Tennis Elbow and Weight Training

[DefLord13]

Is there any types of exercises that would be safe for me to do with a tennis elbow. I have a tennis elbow at this time and I know if I want to really burn fat and get myself in shape I need to take up weight training and not just cardio. But I do worry if I tried I could potentially do further damage on my elbow. Thought of maybe doing light weights and give that a whirl. I had a cortisone shot on it about three weeks ago so the pain is pretty much gone but worry of reaggravating it. Suggestions?

Thanks!

[onthesetflickr]

I would try very light things and see if it feels irritated. Stay light and gradually go back up over several weeks or even months.

[BillyBatts]

The first thing I would do is purchase a neoprene elbow sleeve from any major sporting goods store. Compression from the sleeve will facilitate the healing process and will provide some degree of support for the elbow. Lifting light is great advice. However, immediately cease any particular lift that causes pain in the elbow area. You can work around the injury by avoiding any lift that causes pain.

[kimsquit]

I know if I want to really burn fat and get myself in shape I need to take up weight training and not just cardio.

who the hell told you that?

a regular and serious program of swimming, cycling, hiking or running (coupled with proper nutrition) will all burn fat, get you in shape and won't aggravate your elbow.

Weight training might help make you better at those things, but to think it has weight training or nothing is just silly.

[DefLord13]

who the hell told you that?

a regular and serious program of swimming, cycling, hiking or running (coupled with proper nutrition) will all burn fat, get you in shape and won't aggravate your elbow.

Weight training might help make you better at those things, but to think it has weight training or nothing is just silly.

Actually what I meant was a combination of both would be much more effective than just doing cardio itself. Thanks for the suggestion folks will give it a whirl.

[DaddyR]

Squats, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises (standing, donkey), crunches, good mornings. Get the picture?

[mslman71]

The first thing I would do is purchase a neoprene elbow sleeve from any major sporting goods store. Compression from the sleeve will facilitate the healing process and will provide some degree of support for the elbow. Lifting light is great advice. However, immediately cease any particular lift that causes pain in the elbow area. You can work around the injury by avoiding any lift that causes pain.

If lifting is what you want to do then I definitely second this ^^^. I've had bouts of tennis elbow and the sleeves/wraps work amazingly well. You can do plenty of work without putting a whole of stress on that area and simply let your body give you the feedback for what is and isn't working.

[flyineagle96]

Just deal with the pain like me,that's what i've been doing.Stop bitching,start sweating!!!

[SerpentHearted]

i have a touch of golfer's elbow right now and I'm using neoprene compression sleeves, icing it up after training, and obviously a bit of common sense comes into it and if a couple of reps in I think "oooh that's really aggravating the elbow", I'll stop doing it - at least for the time being.

A couple of years ago I had it a lot worse (both golfers and tennis elbow at the same time) and it took quite a while to get back on track. I found for my pulling exercises I could use figure 8 straps so that I didn't have to grip things and that helped me to still be able to train without further aggravation of the injury.

[fitz1]

Just deal with the pain like me,that's what i've been doing.Stop bitching,start sweating!!!

Same deal for me...I've been struggling with this type of pain for a long time...just have to work through it since it ain't gonna get any better. I have been trying Glucosamine hoping it helps.

[crupiea]

2 things that are easy to do.

1- buy one of the tennis elbow velcro wrap things at the sporting goods store and wear it all the time

2- get your diet straight and you basically dont need to work out at all. Of course you wont get to eat as much and you wont get any advantage of working out but it can be done if needed.

[DCRevenge]

I get this bad, it hurts and keeps coming back. I got a tennis elbow brace and where it every time I lift. I also now take Orange triad that has some joint support in it. I took it very easy really on tri exerices. Advil will also help along with Ice after. Make sure to streach your forearms well before your work out. Try and find lifts the do require you to hold super heavy DB all the time day after day.

[Dracoy]

I get this bad, it hurts and keeps coming back. I got a tennis elbow brace and where it every time I lift. I also now take Orange triad that has some joint support in it. I took it very easy really on tri exerices. Advil will also help along with Ice after. Make sure to streach your forearms well before your work out. Try and find lifts the do require you to hold super heavy DB all the time day after day.

Damn, did OT help?

[Payton1221]

Tennis elbow kept me from lifting for a while, but not anymore. I just started taking anything that I heard might help. Not sure what's the most effective, but I take the following daily:

- a glucosamine/chondroitin/msm combination
- Cissus
- Fish oil

This works for me, and I've switched to a lower volume (5x5) type of workout, too.

[workoutnow1]

interesting

[ryanguldberg]

Some good comments here. I'm a tennis strength traininer at dominatingtennis.com Strength training is a very good idea when playing tennis. Most people think they can go out and hit balls all the time and that is their training. Not the case. We see more kids that have injured rotator cuffs because they don't get them ready for the game.

I think you have to do a couple things, 1. Why are you getting tennis elbow? Many times with elbow injuries in tennis you have to look to your feet. Are you not getting your feet in proper position before you're hitting the ball and using your full body to stroke that ball?

2. Strength training can help you out a lot, this may seem a little backwards but I would concentrate on trianing your legs, core and lower body, with light work on your upper body. By doing this you can give your elbow some time to rest but by strengthing your lower body and core you should have better balance that will help your strokes power and the elbow.

