I’m in the middle of a 15 month battle with the so called “golf elbow” in my right elbow. The pain began two summers ago from the following: preacher curls, weighted pull-ups, and weighted dips. Squats used to not hurt at all due to my good form. Once the injury happened, I could no longer squat. I took a month off, and starting back slowly. I’m talking I did StrongLifts all over again starting with the bar. 3 months later, the pain and inflammation was back. I took 2 months off and made the mistake of doing insanity just to keep me busy. I lost a ton of muscle though I did shred up.
Basically, what I’m saying is I feel like I’ve tried everything from complete rest, time under tension, light weight sets of 20-25, P90x with bands, 5/3/1 with extra de-loading time, and even had a semi-successful run with a chiropractor last year. I do direct ice massages after working out. I take 4-8 fish oils a day, glucosamine, and have tried cissus. I have one of the therabands. I foam roll before each workout. Each program I begin ends with me having to stop early to take a deload week.
Currently I am essentially doing the 5/3/1 only I’ve changed it to 10/7/4+. I felt like doing 90% of my maxes was a bad idea until this goes down some more. Also, I have replaced squats with Bulgarian Split Squats. I am at a point to where the only flare ups I have are from sleeping awkwardly on my arm (when I don’t wear a splint) and occasional a random lift will tweak it and I’ll move on to a different exercise or even quit the workout…a serious bummer. At least it no longer bothers me in day to day rituals like brushing me teeth and opening doors.
Does anybody have any other new advice for me? What I’m wondering is…what would Arnold do lol?
I’ve played tennis for 15 years and the everlasting problems in my elbow made my pace slow download big time in training.
30minutes was the longest I could train without the elbow bothering me, I had it for about 3 years. Did physiotherapy for 2 months and quit tennis and I no longer have issues.
Yet my problems appeared and disappeared with tennis so I can’t really help you out. I do understand de desperation, though
Golfers and tennis elbow are basically tendonosis. When you say you’ve done complete rest, how long was that rest? And was it actually diagnosed as golfer’s elbow?
[quote]nkklllll wrote:
Golfers and tennis elbow are basically tendonosis. When you say you’ve done complete rest, how long was that rest? And was it actually diagnosed as golfer’s elbow?[/quote]
Yeah it was diagnosed two times as medial epicondylitis. Golf elbow is just the nickname. I avoid the term golf elbow because overly literal people can’t get past the fact that I didn’t injure myself playing golf haha. But I rested completely for one month after the doctor diagnosis. Then 5 months later I rested 2 months while doing insanity (I skipped the pushups). Plus I’ve had a few 1-2 week breaks here and there.
I know golfer’s elbow is just the nickname (played golf in college, had it myself once or twice). I know that elbow sleeves helped me when I had it, not a lot, but it made it bearable when it was really bad. With something lasting this long there is probably a bunch of scar tissue built up on the connective tissue in your elbow. Resting and eccentric exercises really helped me when I had quad tendonosis.
I have the same problem in my left elbow. I believe it’s basically caused by a muscular imbalance between your forearm flexors and extensors, namely that your flexors (muscles you use when you grip something) are disproportionately strong compared to the extensors (muscles you use to open your hand and spread your fingers). What helped was this:
- Foam rolling with a lacrosse ball on the forearm and upper arm (the flexors)
- Use a rubber band around my closed hands and then open up my hand and spread my fingers against the resistance of the rubber bands. (Hopefully that made sense).
- Also, after any set where I used my hands (i.e. every barbell/dumbbell exercise) I would actively stretch open my hand and fingers.
Hope this helps.
Hi
i had that for 4 months,and after doctors,accunp,and all points in between,i solved the issue with hammer exercises.you hold the hammer and move inwards,outwards,thors,etc.took me 15 days to solve it.this was 4 years ago.
hope this help.
take care
Light barbell wrist curls & band triceps extensions for high reps (50-100) did solved my issue, as well as icing and anti- inflammatory creams & pills, however mine was acute (arm wrestling) not chronic.
But what really healed it was rolling all around my lower triceps, elbow and upper forearm region inside out with a lacrosse ball & stretching both extensors & flexors, everyday 3-5 times.
Although its been nearly 2 years, i still get that tingling jolt all down my arm when i press that tendon.
Wrapping that region tightly with a tape while lifting works as well
Hope it heals quick!