Elbow Tendinitis Rehab Protocol Based on Max Chins

[pmperabo]

Mr. Rippetoe,

Would you please tell me if your elbow tendinitis rehab protocol that uses chins is generic or specific?

In a previous forum, "hammock23," who had elbow tendinitis, said "I can only pull off 7,5,4 on my chins." Your response was to "do 25 sets of 2, working up to 30 sets of 5. When you can do this, the elbows will be fine."

Is this protocol generic (meaning everyone who has elbow tendinitis should do this exact protocol) or max-dependent (meaning that only people whose maximum amount of chins that can be done "fresh" is 7 should do this exact protocol)? I ask because obviously it would be more impressive for someone who weighs 200 lb to do 7 chins than someone who weighs 150 lb.

If the protocol is max-dependent, would you please recommend a way to individualize your elbow tendinitis rehab that uses chins by basing it on the maximum amount of chins that one can do "fresh?" Could it be as simple as the following?

1st day: (Max/7)*25 sets of 2
Last day: (Max/7)*30 sets of 5

[Mark Rippetoe]

Obviously, a person who can do a set of 25 will use a different volume than a guy who can do 10.

[Rook]

How many chin sessions like this per week would you recommend?

[pmperabo]

He recommends 2 per week for 3 weeks.

[Quinton]

Were can I find this,I have searched!

[pmperabo]

I could tell you, but the rehab did not work for me. If you are having elbow pain from squats, I would just try moving your hands all the way out to the ends of the bar. I had elbow pain for 6 months until I tried this. I know a lot of people say that you need to have your hands close together because this will make your upper back tighter and will thus make it easier to keep the bar on your back, but I found that I didn't lose any tightness at all by doing this - and it cured my elbow pain once and for all! See: http://youtu.be/pUTcYA9daoE

Good luck!

[Quinton]

It's not just from squats,I would like to read what he said about it but can't seem to find his article or recomendations.

[pmperabo]

Here is the link to the thread that I found it on: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=37536

[Greg Esres]

Surely the effectiveness of this protocol depends on what sort of tendonitis you have. There are at least three: golfer's elbow, tennis elbow, and triceps tendonitis. And you might well throw in ulna nerve entrapment.

[Red Finn]

I have heard of chinups being used to treat golfer's and tennis elbow. I wouldn't be shocked if it can be used for tricep tendinitis as well.

Quinton, what I have heard is to do chins once every five days for three weeks. You start with many sets at some amount below your limit, and then you try to significantly increase (as in, doubling or tripling) the total volume.

The concern I have is that I'm not sure chinups are a particularly efficient method for healing tendinitis. I'm getting the impression that eccentric-only work plus brutally painful massage are the tools of choice.