Hope this helps.
Ryan Guldberg
dominatingtennis.com

[nvrstopworking]

What exactly IS "tennis elbow"? I'm asking because I've been having problems lately that are elbow related....

I used to do pushups every damn day but over the past few months I've found that I'm no longer able to do them without significant warm-up beforehand. If you straighten your arm and then feel the tendons just above the elbow THOSE are what's killing me. Doesn't bother me as much for things like bench (esp if I warm up good) but isolated tricep exercises (extensions, dips etc) done "cold" = agony.

I friggin' HATE getting older.

[HoustonTXMuscle]

What exactly IS "tennis elbow"? I'm asking because I've been having problems lately that are elbow related....

I friggin' HATE getting older.

By definition, "tennis elbow" is an inflammation, pain, or soreness on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow. There could be a partial tear of the tendon fibers, connecting muscle to bone, either at or near their point of origin. Having been an avid racquetball player in my 40's, I experienced this several times over the past 30 years. In Nov., I damaged my right tricep and as a result experience it again. For the next two months, I concentrated on high reps (30-50) with light wts and wore wrist laps. I also now start all my workings with a series of rc exercises. It's only been in the last two weeks that I've been able to do weighted dips.

[erikjh]

Just deal with the pain like me,that's what i've been doing.Stop bitching,start sweating!!!

Same deal for me...I've been struggling with this type of pain for a long time...just have to work through it since it ain't gonna get any better. I have been trying Glucosamine hoping it helps.

it'll get better if you rest it. if you keep working the area obviously it's not going to get better.

Ice, Rest, Nsaids.

or deal with the pain, but know it'll just take longer to get pain free, if ever.

[PeakXV]

There are some arm stretching exercises that can prevent & cure 99% of it.

1) Hold your arm straight out & give a thumbs up, then slowly turn that thumb 180 degrees downward by rotating your wrist inward towards your core. Then slowly rotate it back to the straight up position. Do approximately two sets of 25.

2) Hold your arm straight out again, & this time open the palm of your hand like your about to high 5 someone, then rotate the palm of your hand inward towards your core to about 70-80 degrees, while slightly bending your elbow to about 45 degrees, then take your other hand & press it against the pinky finger of your injured arm, pushing firmly & slowly on an axis/line up towards your elbow. If you do it correctly, you'll know it & feel the stretch on & around your elbow region. Again do this approx. 2 sets of 25 of these manuevers each day to strengthen the supportive tissue around your elbow.

You might want to do it first thing in the morning/ in the shower & again before bed time.

Slowly, slowly your elbow tissues & support will get better & stronger & if these exercises are kept up over time - never more susceptible to the inflammation that occurs when moving this joint firmly in only one daily & specific direction.

Note: Not a Dr, just a tennis coach who has dealt with this painful ailment many times over the last 20 years. In tennis, racquet grips that are too large or small for one's personal hand size can also exhasperate this ailment & are often the main culprit.

This can also be a problem with weights. I personally wrap my dumbbells with tourna grip in my home gym. But thinking about it just now - there must be a more portable/suitable grip product in today's BB industry - i.e one that just slips over the handles giving a better grasp & thus less pressure on the elbow joint!?

Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!

[RonLiftn]

Same deal for me...I've been struggling with this type of pain for a long time...just have to work through it since it ain't gonna get any better. I have been trying Glucosamine hoping it helps.

^^^x3 I just suck it up and do lifts and use angles that cause less pain. I'm not somebody who can just sit on their ass with ice packs, doing pt crap for weeks on end waiting for things to heal. I'm just not capable of doing that. I know, I'm digging my own grave - so be it.

1) Hold your arm straight out & give a thumbs up, then slowly turn that thumb 180 degrees downward by rotating your wrist inward towards your core. Then slowly rotate it back to the straight up position. Do approximately two sets of 25.

That's a good exercise. Feels like it hits the right spot. I'm going to add this into the mix. #2 was a little hard to visualize. Video?

[MecGen]

Hello
The problem with this injury is that tendon tears are all different, everyone heals differently, and the amount of time to heal varies. Lifestyles and especially your job will make all the difference in your recovery. Do not get the neoprene bands, the do not work for lifting, get a hard plastic type, I use a brand "Band-it". Here is a stretch that works best for me

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com...-stretch_1.jpg

The idea is to start arm out finger down, reach over the top of that arm with the other arm and then turn the injured arm by the wrist up and over, you will feel a stretch in all the right places.

Good luck
Regards

[PeakXV]

[QUOTE=RonLiftn;693697561
That's a good exercise. Feels like it hits the right spot. I'm going to add this into the mix. #2 was a little hard to visualize. Video?[/QUOTE]

Sorry no video, here's a jpg though. Push along the axis of the arrows. You'll defintely feel it in the elbow - when you do it correctly.

[pmk76]

Same deal for me...I've been struggling with this type of pain for a long time...just have to work through it since it ain't gonna get any better. I have been trying Glucosamine hoping it helps.

You need to inform yourself and get educated. Glucosamine isn't for random joint/tendon/ligament pain. It has only been shown (in SOME studies) to impact joint pain related specifically to arthritis...which you don't have.

[earlhunt35]

I have tennis elbow in both my arms. My doctor recommended all push movements, benching/military press and i discovered that dips and pushups are not a problem. My right arm had a PPAT done and it feels so much better so that might be another way to go. Good luck.

[earlhunt35]

I never heard of them. Could you explain to me what are figure 8 straps and what they're use for?