If it doesn't hurt when I lift, can I be hurting anything?

[dsiomtw]

So I've got this nagging elbow problem. Thought it was maybe an issue with my squats but I widened my grip some and have been making sure my wrists are straight with hands on top of the bar, etc. but it hasn't really made a difference.

At this point I honestly don't know which lift(s) caused and/or aggravate it, but it's been lingering for a few months now and it's starting to piss me off. Anyway, here's my question ...

If it never hurts while actually lifting, does that mean it's fine to keep lifting or could I still be doing more damage even though it doesn't hurt?

Unless I can just train right through this, my plan is to take this entire week off and do a 5-day Vitamin I protocol, then come back next monday with just squats and then see how it feels the next day. If it doesn't ache I'll add 1 lift at a time in the hopes of figuring out which one is causing the problem.

At this point it's not really getting any worse but it's not getting any better. Some days it aches more than others. I've tried just about everything (RICE, ART, flossing, lots of chin ups, etc) at this point and not sure where to go from here...

[Tiburon]

What's the elbow problem?

[dsiomtw]

Started out feeling like normal tennis elbow, then it started hurting more near/on the actual bones on the outside of the elbow, and now lately it occasionally aches on the inside as well like golfer's elbow. I don't know if it's radiating from one specific spot or if it's all just a general "overuse" issue.

There's definitely a "tennis elbow" component to it though because doing a lateral raise with even a 10lb db is about the only thing that actually makes it hurt, and it hurts in the "normal" tennis elbow area. (I don't actually do this, was just testing various movements)

I'm hoping that it's all just a general "overuse" issue. I have very small arms for someone who squats and DL's around 380, benches 250, and presses close to 200lbs. I've never done a bicep curl in my life, and only recently started seriously doing chins and LTEs. I'm thinking that maybe my arms/elbows are just too wimpy for the overall weights I've worked up to over the past year ...

[dsiomtw]

I just posted it the other day in another thread. Here's my latest update. Programming is right near the top:

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ml#post1224464

Thanks for your help!

[Tom K]

Sounds like tendinitis to me. Ibuprofen protocol, mash the tendons on off days, work through the pain with good form.

[Adam Skillin]

Sounds like tendinitis to me. Ibuprofen protocol, mash the tendons on off days, work through the pain with good form.

Also: Chinups and more chinups. And chinups and chinups. Curls too, but chinups.

Or is it chin-ups? What's the correct spelling?

I like to call them chin-em-ups, but that's definitely uncorrect.

[dsiomtw]

Thanks guys. That was kinda my thinking and I recently started doing a lot of chins, but honestly I want to say it's worse the past week and I was wondering if the chins were the reason. Hopefully just a coincidence. I was planning on taking the week off but since you guys are all saying the same thing I'll keep at it and just try to be as diligent as possible from all angles. Thanks!

[Mugaaz]

When I started chins to fix my tendinitis, it did get worse during the first week. After that, it went away.

[Adam Skillin]

When I started chins to fix my tendinitis, it did get worse during the first week. After that, it went away.

Yep.

[dsiomtw]

Perfect, hopefully it'll be the same for me then. Thanks guys!