elbows, and now bicep is killin me :(

[Phil Burmese1]

I have had some pain in both of my elbows for some time now. It has hindered me from doing lots of bulking tricep exercises. Exercises inlcuding french press and tricep extensions. Anyhow on friday I went very heavy on bi's and tri's doing 125lb barbell curls (super strict form) which is heavy for me, and racking the weights on the tricep pressdowns. The next day I woke up and both my elbows seemed to hurt, than as the day went on both my elbows and my right bicep (the back of the elbow) are in pain. If I flex my bicep I have no pain, just when I move my forearm towards my bicep and sqeeze closely. It feel like it would if I was sore, kind of. Just I know it is not that. I decided to just train legs this week and let my elbows and arms rest as much as they can. I have been taking some (mobic) and anti inflamitory I received for my back. It has been a few days and the pain is not subsiding. Any suggestions on what it could be or what I can do to remedy it? It really sux cuase I am on week 6 of my cycle and am not happy I have to miss the gym. Also my elbows for some time now cracks when extended (similar to people who crack their nuckles) Any suggestion or remedies will be greatly appreciated. I figure if I go to the dr. all he will tell me is that I have tennis elbow and dont go to the gym, which is not what someone like me wants to hear.
Thank you

 

[Neodavid]

Coincidentally, that's why I joined this forum, to find the answer to my wrist and elbow pain.

Same problem for me, skull crushers were painful, and curls were worse (wrists). My elbow actually 'blew out' something, I think a sinuvial fluid sack exploded or distended. Couldn't even straighten it out, but that was preceeded by weeks of discomfort and considerable pain at times.

Tried to work around it for a while, but it felt SO whimpy... when you are used to 145lb skull crushers, doing 90lbs pushdowns is hard to swallow.

For me the answer was a week off, HST, and plenty of chondroiten/MSM/glucosomine.

First 2 weeks of hst is VERY light weights and high reps (15). The week off for deconditioning REALLY helped get me ready for the high reps, AND, my friend, believe it or not I GREW!

I'm on my 6th workout (last one of 2 weeks of high reps), and my arms have grown 1/4 inch, on what I thought had to be the whimpiest workout routine I've ever seen.

BUT, a lot of guys here recomend HST, so I tried it out of desperation, and so far, holy schmoly, I'm impressed.

Seriously, 3 weeks of recovery, and my elbows are back in shape. You are just training them too heavy for too long. Seriously... I did the same thing. You just can't do that. The answer is not heavier and heavier workouts... Please look up HST http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html, take a week off for deconditioning, and then step into a protocal that will heal you up and get you growing even with bad elbows.

Also, get elbow pads to keep your arms warmed up. That's a huge one.

Good luck man.

I have had some pain in both of my elbows for some time now. It has hindered me from doing lots of bulking tricep exercises. Exercises inlcuding french press and tricep extensions. Anyhow on friday I went very heavy on bi's and tri's doing 125lb barbell curls (super strict form) which is heavy for me, and racking the weights on the tricep pressdowns. The next day I woke up and both my elbows seemed to hurt, than as the day went on both my elbows and my right bicep (the back of the elbow) are in pain. If I flex my bicep I have no pain, just when I move my forearm towards my bicep and sqeeze closely. It feel like it would if I was sore, kind of. Just I know it is not that. I decided to just train legs this week and let my elbows and arms rest as much as they can. I have been taking some (mobic) and anti inflamitory I received for my back. It has been a few days and the pain is not subsiding. Any suggestions on what it could be or what I can do to remedy it? It really sux cuase I am on week 6 of my cycle and am not happy I have to miss the gym. Also my elbows for some time now cracks when extended (similar to people who crack their nuckles) Any suggestion or remedies will be greatly appreciated. I figure if I go to the dr. all he will tell me is that I have tennis elbow and dont go to the gym, which is not what someone like me wants to hear.
Thank you

 

[Chip Bronson]

phil neodavid makes a few good points. too heavy for too long will kill your joints, especially if aas is part of the game. take a week, or two even, off for starters. this will give you time to heal and you can work the shit out of your legs as well.

next, do seriously consider starting hst for a cycle or two. you're joints will thank you and you will even grow on it. safely. like neo, i put on 1/4" on my arms during the 2 weeks of 15's and the joints took a vacation in the process. not too shabby, eh? by the time you hit the heavy weights in the 5-rep weeks, you should be healed nicely.

