Pain in elbows after a set of heavy Skull Crushes

[Daximus1972]

After doing a heavy set of skull crushes 4 weeks ago any form of tricep excercise I try now like skull crushes hurts like hell!!!

The pain is felt in the elbow area does anyone or has anyone had this problem if so......

What can I do?

Is there any other tricep excercises that I can do in the meantime?

[oldsuperman]

1: Stop doing it.

2: Your favorite anti inflam, Advil, aspirin, etc

3: Ice it for 20 mins twice a day.

4: Sleep with your arm straight at night.

5: Use the search tab at the top of the page, THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF THREADS ON THIS TOPIC ALREADY.

Bottom line, if any exercise hurts the elbow, then don't do it. It takes at least 4 to 6 seeks to heal.

[pastorgbc]

Excellent words from Old Superman. I'll also add that skullcrushers are an exercise that not everyone can do. The key to doing this movement without pain is to keep your elbows in. If you have short arms and a bigger\wider chest, your elbows will naturally flare out during the movement. If you do not have anatomical issues, this is one exercise that must be done strictly or elbow issues are almost assured.

Ray

[rhaxton72]

Originally Posted by Daximus1972

After doing a heavy set of skull crushes 4 weeks ago any form of tricep excercise I try now like skull crushes hurts like hell!!!

The pain is felt in the elbow area does anyone or has anyone had this problem if so......

What can I do?

Is there any other tricep excercises that I can do in the meantime?

You have tendonitus probably. Reason I say this, is because I had the same thing happen to me over here in Afghanistan. All of the replies on here are 100& accurate from what I have read.
I have incorporated weighted dips and narrow bench, and have managed to alleviate the pain mostly. But everyone on here is right....rest is the key, and try lifting around the injury because thats exactly what it is. Ice and Napercin do the trick as well, but try not to sustain the anti-inflamatory meds over a long period though.

[hochspeyer]

Originally Posted by rhaxton72

You have tendonitus probably. Reason I say this, is because I had the same thing happen to me over here in Afghanistan. All of the replies on here are 100& accurate from what I have read.
I have incorporated weighted dips and narrow bench, and have managed to alleviate the pain mostly. But everyone on here is right....rest is the key, and try lifting around the injury because thats exactly what it is. Ice and Napercin do the trick as well, but try not to sustain the anti-inflamatory meds over a long period though.

And, ... if you take a painkiller ... don't push- the pain may be deadened, but the injury is still there. Be careful- reinjuring the spot multiplies rather than adds to the recuperation time.

[mharrislove]

Originally Posted by Daximus1972

After doing a heavy set of skull crushes 4 weeks ago any form of tricep excercise I try now like skull crushes hurts like hell!!!

The pain is felt in the elbow area does anyone or has anyone had this problem if so......

What can I do?

Is there any other tricep excercises that I can do in the meantime?

I group has posted some good info that should prove to be helpful. I'll just add that I had the exact same problem earlier this year. I took the skull crushers out of the routine for 8 weeks, trained triceps lightly during my recuperation period, and replaced the exercise with close grip bench presses for about 6 weeks once I could go heavy again. The compound movement of the close grip bench press can better prepare my elbow for higher training loads than my standard warm up regimen, so I am now able to perform skull crushers again without any problems.

[LongLefty]

Yep nasty skull crushers does it again. Pretty sure you were using a curl bar too?? Personally I prefer dumbells and haven't had that soreness in quite some time.

One exercise I do (and now seems everyone is doing at my gym) is to do a tricep pushdown facing the cable machine bent over at the waist. It gives you a really nice stretch like you'd get with a seated tri press, but not have the dumbell banging off the back of your head if your not as flexible which is an issue for me. You can really load up the weight and not put your back in a precarious position like when you do it with your back to the cable machine and have to swing the handle over your head

[induced_drag]

Adding that I too have dealt with elbow pain from skull crushers.

On exercise I love is over head tri extensions with an ez curl and with a single dumbell (both arms on one heavy dumbell)

Great stretch and best tri exercise for me....no elbow pain either.

I have worked skull crushers back in but dont go below a weight that I can do for 8-10

[Hortonized]

Right on with superman's advice. Also, I have a very similiar situation. I stop the crushers and started narrow grip bench presses to hit my triceps. 10-12reps. I noticed going lower
5-8 reps (narrow grip bench presses) bothered my elbow too much, so I decreased the weight and increased the reps and that is working wonders for me. Best of luck.

Originally Posted by oldsuperman

1: Stop doing it.

2: Your favorite anti inflam, Advil, aspirin, etc

3: Ice it for 20 mins twice a day.

4: Sleep with your arm straight at night.

5: Use the search tab at the top of the page, THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF THREADS ON THIS TOPIC ALREADY.

Bottom line, if any exercise hurts the elbow, then don't do it. It takes at least 4 to 6 seeks to heal.

[MDSkiffer]

I use to get that as well and found that I needed a good warm up for the joint and tendons. I do not jump into that much elbow stress right away and will do two sets before I hit it real heavy. Hope that works for you, they are awesome and did not want to give them up.

[Don71]

Skull crusher's.....ugh.
watch out or you get pinched nerves in your elbows.

[BigSlick-------]

I always do one or two exercises before skullcrushers to warm up the elbows. I don't do them every triceps workout, about every other one. I also use a different bar, i think its called a tri-bomber bar. Your grip has your hands facing each other, helps me with my wrists, might help with the elbows.

[FlexinMike]

I used to get pain in my elbows from doing heavy skull crushers. I had to take a break from them for almost a year since the pain did not subside then went back to them as a finisher in my workout. I have not had any further issues when doing at the end of my workout utilizing a lighter weight with strict form..