Ugh! Tendonitis worse than ever

[guffman44]

I don't mean to come on here and whine, but I hate getting older, at least physically. I believe I wrote something on here a month or two ago concerning tendonitis. Well, it's worse, even though I have tried rest periods. of a week or two. I guess my arms are prone to it.

Anyway, the tendonitis is mostly in the inside of the elbows, which is almost like a burning sensation. They are even sensitive to the touch. But I have tendonitis also on the outside of my upper right arm that actually keeps me awake at night. I have to get up and get an ice pack, take Aleve, and sometimes apply Bengay. Friday night I did not get to sleep until 5:30 AM because it ached so bad. I have to sleep on my back, because if I sleep on my right side, it aggravates the upper part of my right arm, and if I sleep on my left side, it actually aggravates the same arm only because it is stretching the tendon/muscle, I guess. I didn't work out at all over the weekend, and kind of dread my next session. This is very disappointing, as I was really starting to see some gains in muscle. I'm afraid if I keep going and try to work through it, I'm going to blow something out. But I don't want to quit with the nice weather finally here. I want to look good.

Okay, done venting now. :-)

[thelojones]

Yeah tennis and golfers elbow really suck. I can tell you from research and experience that once it reaches a certain level of eff'd up, it doesn't heal from taking a week off, it takes many months.

Good thing is there are thousands of articles and youtube videos discussing treatments and therapy, from stretches and exercise to plasma blood injections (Autologous Blood Injection).

First step is to identify exactly what is causing it and stop doing that It could be something simple like curling your wrists at the top of a bicep curl to get that extra inch.

[Rhinoclan]

Google grass on technique. I had it done on my forearm/elbow...and it took 3 sessions over 7 days and was cured...after nearly a year of nothing working

[impulso76]

I don't mean to come on here and whine, but I hate getting older, at least physically. I believe I wrote something on here a month or two ago concerning tendonitis. Well, it's worse, even though I have tried rest periods. of a week or two. I guess my arms are prone to it.

Anyway, the tendonitis is mostly in the inside of the elbows, which is almost like a burning sensation. They are even sensitive to the touch. But I have tendonitis also on the outside of my upper right arm that actually keeps me awake at night. I have to get up and get an ice pack, take Aleve, and sometimes apply Bengay. Friday night I did not get to sleep until 5:30 AM because it ached so bad. I have to sleep on my back, because if I sleep on my right side, it aggravates the upper part of my right arm, and if I sleep on my left side, it actually aggravates the same arm only because it is stretching the tendon/muscle, I guess. I didn't work out at all over the weekend, and kind of dread my next session. This is very disappointing, as I was really starting to see some gains in muscle. I'm afraid if I keep going and try to work through it, I'm going to blow something out. But I don't want to quit with the nice weather finally here. I want to look good.

Okay, done venting now. :-)

I had tennis elbow from actual tennis, and I didn't stop immediately, which aggravated it pretty badly. It took staying off of tennis for 7 months for it to heal. It was so bad that I used to wake up in the middle of the night for 2 months, and even after 7 months, it was very stiff.

However, the only thing I know that has been shown to work is something called the flexbar from theraband. Its pretty cheap on Amazon. My tennis elbow was so bad that when I started, I could barely move the red bar, and now the blue is easy. It takes time, but this eccentric exercise is the only thing that has been shown to help the healing process. Unfortunately it takes time, and a long time!

Take a look at the website by theraband. They reference several studies that have shown it to work.

[michail71]

Forearm straps that are put on next to the elbow work exceptionally well. It's the simplest and most effective treatment everyone consistently overlooks. Look up golfer's elbow straps. They are not the full sleeve ones that cover the elbow but just a band.

They stabilize the forearm muscles that attach to the elbow. Continuous use will train them to track correctly and help strengthen the muscles which in turn takes stress off the joint. For the first week or two go light weight on the exercises that aggravated the condition. You want to train the muscles to move and support the joint properly. After a few months the strap will no longer be needed.

Also, some trigger point therapy in those same muscles is beneficial. You'll probably find you have some really painful trigger points.

I've personally seen it instantly fix a few people that were spending hundreds on doctors and various treatments.

If the strap does not help the first time then more intensive treatments may be needed.

