Friggin' Elbow Tendonitis...

[wojo]

I've been dealing with some elbow tendonitis on the inside of my elbow, otherwise known as medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow for many months now. I guess I just put the pain out of my mind because it was really just a nuisance until recently.

Now, all of the grip training that I've been doing on top of all my back work in the gym has really aggravated it to the point that I can't ignore it any more so I've taken some days off from both upper body work and grip work to get some rest and evaluate what to do to get rid of this pain.

I've been working my extensors with the IronMind bands, taking Advil and icing my elbow about three times a day while I've been researching how to treat golfer's elbow. I've come to the conclusion that there's no way in hell I'm going to take months or even weeks away from training to completely rest my elbow so I'm going to do my best to prioritize my training and take it workout by workout and day by day.

Game Plan: I'm going to continue my routine of Advil and icing every day along with stretching and massage. I'm going to wear a compression band around my arm throughpout the day to help alleviate the pressure on my tendon. I'm going to use a lifting strap for back workouts only on my right hand to help alleviate the aggravation it causes. Lastly, I'm going to do more finger extensor work and otherwise adjust my grip training as needed to keep moving forward...even if this means primarily working my left hand for a while (it's the weaker hand anyway).

If all else fails, I'll go for a cortisone shot and re-evaluate my approach. I need to keep going until my next deadlift competition in December and then if an extended break from training is the only other option, then so be it.

On a positive note, I made my own homemade Titan's Telegraph Key out of wood a few days ago and I bought 50lb and 60lb hex dumbbells which I'll be cutting the handles off of today to make my first block weights. I'll also be choking my COC #2.5 gripper this afternoon so I'll be ready to get back to work once my elbow heals up a bit.

[kogba]

As you already said, A LOT of stretching and again and again throughout the day(concentrate to feel the stretch on the area that hurts, stretching the elbow more than stetching your wrists, and also stretch all the angles), extensors training, icing, compression band(to relieve the pain), massage, counterpain and voltaren gel.

If you can avoid the cortisone shot, it'd be the best (it may help and heal you, but tendonitis/epicondylitis could return at the future, and more than 2-3 total shots of cortisone isn't exactly the best thing for the elbow joint), but any case is unique so you're the one to decide.

[IROC-Z]

I've used a product called "Cissus RX" several times over the past couple years to treat my elbow tendonitis when it flares up, and I've had excellent results from it.

[wojo]

Thanks for the input guys...

kogba....yes, the cortisone shot is definitely at the very bottom of my list...if I would even decide to do it....and I'll definitely make it a point to do more stretching.

IROC-Z.....Do you take the Cissus RX in place of ibuprofen or in addition to?

On a postive note, I did my regularly scheduled grip workout today sans my right hand for the most part. I closed my "choked to parallel" COC#2.5 with my left (i.e. - weaker) hand on my very first try, which gives me a lot of encouragement. I did end up doing side to side leveraging, Titan's Telegraph Key and wrist roller work with my right hand and none of those exercises seemed to aggravate my elbow.

[IROC-Z]

IROC-Z.....Do you take the Cissus RX in place of ibuprofen or in addition to?

I take it along with Ibuprofen. I'll usually take the Cissus RX for 6-8 weeks at a time when my elbows are giving me trouble. Mike Rinderle recommended this product to me, and it's been a real lifesaver.

[thehammer]

do you do reverse curls or hammer curls. doing these especially with thick bar or dumbbell will help tremendously with elbow pain. especially if you do heavy benching.

[wojo]

I did reverse curls at the gym today on your suggestion and they felt really good....like just having the pump gave some temporary relief...