Forum Statistics

Threads
27,576
Posts
541,639
Members
28,554
Latest Member
pbtom
What's New?

Tennis Elbow Prevention/Therapy

PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
tennis elbow.jpg


Tennis elbow is inflammation, soreness, or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow.
There may be a partial tear of the tendon fibers, which connect muscle to bone. The tear may be at or near where these fibers begin, on the outside of the elbow. The muscles in your forearm attach to the bone on the outside of your elbow.
When you use these muscles over and over again, small tears develop in the tendon. Over time, this leads to irritation and pain where the tendon is attached to the bone.
This injury is common in people who play a lot of tennis or other racquet sports, hence the name "tennis elbow." Backhand is the most common stroke to cause symptoms. However, any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist (like using a screwdriver) can lead to this condition. Therefore, painters, plumbers, construction workers, cooks, and butchers are all more likely to develop tennis elbow.
This condition may also be due to constant computer keyboard and mouse use. Contrary to some of the accusations that have been made towards me and my current condition - it is not caused by frequent and vigorous masturbation.

Some sure signs that you may have tennis elbow:

  1. Elbow pain that gradually worsens
  2. Pain radiating from the outside of the elbow to the forearm and back of the hand when grasping or twisting
  3. Weak grasp
Tennis elbow is diagnosed by expression of pain rather than from diagnostic equipment. X-rays will appear normal and are generally not used. There is typically pain and tenderness near the bony protrusion on the outside of the elbow and pain if the arm is extended straight, the fist clenched and the hand is turned up as if revving a motorcycle.

Treatment of tennis elbow gradually increases if symptoms do not subside; beginning with rest and naproxen, to cortisone shots and finally surgical correction.

So around here I believe the saying is 2CC's of prevention is worth 10ML's of cure... Here is some quick exercises you can do to keep the tennis elbow at bay. I do these a couple times a day while I am at work or at home wasting my life away writing articles for www.theironden.com

Warm-Up

Holding your hand with fingers and thumb open touch your thumb to each finger tip and repeat for all fingers 20 times.

Keeping your forearm resting on your thigh, make a tight fist with your palm facing in. Rotate the forearm so the palm faces down in a slow motion. Repeat 20 times.

The Stretch

Holding your arm straight out in front of you with the palm facing up, grab the extended hand at the fingers and bend the hand downward at the wrist until the forearm is stretched. Do not get carried away. Touching the back of your hand to your forearm doesn't make you a "tuff guy." Hold this for 15-20 seconds and repeat 3 times.

Now holding that arm out extended again repeat the exercise only start with the palm facing downward.

Strengthening

Ball Squeeze - yes you read that right. I like a lacrosse ball, but any ball will do. You can even use a rolled up pair of socks if you don't have any balls. Simply squeeze the ball for 10 seconds and release for 10 seconds then repeat 3 times.

Hand Shake - Resting your forearm on a table or armrest with your hand over the edge, fingers and thumb extended simply move the hand up and down as if you are shaking hands. Do not let your forearm lift off.

Wrist Curls - If you're on TID and I need to explain this to you, please leave noobtard.

Do these with very very light weight so as not to recruit too much muscle fiber for assistance.

Concentration Curls - Again, you really should know what this is.

At the conclusion of this you should ice the elbow for 10 minutes or so. If you already have tennis elbow, and are doing this as therapy, the ice is a MUST. Your elbow will feel hot and inflamed so you'll be seeking out an ice pack anyway. A refrigerated gel pack works best in this case as you need something to conform to the elbows curvature.

I'm currently dealing with this issue in my left arm. It is quite painful and uncomfortable so I am quite dedicated to ridding myself of this. My next step is to purchase what is called a counterforce brace which is worn around the forearm and relieves the tendon of much pressure.

Give these exercises a whirl and try and stave off a common condition that will knock out your back and bicep workouts for a good long while.


----PoB----
 
Rottenrogue

Rottenrogue

Strongwoman
Jan 26, 2011
6,595
1,882
Take this for what it is:
We have found through trial and error that alot of elbow/knee pains are from a muscle imbalance elbow=tri &bi knee =quad &ham.

In strongman I think we tend to use more tri and neglect our biceps.We have been consistant with ending training with some sort of bicep curl and so far none of us have had any problems.One training partner had it so bad he was in a splint to rest it .Myself I partially tore a ligament after months of pain and ignoring it.Get it taken care of.
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
True RR. those imbalances happen in the forearm too.
 

ajdos

Friends Remembered
Sep 8, 2010
2,282
399
Holding your hand with fingers and thumb open touch your thumb to each finger tip and repeat for all fingers 20 times.

