates from), which kind of spooked me because I thought it could have been a tendon tear, but ended up not being the case. All they did at my last visit was identify distal bicep tendonitis and indicate possibly tendonosis/degradation of the distal bicep tendon

So assuming that BB OHP are out, can anyone give any substitutes, or should I just focus on benching?

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Originally Posted by quentonium

So assuming that BB OHP are out, can anyone give any substitutes, or should I just focus on benching?

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I think focusing on the bench and maybe incline is what you'd have to do. Maybe some dumbbell presses if you can tolerate it.

However, I think you should explore being able to press more. Post to the "injuries" forum and see what those coaches think. I would guess it's a technique problem, but without seeing a squat and press video, I don't have anything particularly useful to say.