[jamesovercome]

We can all relate to it buddy. The first course of action is to figure out which exercise is causing the problem and then modifying it or eliminating it completely to help you. A lot of time a slight grip change by a specialty barbell or dumbbells can completely clear it up. For me, skull crushers killed my elbows so I ditched them and it got better.

So much in weight lifting involves working around injuries. Best of luck

[BuckeyeROC]

Google grass on technique. I had it done on my forearm/elbow...and it took 3 sessions over 7 days and was cured...after nearly a year of nothing working

Graston Technique. I just googled it and it looks promising. I had Active Release Technique done and it completely fixed some issues I had with an old torn pec. Graston Technique looks to be something similar but for tendons.

Can anyone with Graston Tech experience give some more details and let us know if it worked?

[Rt8961]

I don't mean to come on here and whine, but I hate getting older, at least physically. I believe I wrote something on here a month or two ago concerning tendonitis. Well, it's worse, even though I have tried rest periods. of a week or two. I guess my arms are prone to it.

Anyway, the tendonitis is mostly in the inside of the elbows, which is almost like a burning sensation. They are even sensitive to the touch. But I have tendonitis also on the outside of my upper right arm that actually keeps me awake at night. I have to get up and get an ice pack, take Aleve, and sometimes apply Bengay. Friday night I did not get to sleep until 5:30 AM because it ached so bad. I have to sleep on my back, because if I sleep on my right side, it aggravates the upper part of my right arm, and if I sleep on my left side, it actually aggravates the same arm only because it is stretching the tendon/muscle, I guess. I didn't work out at all over the weekend, and kind of dread my next session. This is very disappointing, as I was really starting to see some gains in muscle. I'm afraid if I keep going and try to work through it, I'm going to blow something out. But I don't want to quit with the nice weather finally here. I want to look good.

Okay, done venting now. :-)

I have golfers elbow which my inflammation is inside both of my elbows. I eliminated any exercises that requires underhand grip. It sucks, I've had it for over twenty years. The last time the inflammation was severe, I had to stay off the weights for several months. As others have said, find the exercises that causes the pain and either adjust your technique, grip or just eliminate that exercise. I'm going to google this graston technique.

[cynicaldiogenes]

Sounds similar to what I went through last year, medial elbow tendinosis. My advice is getting some equipment with neutral grip like a trap/hex bar and/or swiss/football bar so you can still do some heavier lifting without a pronated grip. I found some web forums for climbers that had some good rehab exercises since tendinosis takes a long time to recover from since it's not the short term inflammatory condition tendinitis. I'm mostly pain free after getting neutral grip bars (trap/football), holding dumbbells with a neutral grip and doing the rehab exercises.

[Black Sunday]

Haven't had it bad in a very long time. This might be worth a shot.


https://glennpendlay.wordpress.com/2...ot-tendonitis/

[michail71]

Haven't had it bad in a very long time. This might be worth a shot.


https://glennpendlay.wordpress.com/2...ot-tendonitis/

That's similar to the straps I mentioned earlier in the thread. It's like any injury, you have to figure out the cause and make that correction and rehab. It's incredibly easy to treat and everyone keeps over complicating it.

Unless some significant damage has been done time off is not needed and may hinder recovery. It's a problem in the forearm muscles, get them stable and strong and the problem is gone.

[apmark]

Graston's newest technique and tools are called SASTM. Both my daughter and I use them in our clinical practice with excellent results.

[Rhinoclan]

I tried the forearm strap, the flex bar, taking bromelain and turmeric, nsaid's, ice, ART, etc...Graston was the thing that worked for me.

[RobRocks]

I have been doing forearm work as i started getting it as well,wrist curls,it seems to be doing the trick

[michail71]

The Graston technique sound interesting. Traditional trigger point is only a temporary fix. This sounds like an actual cure for the scar tissue. People also dose enzymes in order to help clear up scar tissue.

I could see if someone had bad scaring and points of immobility in this area of the forearms it could lead to tendinitis in the elbow.

[realistic]

Both times I had tricep tendonitis I had to take 4 months off for it to totally heal. When I do triceps now I NEVER bend my arms more than 90 degrees. Works great and havent had it since - and that was 8 years ago.

