Elbow pain

Looking for a diagnosis and suggestions. A while back (2-3 months) I was doing a roll, screwed up in the technique department on a C-C roll, and basically muscled up. I have a really large ONNOpaddle Big Boy that lets me get away with that. Anyway, at the end of the roll I felt an almost stabbing and burning feeling in my elbow area. On the top where the arm actually bends. All this time later, I can hardly reach out and pick up a 5 lb weight with my palm facing down. The pain is unbelievable. Palm up, not so bad. Been hesitant to go to the doctor until water freezes up. Any one else ever had this happen? Any input would be appreciated.

I think you’ve answered yr own question
See a doctor, at least for a diagnosis.

Maybe tennis elbow
I can barely pick up my coffee cup palm side down- easier the other way. Tendonitis - inflamed tendons - i had a cortisone shot end of summer and it was better but now it is awful as i recently had wrist surgery on other arm and between that pain and helplessness the tendonitis is back with a vengeance on my other arm. Too many cortisone shots are not good either - hope you have better help than i’m getting!

marilyn

Get an elbow strap
For tennis elbow, wear it tight and about 1 inch below your elbow.

Anti-inflamitory / ultra sound
I’m not a believer in going to the doctor to be told what I already know. “You injured it”



Take a few over the counter anti-inflamitories to get you past the initial pain period. Then some TLC. I have gone to chiropractors who have helped me with shoulder and elbows with ultra sound treatments. It may take a good 3 months, but your body wants to heal itself. Ginger is a natural anti-inflamitory too.



Sometimes people don’t exercise reguarly and they put a sudden stress on a section that is not in condition. I’m 60 and I always warm up before slamming my body around. (I have to).



You’ll know if it’s a tear or something really serious. But don’t panic and run to a surgeon because they have to make a living.

Doctors
> I’m not a believer in going to the doctor to be told what I already know. “You injured it”



I share your skepticism about doctors. You can always ignore what they have to say, but they might tell you something useful, and if you have insurance, it only costs a small co-pay. Just be a wise consumer and don’t take what they say as gospel. Think it through for yourself.



At least a doctor, especially an orthopedist, can help diagnose exactly what you injured and what kinds of measures will be good and bad for it. I have a shoulder problem from an old bicycling injury, and I exercise a lot to keep the muscles strong around it. But an orthopedist pointed out that one of the exercises I was doing – side lifts – was probably exacerbating it, even if I felt no immediate pain. He was right, and stopping that one helped a lot.



Also, a doctor can refer you to a physical therapist, who are among the most useful, helpful and sensible practicioners in the medical business. But they can suffer from some of the same inflations as doctors, so again, think for yourself.



BTW, tennis elbow is RSI – repetitive stress injury – irritation from repeated movement over a fairly long period, at least days, probably more. What this fellow has is obviously an “acute” injury, perhaps a muscle or tendon tear. There’s a big difference, and they should probably be treated differently.


See a doctor
I’ve always been one to “work-through” the pain, found it always got better afterwards. That jock move messed up my feet with a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis that’s taken me over 2 years now to get back ‘almost’ to where I used to be. Blah, blah, blah…



This pain of yours is new, and severe. Don’t screw around - see a doctor, get piece of mind, and set yourself up for paddling success for many years yet to come.


tennis elbow
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=54946

check out this thread for some very promising news for all of us suffering from frayed tendons. Although you seem to feel your horsed roll caused your elbow problem it’s more likely just the tipping point. Big blades and feathered blades could be the culprit. Sleeping on your arm every night forces the tendon to compress against the elbow bone and then the daily activity of paddling or tennis or whatever makes it unbearable. Mine got so bad I had surgery to repair it after the cortizone shot failed. Oh yeah,I am a sissy and tried months of chiro care and rehab prior to the surgery but sad to say they didn’t work at all. Now I’m ok but have to be careful not to overdo it with gripping and darned if I can stop sleeping on my arm with the elbow bent!! Good luck to you and my experience is to NOT play through the pain with fore arm or elbow pain. I can’t help but think I waited too long and let the tendon fray too much.

Bigger is not always better
I’ve had problems with arms,elbows for quite some time. My experience is that bigger is not always better. I bought a Onno paddle about three years ago. Don’t remember what model it was but at the time my order got screwed up with Patrick and he made and sent a free paddle made from cosmetic defective parts that had a smaller blade design along with my order. Turns out i love the smaller bladed paddle more than what i originally ordered.

I can paddle a lot longer with much less pain. I just recently had elbow surgery to hopefully correct the problem.

My advice is to see a orthopedic doctor for an evaluation. Hopefully your probem is’t as bad as mine.

Paddle on!

Wrist curls and reverse curls…
… cured my elbow tendonitis. I think I’ve said it before, but it’s true – takes a while though. YMMV, of course. In any case, start with a lower weight and higher reps, and if something hurts for more than a moment, stop or cut back. You may not be able to start that until you get the acute pain under control.



–David.

Thanks all!
Thanks for all the input, observations and advice.

I hate to admit it, but a visit to the orthopedic surgeon appears to be the next move…

As soon as the water gets hard!