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Avoid Elbow Pains to Keep Making Gains

F.I.S.T.

F.I.S.T.

MuscleHead
Sep 24, 2011
1,318
115
Avoid Elbow Pains to Keep Making Gains

Several common forearm injuries can plague trainees. The most well known is tennis elbow, which is a strain of the origin, or tendon attachment, of the wrist extensor muscles on top of the forearm. Strain and pain on the bottom of the elbow is often called golfer’s elbow, and I’ve addressed that pain from triceps training several times. The last strain is to the large forearm muscle known as the brachioradialis. Regrettably, strains to that muscle can linger and be very resistant to treatment.

The brachioradialis has a broad origin on the lower portion of the humerus, or upper-arm bone, and inserts, or attaches, by a long tendon to the thumb side of the wrist. It’s certainly the largest muscle of the forearm. Its function is to flex, or bend, the elbow; it also helps to turn the palm partially upward, in supination, or downward, in pronation. The brachioradialis is used strongly in pulling movements such as pullups, pulldowns and all types of rows. For many trainees those movements develop the brachioradialis sufficiently. Trainees who want to develop the muscle more should include hammer curls in their arm workouts. Many powerlifters also incorporate them because they feel the exercise helps support the arm and elbow during very heavy bench presses.

The brachioradialis can be strained from overtraining. It can also be injured if you carry heavy items for long distances. An example is moving many dozens of boxes to and from trucks while moving in or out of an apartment or house. Another example is carrying luggage for long distances in airports.

Once the muscle is strained, you become aware of how many exercises use it. Suddenly back and arm workouts are compromised. Trainees typically train lighter, hoping the strain will pass quickly, but instead it lingers. The next step is to stop training back and arms. The strain is often aggravated; for example if a trainee has to travel and carry a suitcase. Halfway across the airport it starts to ache—and recovery is further delayed.

Medical treatment for this injury usually includes various combinations of anti-inflammatory medication, soft-tissue mobilization, ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and laser. For reasons that are not clear, brachioradialis strains resist treatment. That means they can last for many weeks or months.

A strain of the wrist flexors on the bottom of the forearm is usually aggravated by triceps training when you don’t keep your wrist straight. When the wrist bends upward in an extension position, there’s a stretch on the flexor muscles, and that pulls on the tendons and origin. The stretch is magnified when trainees try to force an extra rep or two by accelerating the bar through the movement. The strain usually resolves when they begin to keep their wrist straight during triceps training.

Tennis elbow can also linger. Strains of the wrist extensors on top of the forearm at the elbow are usually caused by a combination of overuse and the weakness of the wrist extensors. Strengthening the wrist extensors will improve the condition. That info, by the way, is circulating on the Internet as if it were a new discovery. It isn’t. I learned it in biomechanics courses in the late 1970s, and it was supported by research. The traditional reverse wrist curl is a great exercise for the wrist extensors, as is a wrist roller.

Keep in mind that these muscles are used in many activities, and that’s why it’s painful to shake someone’s hand during an acute episode of tennis elbow. While reverse wrist curls will help—start with very light weight—other exercises may aggravate the condition. I often see trainees in the gym performing laterals with their wrists bent downward, in a flexed position. That loads the elbow unnecessarily.

A little preventive work can save your elbows and keep you in the gym and training. Train smart; then train hard.
 
chicken_hawk

chicken_hawk

MuscleHead
Oct 28, 2010
718
150
I alsways here about Tennis elbow, but what about right at the bottom of the tri where the tendon connects to the bone?

Hawk
 
F.I.S.T.

F.I.S.T.

MuscleHead
Sep 24, 2011
1,318
115
I alsways here about Tennis elbow, but what about right at the bottom of the tri where the tendon connects to the bone?

Hawk

I think you're talking about a ruptured triceps tendon.
 
F.I.S.T.

F.I.S.T.

MuscleHead
Sep 24, 2011
1,318
115
Found this on it........

What is the triceps tendon?

The triceps tendon is the one at the back of the upper arm - as shown opposite. It inserts into the back of the elbow. If you fall onto your hands you can rupture this tendon. If you over-do the weights or try to push something too heavy you can also rupture the tendon or it could become inflamed through over use.
Symptoms include:


  • Elbow pain at rest and during exercise.
  • A painful swelling on the back of the elbow.
  • Limited mobility in the elbow.
Treatment


  • Rest.
  • Apply ice or cold therapy to the injury in the first two days.
  • See a sports injury professional for advice on treatment and rehabilitation.
 
Lil Ed

Lil Ed

VIP Member
Jul 15, 2011
786
1,060
This worked for my friend who says he was almost 100% after 8 days, this was a guy who had chronic elbow pain and could not do any movements for triceps because of the pain for over a year, after a year of doctors and bs, this is the only thing that really worked for him.

his pain was in the bottom of the tri, the region right above the elbow.

BEE STING THERAPY for Chronic Pain and Auto-Immune Disorders « Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Doctors, Supplements, And Forums

bee sting therapy

probably a good Idea to make sure you are not highly allergic to bee stings, this may seem nuts but if I was suffering everyday I would try this in a heart beat.
 
F.I.S.T.

F.I.S.T.

MuscleHead
Sep 24, 2011
1,318
115
Now theres a therapy I have never heard of before.Sounds intriguing though.Im going to read up on it.Don't think i'll be sticking my elbow into a beehive but thanks for the post.
 
R

Rampage..

New Member
Oct 3, 2011
1
0
I hurt my elbow about 6 months ago. The pain finally went away but now it's back. It is 10 times worst tho. I've been thinking about buying a arm rap. Do they really work?
 
1500

1500

VIP Member
Oct 2, 2011
336
152
I find my elbow only really hurts while on higher dosages of GH. I go off or drop down the dosage, it stops. Fucking weird. I'm talking extreme pain at the outer bone to where i cant do anything too heavy bicep wise.
 
grayclaws

grayclaws

Senior Member
Aug 23, 2011
107
6
what about pain on the median of the elbow, seems to be where the tibial turberosity it, very painfull when doing an tricep extension with the arms raised, skullcrushers, over db tri ext, etc. I found tying my sweat rag around my arm right above the elbow actually alleviates the pain and allows me to continue throught the workout, so would an arm wrap work temporarilty and what can I do to rehab it, HATE taking time away from the gym, especially arms cause I feel it's such a lagging part of my body.
 
Starwind

Starwind

Senior Member
Nov 6, 2011
182
4
What is the "funny bone" called? That tingling feeling? I had an issue with my left elbow last week that felt very tender on that part. No swelling. Just trying to rub it I would hit that tingling point and it would be in a bit of pain. I couldn't really exercise at all with it and I'm being extremely careful with it this week. Seems to have gone away for the most part didn't feel it on the dips last night. I don't believe I hit it either because I know that would make it hurt for a few days straight. This would only hurt during activity.
 
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