definitely consider taking the supps that neo mentioned. also add ginger, green tea extract and turmeric extract. these 3 work synergistically and act as a powerful anti-inflammatory without the stomach and liver problems of something like an advil.

one more thing is this. this type of condition usually does not happen overnight. it's something that's weeks, or even months, in the making. during this time you feel the pain and consciously, or unconsciously even, you begin to change your form in an attempt to find a 'groove' that hurts and THIS can actually cause more damage. this happened to me excatly after a car accident because i did not give the injury sufficient time to heal. so, what i'm getting at, it might be a good idea to go to a good chiro who can tell you if you have something like tendonitis or something like adhesions on the musculotendonous complex. the latter will require some chiro work to heal. maybe even a lot of work. my treatment took several months but i made tremendous progress.

i know this might be a lot of info and the prospect of toning down your work regimen mid-cycle may be less than appealing but, as the old addage goes, live to fight another day brother. hope you feel better.

 

[Neodavid]

I gotta give a big amen to that. Good points on the groove thing, I actually did by elbow blowout trying to use a different type of ez-curl bar for the skull crushers. It hurt before, and that did the final damage.

phil neodavid makes a few good points. too heavy for too long will kill your joints, especially if aas is part of the game. take a week, or two even, off for starters. this will give you time to heal and you can work the shit out of your legs as well.

next, do seriously consider starting hst for a cycle or two. you're joints will thank you and you will even grow on it. safely. like neo, i put on 1/4" on my arms during the 2 weeks of 15's and the joints took a vacation in the process. not too shabby, eh? by the time you hit the heavy weights in the 5-rep weeks, you should be healed nicely.

definitely consider taking the supps that neo mentioned. also add ginger, green tea extract and turmeric extract. these 3 work synergistically and act as a powerful anti-inflammatory without the stomach and liver problems of something like an advil.

one more thing is this. this type of condition usually does not happen overnight. it's something that's weeks, or even months, in the making. during this time you feel the pain and consciously, or unconsciously even, you begin to change your form in an attempt to find a 'groove' that hurts and THIS can actually cause more damage. this happened to me excatly after a car accident because i did not give the injury sufficient time to heal. so, what i'm getting at, it might be a good idea to go to a good chiro who can tell you if you have something like tendonitis or something like adhesions on the musculotendonous complex. the latter will require some chiro work to heal. maybe even a lot of work. my treatment took several months but i made tremendous progress.

i know this might be a lot of info and the prospect of toning down your work regimen mid-cycle may be less than appealing but, as the old addage goes, live to fight another day brother. hope you feel better.

 

[STEEDA69]

I think Most of us can relate to some extent, as to the sheer frustration this type of injury can cause! "Tennis Elbow" does NOT imply that you must or DO play tennis! It's basically Tendonitis, but more specifically "Lateral epicondylitis." Overuse of the wrist extensors (muscles that pull the hand up) can create cumulative stress on the tendons that attach to the elbow at the outer part (the lateral epicondyle). I won't go into the physiology of this injury but it can basically be detected by a very sore and tender elbow (outer portion). If however, your pain is directed more to the inner portion of the elbow (ante cubital fossa), you may have what is referred to as "golfers elbow" or "Medial epicondylitis." When the wrist flexors are overused, the common flexor tendon becomes inflammed and is quite painful. Only YOU can determine where your pain is, anatomically speaking! Again, I won't go into the physiology as such BUT many tricep exercises incorporate either pronation or supination of the wrist to some extent. This constant Flexion OR Extension of the forearm muscles, can cause either of the two conditions I mentioned! You DO need to seek the advice of a medical practioner BUT in the meantime, STOP working you upper body period! Unfortunately, the only way to completely recovery from this is to keep away from the weights and / or picking up / carrying anything which may aggravate your elbow further. In addition, Using the R.I.C.E. method (rest, ice, compression and elevation) is extremely helpful in reducing pain and swelling. Icing the elbow for 10-15 minutes at a time will decrease the inflammation and swelling and relieve pain. GOOD LUCK! Hey, you could probably do with a well deserved rest now anyway!!!
JD~