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2003/09/21, 03:26 PM
Greetings -
I've been doing serious strength training for almost 25 years - using both machines, and free weights. I've now reached the age (40's) where some things don't heal 'overnight' like they used to, and I need to pay more attention to nagging injuries.
over the past 1-2 years, I've had recurring elbow problems - lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). This seems to occur, or is exacerbated by, dips, and single-arm dubmbell rows(not, I do dips with a weight belt and 40-60 pounds of weight attached, and dumbell rows with 85-100 pound dumbbells).
As far as I can tell, my form is correct, but I'm not sure.
I've tried straps, and most 'devices', and have ended up resorting to periodic cortisone shots. Its getting really frustrating (for example, I can barely pick up a 10 pound plate with the one hand, because of the elbow pain, which is 'humiliating' since I normally lift/bench in the several hundred pound range for most of my lifts), and I'm wondering if anyone out there has suggestions for where to try next (short of surgery, which has mixed success rate).
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2003/09/24, 11:37 AM
Have you had anyone strip the tendons manually, at my chiropractor's office the massage therapist would strip it out when my elbow acted up.
Chronic low-carb dieting contirbutes to tendonitis because it affects the acid balance in your tissues, which aggravates the tendons. Try adding some fresh fruits into your diet for a few weeks.
I have to be extremely careful when picking up plates, making sure to use my whole hand instead of just my finger tips.
I use a strap just below my elbow, around my forearm when I do heavy back day, this gives the tendon a new attachment point and takes the stress off the aggravated area.
There is a product called biofreeze that is excellent, but also, just plain icing it whenever it is sore and especially afetr workouts.
I had to back off on the weights for a while, keep doing range of motion and good form with lighter weights while it heals.
Keep up cardio, it helps get fresh blood and oxygen to your tissues.
If you smoke, quit, that aggravates tendonitis like nothing else!!!
Good luck, I hope some of this helps.
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Challenge + Consistency = Results
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