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Elbow-itis (Read 10526 times)

highrepute

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#25 Re: Elbow-itis
December 17, 2010, 09:09:52 am
Highrepute, please don't offer advice which is completely uninformed - unless you have a very specific tender point on the bony prominence on the inside of the elbow, the pain is almost certainly due to some sort of instability at the shoulder causing impingement and referring pain to the elbow.

I've read back through what I posted and see your point, perhaps phrased what I wanted to say wrongly.

Don't think elbow problems can be referred from back/shoulder i.e. the pain your feeling is an elbow prob not a back/shoulder problem - but tightness in back/shoulder can impede recovery and could be a possible factor in the injury.

perhaps I should clarify: Meant to suggest that although there is likely to be a shoulder problem here, at the moment this shoulder problem has caused an injury in the elbow (hence pain in elbow) and treating the shoulder now won't address the elbow problem. Treat the elbow but be-aware that shoulder problem is very likely and needs treating.

but maybe you disagree with the statement?

The Sausage

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#26 Re: Elbow-itis
December 17, 2010, 09:29:08 am
I certainly do...
...there are (I believe) 2 varieites of elbow problems frequent in climbers:
1) Straightforward elbow tendonitis - I don't actually think this is particularly common. It is characterised by a definite point of tenderness on the bony prominence of the elbow; This problem, although can be more likely with poor shoulder alignment/mechanics, really has nothing to do with the shoulder. It should get better with the usual R.I.C.E. management.

2) Elbow pain that is characterised by generalised lateral arm pain, difficult to locate any point of tenderness. It generally comes on with squeezy/mantle-y moves (Font' elbow). This pain is caused by lack of stability at the shoulder causing impingement of structures that cross the shoulder joint, referring pain further down the arm. And this is the key - although the pain is located close to the elbow, there isn't any injurous processes occurring at the point of pain. All structures (Nerves, muscles,bones) can refer pain along their length - people with knee replacements will often have quite severe ankle pain, for example.

With nerves, this is even more pertinent. Take a lumbar disc bulge - it will likely refer pain down the sciatic nerve, which may only be felt at the calf or ankle. It is the same with the shoulder. The radial nerve runs along the outside of the arm - and if this is aggravted as it crosses the shoulder joint, it will cause pain further down the arm.

Thus, treat the cause of the problem and in this case, the origin of the pain.

Incidently, this problem is often lazily 'diagnosed' as brachialis tendonitis.

highrepute

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#27 Re: Elbow-itis
December 17, 2010, 10:01:39 am
Nice one. :) Thanks for taking the time to reply, pretty much answers all my questions.

 

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