Weak Feeling in Elbow

Training Beginners
1

Hey, I’ve been training properly since june (i.e since finding this site and realising you have to eat a LOT of food if you want to build muscle), at first I was doing a mishmash of exercises then in october I started on the original WS4SB program which had a lot more volume than I was used to. I think this was when I first started getting twinges on the inside of my left elbow on the upper body days.

Sometimes I’d get through a whole workout and it would feel fine, other times it would be slightly sore on dumbbell presses and bench presses, or it would ache the next day on the lower inside of the elbow as in golfer’s elbow, yet I have no other symptoms of golfer’s elbow re. wrist flexion and gripping things.

My last workout was on 26/12/08, I’ve been taking it easy since then, using difene spray daily and trying some self A.R.T but it’s still at me.

Now it only hurts when I flex my elbow like in a hammer curl, I get a slight pain around the lower part of the bicep in the hollow of the elbow and it seems like it goes right through the joint to the boney point of my elbow. It’s like a weak feeling.

Does anyone have any ideas on what it could be? It’s really pissing me off. As far as I can remember dumbbell rows didn’t irritate it, would it be ok to start back on these, can anyone recommend any other exercises I could still be doing? Would it be worthwhile trying unilateral training with just my right arm?

2

[quote]Wooster wrote:
can anyone recommend any other exercises I could still be doing?
[/quote]

yeah, walk to doctors office.

3

I would first try and find a pressing motion that didn’t aggravate it, and attempt to schedule my training around that. Going to the doctors office is usually both a good idea, and a waste of time and money (remarkable as that paradox is).

So go to the doctors office, and in the meantime, as Eric Cressey in his locker room, PM people who talk about having elbow problems in the strength sports section (Chewey comes to mind, but don’t tell him I sent you), find one of the sections where aspiring PT’s talk shop (Coaches talking shop and the A&P thread come to mind) and then PM people who post in those threads, and for God’s sake don’t aggravate the injury.

Sometimes you can just walk it off. Jerking made my elbows twinge. I backed off for a couple of weeks, and when I came back to it, I could do it without pain.

Sometimes you can’t walk it off. My back used to hurt when it got hit with too much volume, and I had to learn some dynamic molbility exercises to help prevent that.

If it doesn’t hurt, don’t worry about it (the dumbbell rows are probably okay). But if it aggravates the condition, or hurts, stop.

Good luck. Post here when you find out what fixed it.

4

might be tendonitis similar to what i think i have now

my advice is to have very strict form of your arms on vertical pulling movements such as pulldowns and chinups, don’t let your elbow jerk to the side

5

Consider getting some professional ART, make sure they do the forearms as well as bi’s and tri’s

6

[quote]Otep wrote:
I would first try and find a pressing motion that didn’t aggravate it, and attempt to schedule my training around that. Going to the doctors office is usually both a good idea, and a waste of time and money (remarkable as that paradox is).

So go to the doctors office, and in the meantime, as Eric Cressey in his locker room, PM people who talk about having elbow problems in the strength sports section (Chewey comes to mind, but don’t tell him I sent you), find one of the sections where aspiring PT’s talk shop (Coaches talking shop and the A&P thread come to mind) and then PM people who post in those threads, and for God’s sake don’t aggravate the injury.

Sometimes you can just walk it off. Jerking made my elbows twinge. I backed off for a couple of weeks, and when I came back to it, I could do it without pain.

Sometimes you can’t walk it off. My back used to hurt when it got hit with too much volume, and I had to learn some dynamic molbility exercises to help prevent that.

If it doesn’t hurt, don’t worry about it (the dumbbell rows are probably okay). But if it aggravates the condition, or hurts, stop.

Good luck. Post here when you find out what fixed it.[/quote]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I’ve been doing more research and I most likely have tricep tendonitis. I had actually added the seated clean and jerk too, my elbow probably didn’t like that too much either!

I’ll try what you’ve mentioned and work on some on tricep tendonitis rehab exercises I found http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_tricepst_rex.htm

Did them last night but felt a twinge on the french press with just 1.5 kg! I’ll probably leave that one out. If there’s no improvement in a week or so, I’ll head to the doctors. Thanks man

7

[quote]cyph31 wrote:
might be tendonitis similar to what i think i have now

my advice is to have very strict form of your arms on vertical pulling movements such as pulldowns and chinups, don’t let your elbow jerk to the side[/quote]

You should try the rehab exercises I linked to above, they seem to be the standard for tricep tendonitis. I do chin ups, and usually try to pull my elbows together as I pull myself over the bar. I think I remember reading that it’s supposed to help the mind/muscle connection? Not sure if that’s what you meant

8

[quote]Cprimero wrote:
Consider getting some professional ART, make sure they do the forearms as well as bi’s and tri’s[/quote]

I would, but haven’t heard of any ART practictioners in Ireland