lateral epicondylitis

[buddy0329]

I injured my arm on a 12/24/17 training session and it hasn't been right since. Prior to then, I had a 10 day layoff following a family vacation. I had what felt like a great training session and picked up right where I left off. While on the last rep of my working set of deadlifts at 260lbs I remember either slightly losing my grip on my left hand or possibly turning my forearm(i know!) while using a double overhang grip. I remember some momentary pain but no pop. Over the next couple of days I didn't have any symptoms and thought I dodged a bullet.

Next workout on 12/27 I had reduced grip capability and failed on my 2nd rep of deadlifts at 265lbs.

Workout after that I backed off and deloaded my overhead press and deadlift but I had pain at 225lbs. I managed to complete all 5 reps.

I saw the orthopedic sports doc mid January and he told me to back off completely for 8-12 weeks thinking it was acute tennis elbow. I presented with those symptoms. I did icing, nsaids (ibuprofen & naproxen), tennis elbow straps and even the Flector nsaid topical patch (diclofenac).

My left forearm & elbow still feels lame. Add insult to injury, weeks after the left elbow injury, the right elbow spontaneously presented with tennis elbow symptoms as well, no known injury event on the right side.

I saw the doc again yesterday and he wants me to get an MRI on the left elbow and start physical therapy for both arms pending the MRI report. He thinks the right elbow symptoms are due to overuse. Right side is not as acute as the left side. I had right side tennis elbow about 15 years ago due to overuse and it eventually went away after more than a year of babying it and using a tennis elbow strap.

It's been 7 months now and it doesn't feel any better than after the first month. Assuming the MRI doesn't identify any tears, is PT the answer? More time?

[buddy0329]

FWIW I also tried stimulating the tendon & elbow area with a lacrosse ball.

[Ryan Arnold]

Kind of tough to figure out what's going on here. You said you injured it on a specific day? What were you doing?

[buddy0329]

Kind of tough to figure out what's going on here. You said you injured it on a specific day? What were you doing?

While on the last rep of my working set of deadlifts at 260lbs I remember either slightly losing my grip on my left hand or possibly turning my forearm(i know!) while using a double overhang grip. I remember some momentary pain but no pop.

Getting the MRI tonight to make sure we know what's going on and have a prescription for PT from the sports doc under the assumption it's epicondylitis. If the scan shows something else we'll go from there. Very frustrating turn of events after experiencing a very good progression on my LP.

[buddy0329]

MRI results came back in:

Partial tear of the common extensor tendon. I havent seen the report myself yet, but my doc used the terms "extensive" & "moderate". Wants me to go to PT 4 for weeks and then report back.

[Ryan Arnold]

I would ask one of our PT's about this before getting PT, as ridiculous as that sounds! John Petrizzo, Will Morris or Rebekah Cygan(sp?)

[buddy0329]

Full report text here:

Bone Marrow & Joint Space:
Satisfactory alignment. No evidence of acute fracture. No bone marrow signal abnormality is identified. Small amount of of joint fluid, likely within physiological limits. There is no evidence of articular cartilage loss.

Ligaments:
Ulnar/medial collateral ligament (MCL): Intact
Radial collateral ligament (RCL): The right collateral ligament is ill-defined and thickened proximally suspicious for tear at the humeral origin.
Lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL): Grossly intact

Tendons:
Common extensor origin: Thickening and increased signal of the origin of the common extensor consistent with marked tendinosis and partial tear. No evidence of tendon retraction or avulsion.
Common flexor/pronator origin: Intact

Muscles:
Bulk is maintained with normal signal

Cubital Tunnel:
The cubital tunnel and visualized ulnar nerves are unremarkable.

Other:
Nonspecific subcutaneous along the posterior elbow at the level of the olecranon.