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Elbow Injury

History:
4 years ago I broke my left radial head from a snowboarding accident. I made a "full recovery" with physical therapy and was able to fully straighten my left arm. I have since then lifted weights off and on and been moderately active.


Problem Start:
I began rock climbing December 20th going to the gym two to three times a week to boulder(climbing a short wall with beyond vertical routes).
A couple weeks ago I went skiing and was pushing my self around with the poles slightly hurt my left elbow it wasn't very painful but I noticed I twisted it weird. After we left skiing there was no observable pain.


Problem Noticed:
The week after I went skiing I went to the climbing gym as normal and after an hour and a half of climbing my left arm was in pain with the source of pain coming from my elbow.

I then went climbing 2 days later and my elbow started to hurt after about 2 sets and as I continue to climb the pain got worse to the point were I cannot bend my hand backwords without a pain.

I then took a few days off


Problem now:
Today I can climb and after a few sets I get little to moderate pain that I can deal with. (I am trying to stay away from bouldering routes that put extra stress on my arms)


Conclusion:

I am not sure if my pain is because I am still building strength in my left elbow which still hasn't fully recovered or if there is something more serious.

What would you do if this pain happened to you?(and you were a poor college student) Any advice would be very very useful!!!!

If this is the wrong forum please let me know!!

Thank you for any help or advice you have!!!!!

4 Responses
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your help.

After googling a bit more I have concluded that I have a really light form of tendinitis since I get pain after climbing for 30 minutes which goes away after less then two hours.

This means to take off for a couple of weeks and do physical therapy in order to build the strength in my tendons.

Any other advice or comments on my self diagnosis would be very helpful thank you for reading this!

Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
Because you are aggravating the injury by over doing it.

Stop when it starts to hurt.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
But if it was an injury wouldn't it hurt all the time? Why does it only hurt once I workout for 30 minutes or more?
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
This is the wrong forum, but I'll suggest that you have injured the elbow and should let it rest and heal, meaning, do not stress the elbow with climbing, weight training, or any other strenuous activity until it is fully healed.

Ice your elbow, elevate it, and rest it. If needed for support, wrap lightly with an ace bandage. Gentle exercise is recommended to increase blood flow.

To answer your basic question, in general:

-- If you have muscle pain the following day after a workout, then this is probably temporary muscle strain that will pass.

-- If you have pain during an activity, its probably an injury.

Pain is a signal that there is something wrong. Do not ignore that signal, and by all means forget those testosterone-filled expressions like "no-pain, no-gain." They're for knuckle draggers. Following them is a great way to invite injury.
Helpful - 0
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st. louis, MO
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