[jdtemple]

I had tennis elbow in both arms badly enough that even pouring a cup of coffee was painful. I fixed it by wearing these and avoiding all movements that caused pain. It took a LONG time to go away.

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Band-Sport.../dp/B000FML7SW

I still use straps for all pulling movements to this day and doubt I'll ever stop using them.

[guffman44]

Thanks for all the great advice. I thought tennis elbow was on the outside of the elbow. I used to get that when I pitched in HS and College because I threw so many breaking pitches. I started throwing breaking pitches way too young, but even back then I had to take cortisone shots in college because my arm seemed to be prone to tendonitis. When I started lifting weights on a regular basis in my early forties, I would get tendonitis in my left forearm, but it was very manageable. The tendontitis I developed this year is on the inside of my elbow, and seems to center on the large bone that sticks out. Even touching it burns.

The tendonitis, or whatever it is, that keeps me up at night is on the outside of my upper right arm. Kind of a strong ache that will wake me up. I have to sleep on my back in order to not aggravate it. If I sleep on my right side, it is aggravated by the weight of my body. If I sleep on my left side, I think the stretching of my right arm as I lay there aggravates it. And forget about sleeping on my stomach, even though that would be preferred.

I quit doing skull crushers a couple of months ago. I think this exercise originally screwed up my left elbow. However it has not gotten better and is now in my right elbow. I think my training days are too close together. In other words, I might do chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday or Thursday, legs on Thursday or Friday. I have separated arms into their own day, so I might do those on Saturday or Sunday. I think I will switch to taking a day off in between each body part. M-W-F-SU-T, etc. Maybe I'm pushing my body too hard for a 56 year old?

I will also try to ice more, and check into some of your ideas. I know I'm too addicted to lifting now to quit, especially with the results I'm seeing.

Thank you

[litljay]

I had tennis elbow in both arms badly enough that even pouring a cup of coffee was painful. I fixed it by wearing these and avoiding all movements that caused pain. It took a LONG time to go away.

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Band-Sport.../dp/B000FML7SW

I still use straps for all pulling movements to this day and doubt I'll ever stop using them.

Straps are the only thing that seems to keep my golfer's elbow at bay. I use versa grips exclusively.

[realistic]

Thanks for all the great advice. I thought tennis elbow was on the outside of the elbow. I used to get that when I pitched in HS and College because I threw so many breaking pitches. I started throwing breaking pitches way too young, but even back then I had to take cortisone shots in college because my arm seemed to be prone to tendonitis. When I started lifting weights on a regular basis in my early forties, I would get tendonitis in my left forearm, but it was very manageable. The tendontitis I developed this year is on the inside of my elbow, and seems to center on the large bone that sticks out. Even touching it burns.

The tendonitis, or whatever it is, that keeps me up at night is on the outside of my upper right arm. Kind of a strong ache that will wake me up. I have to sleep on my back in order to not aggravate it. If I sleep on my right side, it is aggravated by the weight of my body. If I sleep on my left side, I think the stretching of my right arm as I lay there aggravates it. And forget about sleeping on my stomach, even though that would be preferred.

I quit doing skull crushers a couple of months ago. I think this exercise originally screwed up my left elbow. However it has not gotten better and is now in my right elbow. I think my training days are too close together. In other words, I might do chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday or Thursday, legs on Thursday or Friday. I have separated arms into their own day, so I might do those on Saturday or Sunday. I think I will switch to taking a day off in between each body part. M-W-F-SU-T, etc. Maybe I'm pushing my body too hard for a 56 year old?

I will also try to ice more, and check into some of your ideas. I know I'm too addicted to lifting now to quit, especially with the results I'm seeing.

Thank you

I too have eliminated skullcrushers, as that was the culprit of my first tricep tendonitis case. I still do them now and then, but I move the bar way back and below my head - NEVER lower the weight to my forehead. I've noticed that sitting tricep extensions (heavy dumbbell) agitate my elbows so I very seldom do those anymore as well. You sound like you're having some issues that I had. I had great success with (as mentioned) not bending my arm past 90 degrees on ALL triceps exercises though. Maybe try that when you heal up. I'd also advise joint supps. Animal Flex is pretty good.