Another painful elbow question

[caveman]

I did search and found a cajillion threads talking about golfer's elbow and tennis elbow, but when my elbow hurts it is generally not from lifting, so I thought I would ask if there are some other exercises stretches to help me bullet proof this area.

Here are some triggers that usually cause the discomfort: throwing skipping stones (not an afternoon's worth, more like 2-3 and my elbow starts to hurt), doing the ab wheel, putting hose fittings on a hose (a similar motion to plugging an air tool into a pressurized quick release compressed air line), etc...

I'd say the pain is more like a golfer's elbow type of pain. Ice, ibuprofen, and rest do a fine job of clearing it up.

I've tried to combat the onset of pain by doing bodyweight chin ups (supinated) 3 sets to failure on Mondays. On Fridays I do bodyweight pull ups (pronated) 4-5 sets of 5'ish depending on what I do with the rest times. I do one set of 10 barbell curls with an unloaded barbell to warm up. I don't do chins/pull ups weighted anymore as that seemed to cause problems after a couple of weeks. My supinated grip is narrow, like 6 inches between pinkies, my pull up grip is much wider, something like just outside shoulder width. These grip widths were chosen because they are the most comfortable.

I personally think some stretching would help because if I hold my arm out straight in front of me and try to rotate my palm towards the ceiling, I can barely get the palm to parallel for either hand. I've just begun experimenting with some stretches to help improve that mobility. But I thought asking those more intelligent than me was worth the effort.

[George_H]

Tennis elbow is on the outside of the elbow knuckle and golfer's (aka thrower's) elbow is on the inside.
I've had some experience with golfer's elbow thanks to having a warehouse job years ago picking up 150 lb. monitors. It took years to get over it but it is possible. I thought I would have this tendinitis for life. I pretty much avoided exercises that caused me pain in that area and when it did hurt, I put ice on it.

I am pain free now and can do just about any exercise without pain. To help maintain I use a foam roller. I put the roller on the floor, get down on my knees and roll the inside of my elbow back and forth over the roller. Works great. I also do it for the front deltoids when they're sore.

good luck with that.

[Greg Esres]

There are four stretches that are usually recommended: forearm pronation, supination, inner and outer rotation. You can Google on those.

I regularly do those stretches; in addition to that, I've found wrist curls helpful; after about 4 sessions, my Golfer's elbow healed up enough to not be a problem with my other lifts. Also, massaging any trigger points with a lacrosse ball in the upper arm can't hurt. Ok, it will hurt like hell, but it make remove any other cause of elbow pain.

[caveman]

Thanks guys. I will do some googling and hope for the best. I'm backwards in that all of my lifts feel fine, it's applying that strength to everyday situations that is causing me problems. I think doing those stretches will really help out and I'll add back the wrist rollers or wrist curls to strengthen that area in general. I brought a lacrosse ball to work and will try doing some rolling when on the 'puter.

[JohnRoman]

It will probably get worse before it gets better. Try to determine what exercises/things agitate it and lighten up on those. For instance, if curls are getting you, lighten the weight, increase reps and slow the cadence.

Some things got to me that I would have never thought of. Like my arms curling up when I was asleep. I think once I got tendonitis this was the #1 culprit that kept them inflamed. Trying to learn to sleep with your arms straight might not be fun but it will help. Reversed knee pads on the elbows if you have to.

In the middle of a workout if it really starts bothering me I take a 5# DB in each hand and rotate my hand CW then CCW as far as I can for maybe 5 reps. This is just a temporary pain relief, like using the bike inter-tube, but it often gives quite a bit of relief. It will get you some funny looks but when the tendonitis gets bad enough you will be surprised at what you would do to make it go away.

[Greg Esres]

I brought a lacrosse ball to work and will try doing some rolling when on the 'puter.

If you can do that while working on the computer, you're not doing it right. You generally need to lean against a wall, with the ball between you and the wall. You need a lot of force and the weight of your body is the easiest way to generate it. It's gotta hurt.

[caveman]

In the middle of a workout if it really starts bothering me I take a 5# DB in each hand and rotate my hand CW then CCW as far as I can for maybe 5 reps. This is just a temporary pain relief, like using the bike inter-tube, but it often gives quite a bit of relief. It will get you some funny looks but when the tendonitis gets bad enough you will be surprised at what you would do to make it go away.

Thanks for this tidbit. I remember someone telling me about this ages ago and forgot about it. I did this after my workout yesterday and then again about every 3rd frame with a bowling ball that evening. I shot 300 my first game! Not only was I able to stay behind the ball better, but I didn't experience any tendinitis related discomfort for the set. My arm also feels better today than it has in the last couple of days. Wins on all fronts.

[veryhrm]

You bowled a 300 game? ten pin?

For me, chins, curls and wrist curls didn't seem to do anything. Maybe they kept it from getting worse? I don't know. What helped was to use straps on my deadlifts, even though my elbows were pretty ok during deadlifts. Still that also didn't cure anything. I've been on a break from lifting and after about 3 months things got better. Haven't started up again yet, but i do chins occasionally and some other stuff and the elbows are much better though still not 100%

Also, i would ditch the ab-wheel. I tried doing a rep of that when the golf elbow and it caused considerably more pain than anything else. Consider a plank progression instead ? Maybe even w/ some weights?

(i'm going to have to try the 5lbs dumbell spinning thing )

[caveman]

You bowled a 300 game? ten pin?

Yup! 3rd won ever and first one post starting strength.

Sadly, I haven't used the ab wheel for quite some time because it does seem to be a trigger for problems. Too bad, because I really do like that exercise. I have some ideas to change the grips around that I think should cause less elbow stress, but just not enough time to fool with it. Instead I've been laying on my back and touching my toes with my hands up over my body. Probably not ideal, but definitely better than nothing.

[veryhrm]

You've bowled 3 300s? Congratulations! I'm not much of a bowler (as in i've bowled 10 or 20 times and i don't always break 100), but i understand that's quite a feat. When i was growing up my friend's dad got his picture in the local paper (there were balloons and such) for doing it in just the local league.

Back to the elbows, i forgot to mention that 2nd to the ab-wheel in causing me pain were the low bar back squats. I had to ditch them eventually for some front squats. I'm going to try the LBBS again, but possibly w/ a safety squat bar or some appropriate handles... don't know.

As to the abs: i'll re-recommend planks front and side. In concert with the DL and the press, they did more for my abs than crunches and leg lifts ever did. Also it works the abs in their more natural stabilization mode, though it doesn't work the hip flexors anywhere near as much if that's what you're looking for. I did front (on elbows) then side also on elbow. Went from 30 sec to 60. Then started adding weight in 5 lbs increments. Don't know how far one can / should take it but it kept me busy for a couple of months.

W/ the ab-wheel, i think you're right that if you can change it to "hammer" grip somehow that would be a lot easier on this kind of elbow issue.