Keeping your forearm resting on your thigh, make a tight fist with your palm facing in. Rotate the forearm so the palm faces down in a slow motion. Repeat 20 times.


I have posted about this a million times, forearms are the culprit just like with medial epicondylitis....its about corrrecting the imbalance and everyone jumps on the presses as the culprit, really its how hard you squeeze your hand around the bar as the set progresses, if you have true tennis elbow you will notice a push up (hands open) will almost not hurt at all, but 135 on bench (hands clasped/gripped) hurts from the get go.
I wrote a write up on this last year, its on HCM somewhere.


Thanks for posting this POB.
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
I have posted about this a million times, forearms are the culprit just like with medial epicondylitis....its about corrrecting the imbalance and everyone jumps on the presses as the culprit, really its how hard you squeeze your hand around the bar as the set progresses, if you have true tennis elbow you will notice a push up (hands open) will almost not hurt at all, but 135 on bench (hands clasped/gripped) hurts from the get go.
I wrote a write up on this last year, its on HCM somewhere.


Thanks for posting this POB.

I wish I had seen that post on HCM then!!! DammiT! Thats what caused my tennis elbow. It was killing me when I would bench cause I was squeezing that bar as hard as I could. I've loosened up the grip and can bench just fine. But back day was a bitch cause you gotta pull. I bought some hooks so I don't have to wrap my thumb and I'm good now.

Too bad more people weren't reading this post, maybe they might be spared... Thanks AJ.
 

ajdos

Friends Remembered
Sep 8, 2010
2,282
399
I wish I had seen that post on HCM then!!! DammiT! Thats what caused my tennis elbow. It was killing me when I would bench cause I was squeezing that bar as hard as I could. I've loosened up the grip and can bench just fine. But back day was a bitch cause you gotta pull. I bought some hooks so I don't have to wrap my thumb and I'm good now.

Too bad more people weren't reading this post, maybe they might be spared... Thanks AJ.

Overhand chinups will KILL your elbows!
 
Rottenrogue

Rottenrogue

Strongwoman
Jan 26, 2011
6,595
1,882
As a sidenote .POB is now single you think it's really the weight lifting causing this? ;)
 
PillarofBalance

PillarofBalance

Strength Pimp
Feb 27, 2011
17,066
4,640
Overhand chinups will KILL your elbows!

Those are my favorite back exercise and I've had to cut those out... They were the worst for sure. Do you still have this? If not how did you get rid of it eventually?

As a sidenote .POB is now single you think it's really the weight lifting causing this? ;)

Possible overuse injury....

Please see the last sentence of paragraph 2!!!! I am a righty and its my left elbow!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Ogre717

Ogre717

TID Official Lab Rat
Jul 22, 2011
1,649
665
As a sidenote .POB is now single you think it's really the weight lifting causing this? ;)

HAHAHAHA.

Seriously though, i agree that the forearm gets unbalanced with the rest of the arm easily making it the weakest link, very similar to calves/ legs. I like to use a broom stick rope and weight tied at the bottom. dont know what its called but if you do enough of them youll look like Popeye.
 

ajdos

Friends Remembered
Sep 8, 2010
2,282
399
POB I had to drop chins, I went to bent rows, and deads, and then did pull downs light.
Even pulldowns were semi painful sometimes, the worng grip really killed, I did the forearm excercises the rubber band one is good when watching TV, reverse wrist curls too.
Eventually I was able to do chins again, even weighted, but I have learned not to do them more than 3 consecutive workouts in a row or it begins to come back.
 
D

deadweight

MuscleHead
Sep 20, 2010
2,293
498
POB I had to drop chins, I went to bent rows, and deads, and then did pull downs light.
Even pulldowns were semi painful sometimes, the worng grip really killed, I did the forearm excercises the rubber band one is good when watching TV, reverse wrist curls too.
Eventually I was able to do chins again, even weighted, but I have learned not to do them more than 3 consecutive workouts in a row or it begins to come back.

It allways comes back,,,,Just think about when u hit your mid 50s to 60s how its going to feel...I know im glad to know it doesnt take much to maintain,,,Because with pain like that its kinda inpossible to build muscle....dw
 
Who is viewing this thread?

There are currently 0 members watching this topic

Top