Tennis Elbow and Pin Firing

[Torsten Bauer]

Hi Mark,

recently I have developed a relatively severe form of lateral epycondylitis (tennis elbow). I would like to try out your suggested healing method called pin firing. On the board and in the askrip video you mention chins as the exercie of choice to pin fire the surrounding structures of the forearm.

Since chins only heart me slightly at the bottom position could it be smart to use exercises that really hurt my tennis elbow area instead? Especially the negative part of the press/bench press set my elbows literally on fire. So should I rather perform like 10 sets of 10 repsof presses with a lighter weight instead of chins?

Thanks in advance!

[Mark Rippetoe]

Are you uncertain, Heisenberg? Use the chins.

[Torsten Bauer]

Thanks Mark,

I started the process today with 20 sets of chins and a total of over 70 reps. As you recommended I kept the rest betwenn sets short (1-2 min.).

Just one more question, please. Since my epycondylitis does not bother me during squats and deadlifts I plan to train these lifts as usual. Monday will be my volume day for squats.

My question is whether I could begin my chin work during the squat warm up (and get about 25 reps in) interrupt while fully focusing on my hard 5 sets of 5 squats and afterwards perfrom another 50 reps of chins? This would save me about 20 minutes of an, in other respect, very long training session.

I am concered about the rather long break of approx. 50 min. between my first block of chins and my second one. Might the long rest period blur the firing effect and thus compromise the healing process?

Many thanks

[jmatney]

I have tried just about everything to get some relief from my golfer's elbow. Rest, ice, eccentric loading, Armaid, NSAIDs, ignoring it. I've found rest and ice to be the worst things for it. NSAIDs seem to be ineffective. Best thing so far has been Armaid and eccentric loading with a 2.5 lb plate on a broomstick cut to about 3'. Biggest thing was understanding the injury not as inflammation, but deterioration. Tendinitis vs. tendinosis (or tendinpathy as they call it now).

This pin firing idea is probably the most novel thing I've heard for this type of injury. Most any doctor or PT is just gonna say "RICE & ibuprofen", but the pin firing method takes into account the lack of inflammation actually being a big part of the problem.

Didn't mean to hijack this, but I am assuming the same types of treatments are applicable to both medial and lateral.

Thanks, I'm going to try this.

[Brodie Butland]

Are you uncertain, Heisenberg? Use the chins.

Of course. He is the one who knocks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Might the long rest period blur the firing effect and thus compromise the healing process?

I don't know. I am uncertain.

[mrflibble]

Didn't mean to hijack this, but I am assuming the same types of treatments are applicable to both medial and lateral.

Golfer's is nasty. Similar treatments can sometimes work for both not necessarily.

I had a lingering case of it for about 6 months that ended a year ago. I took no time off lifting at all, but couldn't chin without increasing pain rep to rep and set to set. Intermittent pain in every day life (washing hands, drying after shower, etc)

Swapped chins out for narrow grip pull ups which were pretty much fine. Didn't help, but didn't make it worse. Started adding chins when I could but it still felt fragile until I started 20x5 chins twice a week. 3 weeks later the golfer's was gone like I had never had it.

[jmatney]

Golfer's is nasty. Similar treatments can sometimes work for both not necessarily.

I had a lingering case of it for about 6 months that ended a year ago. I took no time off lifting at all, but couldn't chin without increasing pain rep to rep and set to set. Intermittent pain in every day life (washing hands, drying after shower, etc)

Swapped chins out for narrow grip pull ups which were pretty much fine. Didn't help, but didn't make it worse. Started adding chins when I could but it still felt fragile until I started 20x5 chins twice a week. 3 weeks later the golfer's was gone like I had never had it.

Yeah I've been dealing with mine since February, brought on by hand grippers.

Lifting is still fine for the most part, benching occasionally fires it up right there on the spot, but pulls are unaffected. I've definitely taken it easy on the gripper training lately.

Work hasn't been affected in any significant way. The pain is at its worst when I bend conduit with a hand bender. That specific position and movement is the worst of it. It doesn't hurt bad enough to where I can't do my job.

Thanks

[Brodie Butland]

I don't know. I am uncertain.

Say his name. But it's best that you tread lightly.

[blandrick]

Thanks Mark,

I started the process today with 20 sets of chins and a total of over 70 reps. As you recommended I kept the rest betwenn sets short (1-2 min.).

Just one more question, please. Since my epycondylitis does not bother me during squats and deadlifts I plan to train these lifts as usual. Monday will be my volume day for squats.

My question is whether I could begin my chin work during the squat warm up (and get about 25 reps in) interrupt while fully focusing on my hard 5 sets of 5 squats and afterwards perfrom another 50 reps of chins? This would save me about 20 minutes of an, in other respect, very long training session.

I am concered about the rather long break of approx. 50 min. between my first block of chins and my second one. Might the long rest period blur the firing effect and thus compromise the healing process?

Many thanks

Is it possible for you to arrange a way to chin at home? This would allow you to keep your regular workout short, and do the chins some other time in the day. If you already train at home, could you simply do the chins at a different time? I would hazard a guess that you may be able to accomplish a few more chins if you're not doing them directly after volume day squats.