RRC Archives

tendonitis list:
both elbows (climbing and mousing)
right shoulder/bicep (the layout move on corner problem strained something bad)
thumb (grand theft auto)
both wrists (juggling)

surgery was suggested for the wrists (carpal tunnel) and the right elbow. i told them - in very technical terms - to go @#($ themselves. in all cases, stopping the activity made it go away. after it went away i just played smarter. not just in my activities, but in general. in retrospect i think can link it all back to chronic dehydration and binge drinking.

binge drinking + 4 days a week of bouldering = chronic injuries....

go figure.

-t

I went through 6 weeks of therapy two times per week. Weights on the wrist and forearms. shoulder exercises. medicine ball for the elbows. that shock thing where they zap medicine into the elbow. and ultrasound massage. along with weights and theraband at home twice a day. it seems to have worked pretty well for me but I haven't climbed on it yet.

I've had both at times, but the more persistant was the inside of the elbow.

The only long term solutions to elbow tendinitis for me seem to be:
1. good warmups
2. no bouldering 2 days in a row (unless you're on a trip)
3. no hard climbing 2 days in a row, if you climb 2 days in a row make 1 day a slab day or something
4. strengthen opposing muscles
5. rest days. And that means rest from just about any elbow stress. Limit computing, don't lift, don't climb.
6. if you use computers focus on ergonomics. Particularly the mouse. A mouse with a slight tilt seems to do better for me. If its an old mouse, make sure the ball is clean. Consider trying a trackball sometime as well. For keyboards, consider finding one without a 10 key numeric keypad because that allows you to keep the mouse hand closer to your typing position. For keyboards, either an ergo style, or if you have wrist issues, get a really low profile keyboard that has a height less than half an inch. This has worked well for me.
7. attempt to develop smooth climbing technique that is low impact. avoid dyno's, avoid jerky deadpoints, focus on low impact movement.
8. ice elbows after climbing, or anything that causes them to hurt.

When I had it really bad I actually beat it by taking vioxx every day I climbed for a while. Vioxx has of course been banned now, but celebrex is nearly as good.

edit

Shamis wrote:I've had both at times, but the more persistant was the inside of the elbow.

The only long term solutions to elbow tendinitis for me seem to be:
1. good warmups
2. no bouldering 2 days in a row (unless you're on a trip)
3. no hard climbing 2 days in a row, if you climb 2 days in a row make 1 day a slab day or something
4. strengthen opposing muscles
5. rest days. And that means rest from just about any elbow stress. Limit computing, don't lift, don't climb.
6. if you use computers focus on ergonomics. Particularly the mouse. A mouse with a slight tilt seems to do better for me. If its an old mouse, make sure the ball is clean. Consider trying a trackball sometime as well. For keyboards, consider finding one without a 10 key numeric keypad because that allows you to keep the mouse hand closer to your typing position. For keyboards, either an ergo style, or if you have wrist issues, get a really low profile keyboard that has a height less than half an inch. This has worked well for me.
7. attempt to develop smooth climbing technique that is low impact. avoid dyno's, avoid jerky deadpoints, focus on low impact movement.
8. ice elbows after climbing, or anything that causes them to hurt.

When I had it really bad I actually beat it by taking vioxx every day I climbed for a while. Vioxx has of course been banned now, but celebrex is nearly as good.

9. Stop falling off cliffs

I kicked my wall back to steep and tried for the smaller handholds. It made one elbow sore for several days. I'm liking having the crack machine that steep and avoiding the little handholds awhile. The crack is way more fun anyway.

KD wrote:i am going to PT for this at present. they make me use therabands and exercise with weights. The also use an ultrasound thing to massage the tendon and some kind of shock-thing where they put electrodes on the tendon and shock an analgesic into it. It's still a little sore but at least I can hold a cup of coffee which i couldn't for the past four months. I purchased a shock ems / tens unit online and have used it some too. I'm going twice a week and hope it works. none of the weight work i ever did in the gym was the right thing for elbows but the excercises they showed me seem to strengthen it a lot.

oh..well you need a lot of rest up ..just cheer up dont force your self, it takes it easy. just get will soon..


_________________
Ultrasound Repair

ynot wrote:I kicked my wall back to steep and tried for the smaller handholds. It made one elbow sore for several days. I'm liking having the crack machine that steep and avoiding the little handholds awhile. The crack is way more fun anyway.

crack machine? What is that? Got pics? Is it like a treadwall with crack type hold? Sounds cool.

Sleeping with your arms straight is one of the best ways to avoid elbow tendonitis. Ask Margarita--her doc told her to sleep with her arms tied to her legs so she would not bend them while sleeping--cleared up a chronic elbow tendonitis problem. I do push ups every day and try to sleep with my arms straight, so I have not had tendonitis in my elbows in several years.

Or, climb slabs exclusively.