Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and bodybuilding?

[anf355]

First of all I know this thread is somewhat old and outdated but if anyone still is clueless or needs help I am dealing with similar issues (except for the tricep snapping I'm unfamiliar with.) I actually have cubital tunnel, carpal tunnel, radial tunnel, possibly even thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms all at the same time in both arms. Even though the symptoms are usually mild it does prevent me from doing much with my arms and it's quite frustrating. However since all I been doing is resting I decided to spend hours a day researching my issues and I've stumbled upon something known as Trigger point therapy.

Wikipedia says: "Trigger points, also known as trigger sites or muscle knots, are described as hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers."

Basically I've found many of these trigger points all over my back, chest, arms, glutes, legs, neck...almost everywhere but they are hard to find and not very obvious until you search for them religiously. These trigger points I found have been wreaking having on my body and have been the cause of alot of problems and pain referred elsewhere. Do your research on this because many symptoms including carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, headaches, migraines and many other pains (even throat pains) can be caused by these. Most likely what you guys are dealing with are trigger points that are affecting your triceps and ulnar nerves. You'd be surprised what you come up with and I advise you to do your own research on it. Look up the "Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" By Claire Davies. It will give you in-depth details and diagrams/images of known trigger points and what they can do to your body. Trust me on this it will save you alot of pain even if it isn't the cause of your ulnar problems you'll be happy you found the trigger points you have in your body hiding from you. If you have any questions about more details I can share them with you or message me personally.

Great info, I know this is an old post but as I found this info through days and days of hard research trying to connect the dots as to what I was experiencing, this information you have posted sent me looking into an area where I think I may have found a solution to my torement.
I hope this finds other people in need as it did me.

I have been heavily doing a lot of free weight body exercises recently, adding a lot of new things to my training, Im not a big guy, but enjoy toning up, I have since been experiencing tingling, numb hands, forearms, ulnar nerve (funny bone) also bulging blood vessels in forearms, some neck pain and wrist pain, Couldnt work it out at the start, I was putting a lot more pressure on my wrists and shoulder including collarbone from doing vertical push up off the wall to get a shoulder workout. Some of these where new exercises to me. I was concerned about these symptoms , I read all the fear based medical websites as to what it could be, as informative as it was I was terrififed to find I may have one of the three - thoracic outlet, carpal tunnel or cubital tunnel syndrome, with all this shooting pain, numbness and tingling sensation and sleepless night from the pain, also the general anxiety, I decided to see a physiotherapist and another physio a week later again, they both said my muscles where tight, they loosened my back up a bit,gave me nerve flossing exercises and I was on my way, I felt enough relief to work but was still tight in the nerves, I had some deep tissue massage work done which helped a lot more, but after about 5 days I went for a surf and Boom! symptoms are back, I couldnt work it out, after lots of research and little self diagnosis tests I came to the conclusion that it was thoracic outlet as I had symptoms from both the median nerve and ulnar nerve, actually my ulnar was the worst of all, felt like I hit my funny bone and it was lasting 2 whole days the second time, I could feel the nerve twitch a little when I bent my arm it was that tight.

Anyway I was looking into myofascial therapy, seemed intresting, I was actually going to setup and appointment, but after reading your post I did some research on it, it made sense and I tried some trigger points on my arms, tricep especially, I didnt realize I had that much tension there, it was painful but nice also to acknowledge and deal with this tension, I feel it has helped releive so much tension in my ulnar nerve, it doesnt seem right as it was so easy, ive been living with this on and off for about 2-3 weeks or so and its been a bit of a nightmare at times, I coudnt imagine those poor people who have had this ailment for a lot longer than that. I cant say it has resolved my issue 100% but its still early days, I may need to look into myotherapy also in time and if that doesnt help I will maybe get some xrays and go down that path if I have to but at the moment im sticking with trigger points and also foam roller to help relief some tension. Im also staying away from training for now until I sort this out, im also taking step to correc t my posture as I have mils scoliosis and a slight forward chin posture, I have been training hard to fix this but it seems it may have set me back, I have since found other ways to help my posture. I hope this message finds someone who needs it.

Thanks again for posting this info and to everyone else who was on this chat, all the posts where insightful enough for me get a clearer picture of the tricep ulnar nerve connection.

Anthony

[jmcclure1985]

I am going to have cubical tunnal surgery and carpal tunnel surgery tomorrow. How long should i expect befor i can start banging weights agian??

[mrobin44]

I had a horrible case of bilateral cubital tunnel a few years ago(2010), EMG showed sensory/motor entraptment at ulnar tunnel, was totally depressed and did not lift. Literally just sitting with my arms bent I would get bad tingling and numbness in fingers and to be honest it really hurt. I went 16 months w/o lifting until one day(not saying I recommend) I just said F it and started, the first week my elbows were in horrible pain every day and I was asking myself "what are you doing to yourself" after that they got better and better and better and now *I do still have it* but I only notice it maybe honestly once every month, it is virtually 100% gone/forgotten about/has never stopped me from doing ANYTHING since then. My ulnar nerve does sublux when my workouts are really heavy, but it never hurts. I find skullcrushers are the ones that do it the most. I worked for chiropractors through my undergrad and actually had a patient who worked a heavy manual labor job come in and he showed me his snapping triceps and said it hurt--he got surgery, and his elbow is not the same years later. Mine never hurt from the subluxing ulnar nerve, and I actually brought it up with my General Practitioner one time and he wanted me to do PT but I never did because 5+ years experience with it, doing all the stretches, taking all the joint supps proved to me enough it would NEVER go away 100%..

That was 5ish years ago and since I started back to lifting I have been lifting 5-6 times a week since and it has just gotten better. I've put on 50 ish pounds in those years as well. I had 2 neurologists say I would have to get bilateral surgery to lift again and scared me with all the "risks" and how quickly they would happen. I have never been so depressed in my life and what I'm getting at here is you're young and injuries are not always what they seem. I know my situation was odd, but I've talked to more than a few people who gave it some time/changed some lifts around and made it happen.

The last thing you want is surgery at a young age I cannot be happier I avoided it even though I was told my lifting career was over unless I did it. Taking THAT long off blew hard, but to be honest, I likely wouldn't have had the same outcome if I had jumped back into it in a month or two. A few months off is NOTHING compared to 5 years later still dealing with it, I am just thankful I used my head and didn't screw myself up for life.

[kevinkemple]

i know this thread is old but im having same problems to. im going to the doctor this weekend. im extremly frustrated because i hate not exercising. but im just going to work on abs and cardio in the meantime

[amit4life5]

2021, Anyone with an Insight. both arms, bending makes it worse. Can it go away or I am doomed?