working biceps post injury

P

pjdavis

Cathlete
Hi Cathe,

Needing your input...I was diagnosed with golfer's elbow and tennis elbow bilaterally. I don't play either sport, but just turned 40 and everything's starts to go. I've had steroid injections with some relief and have recently been able to start lifting again. The only exercises that really hurt my elbows yet are push ups and bicep work. I can do hammer curls (with much lighter weight). So my question is, can hammer curls be a substitute for all my bicep work in your videos? Any other exercise ideas? What can I sub for push ups?
Getting old stinks!

I remember when you were dealing with your leg injury a while back. It's SO hard to have the patience to recover from it and not be able to do a workout. I often wondered how you did it. Thanks, and the STS clips on Youtube look great!

Pam
 
Tennis elbow

Hi Pam!

I'm sorry to hear of your G/T Elbow issues. Ironically I had a bout with this when turned 40 too. I found nothing really got rid of it but the prescribed therapy exercises. FINALLY, after being faithful to my therapy, the condition left me and never came back. Gosh, is it ever uncomfortable, isn't it? I really suggest doing the PT for it. It makes a world of difference. Some exercises I remember were squeezing a ball of puddy or a squeeze ball or hand grip (fyi, I actually have a squeeze ball and hand grip in my fitness line for this exact application...but honestly not trying to push these on you, just letting you know), stretching open a rubberband that was wrapped around all of my fingers at mid joint, placing my fingers in the center mass of a puddy ball on the table and stretching it open with my fingers, rolling up a weighted cord and then unraveling it (for forearm strength too), VERY LIGHT bicep curls with dumbbells .5 to start (3 sets of 12 reps, two times per week) and then eventually go to 1.0, then to 1.5, ....all the way to about 6 pounds over the course of a 12 week program. Then I did hammer curls the same way. I ended the sessions with wrist and forearm stretches and ice.

Hope this helps and good luck!
 
PT

I appreciate your advice. It's encouraging to know that yours resolved b/c, as you know, it can be SO frustrating. I am going to give the PT sessions another try, coupled with some of the PT exercises that you suggested too. And now I don't feel so ridiculous lifting such light weights for biceps till this heals!
Thanks again!
Pam
 
similar problem

I am 51 and having tennis elbow in my left elbow - I never had it before and it cropped up all of a sudden. I am just writing to say I appreciate all of the advice on this here. I am thinking I will have to skip the upper body weights for a while - very frustrated about that. Looks like Leaner Legs for tomorrow! And after that ball and hand grip squeezing, stretching and ice.
 
Ann....what helped me the most....

Ann....what helped me the most....

I found the one thing that helped me the most in getting over it was wearing a wrist brace, especially wearing it to bed. I don't know about you, but for me the absolute worst was waking up in the morning... it was excruciating. Wearing the wrist brace seemed to help stabilize it and I'm sure that is what helped me kick it. Good luck, it is no fun!
 
elbow

Yep when I woke up this morning I said that exact thing, waking up in the morning is when it's worst. Thank you for the tip on the wrist brace. I will try that. One thing I am confused about - I am not sure whether to weight train at all. For example I was thinking of doing a lower body workout today - but now I am wondering about having to pick up or hold weights for leg work - for example doing a stiff-legged deadlift - I wonder if just holding the weight might be bad for my elbow. Did you keep doing lower body weights like you did before, or did you have to modify that or take a break as well?
 
Ann-

Ann-

I did continue with lower body weights when my Tennis Elbows (I had it in both) were at their worst.... HOWEVER.... watch your Deadlifts! My physical therapist told me to always keep a slight bend in my elbows when lifting a heavy barbell (and in everyday activities like carrying heavy handled grocery bags, pulling the kids in a wagon, etc.). I think keeping my arms completely straight and locking my elbows straight doing Deadlifts- ESPECIALLY the Stiff-Legged Deadlifts- is how the Tennis Elbow mess all started for me. I still do them, but lighten my weight and keep my elbows bent.

Not sure if you saw my other post below to Cathe, but I'm starting to feel the pain again since I've started back with bicep and tricep work, so I'm getting really discouraged. My Mom had TE so bad she had surgery, and my brother also has Golfer's Elbow, so I'm starting to think I'm cursed! Bleh~

Re: the wrist brace... I got mine from my physical therapist, but it looks similar to this:

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=167911&catid=10279

You can get them at any drugstore or Target or Wal-Mart.

I noticed Drugstore.com now has one just for night. I'm sure it's probably the same thing, but I think it's interesting they are marketing it for night use:

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=164239&catid=10279

Hope this helps!
 
You can bet I'll be watching for straight arms on deadlifts and everything else as well! Even punches in kickbox - I don't know where I hurt my elbow, but there are so many possibilities. I also walk two dogs together and if they pull hard suddenly I have to be very careful not to hyperextend. I have been searching today for my wrist braces that were prescribed for me when I had carpal tunnel syndrome - they have to be in my house somewhere so the hunt is on to find those before tonight! I am sorry you have all that genetic predisposition.
 
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