Hello HP Clinic.I have a recently acquired problem I was hoping you could possibly advise me on. I have started with some discomfort in my left elbow. I've never had any trouble with it before. I've had a niggling pain in it, certainly worse when my arm is fully bent. I do a physical job which isn't helping but being self employed, no one pays you for being off ill though. Climbing wise it's been slowing me down, and tonight it reduced me to a stop. I just couldn't put any power through my arm at all and started peeling off problems, even easy stuff. The sore area is just up from my actual elbow joint, a few inches up my forearm. Sorry about the lack of specifics, quite hard to describe. Tonight it has also left me with pins and needles in my forearm and the back of my hand, which is a first. My training sensei has advised I treat it with ice and heat, and anti inflammatory if needed. Any other input at all? I have my first trip to font at the end of the month, so no pressure
Hi there Steve and gang,Hoping you can help me out; as you have done in the past...Whilst climbing on Tuesday I was doing a move where was hanging by my arms and trying to lift my feet up to a foot hold very high up and to my left. So I basically doing an awkward knee lift and twist, which I must admit didn't feel plausible, but I was just trying to stay on the route!My attempt ended with a sharp pain on the right side of the front of my torso at the bottom of my ribs and was accompanied by snappy noise.The pain now comes when moving around in bed, looking over left shoulder (reversing!) and various other things where I engage my right hand side upper body. As I write this I am less than 48hrs in so might be jumping the gun a bit as I imagine that a period of healing might just sort it out. But because of that unpleasant noise at the point of the injury I thought I would try to get some understanding of what I might have done to myself!Any ideas?Many thanks for any help.Richard W
Matt,Thanks for the help, I'll see how it improves in the next few days.Richard.
HiI have a problem with my right shoulder but this particular problem has effected both shoulders at different points in my life.When I raise my arm it feels like its ROM gets restricted as I'm approaching shoulder height and it becomes uncomfortable as I get above shoulder height. I have very pronounced Acroniums and I wonder if it's causing some sort of obstruction when I raise my arm. I can feel a bit of crunching around that area when trying to do exercises that require raising my and and when I am lowering from a one-arm pull up, I can feel a bit of crunching on the way down at the last stage of lowering, perhaps the last inch or two.I have a feeling that some of the problem is that I'm not putting my joint into a great position sometimes when climbing (not pulling my shoulders back and down?). I don't really do any antagonistic work on my shoulders and seeing as I climb so much I'm sure that proper shoulder position and antagonistic stuff would help with this?I'd appreciate any advice you can give and most likely, I'd come in for you guys to take a look. Who would be the best person to see regarding shoudlers?
Quote from: Charlton Chestwig on October 10, 2014, 03:40:08 pmMatt,Thanks for the help, I'll see how it improves in the next few days.Richard.Update: Well my coughing breathing moving in bed is no longer a problem. Just getting a bit of pain if engage my abs with some certain movements. a regular sit up is ok and it wasn't 2 weeks ago. Although the hypochondriac in me would like an exact diagnosis, I think I may be better to continue staying as active as I can be whilst avoiding anything that causes the pain. then hopefully a few more weeks might see it right. Does this sound like the best way forward?Cheers,Richard
Quote from: Andy W on February 28, 2014, 01:07:59 pmQuote from: HPclinic on February 28, 2014, 12:40:58 pmQuote from: Andy W on February 26, 2014, 06:05:59 pmHiOk my problem/pain is in my right bicep. I can make it hurt by contracting bicep with my palm facing out. The pain is near the elbow end of the bicep. Its been like this a while, about month and half. I train or boulder lets say an average of 4/5 days a week, maybe pushing it a bit recently. I actually have a similar pain in the left bicep as well, but less so.cheers in advanceHi, it is difficult to say whether you have a purely biceps problem as it could also be deeper ie elbow joint. It hurts when you have your palm facing outwards which is actually taking load off the biceps (the biceps flexes and rotates the lower arm from palm down to up). It could be that you are compressing the joint ie fully flexed elbow and a biceps contraction. As both biceps are hurting it is probably more due to the recent increase in intensity. I would tend to think that you need to back off on the intensity and climb at a pain free level and then slowly increase the loads/grade as symptoms allow. Maybe stay away from locking out on the elbows for the next few week. When you are back to climbing fully again just make sure you monitor the intense sessions and ensure you have easier sessions on following days particularly when you are climbing frequently.Other possibilities are that sometimes the neck or upper back can refer pain and we would tend to assess what your shoulder and trunk is doing and are you pulling too much through your elbows. Hope this helps and let me know if symptoms persist, regardsMattHi MatThanks for your reply. I just gave myself a little test. The right bicep is quite a bit worse and hurts if I do a regular bicep curl, as well as the palms out indicator I gave you. It doesn't hurt deadhanging. Thinking back I did do quite a lot of deep lock training on rings and campus boards about two/three months ago. Since then I have been focusing on projects which are generally steep and fingery and haven't caused much pain. The pain got worse three days ago after a session on a problem that again involved a deep lock on a big hold.I did some research and thought maybe distal bicep tendonitis.I've also been climbing a very long time, ie I'm old! so maybe posture is a key as well.cheers AndyHi Andy, you may have overloaded the distal tendon but it is less likely to be a tendonitis ie inflammatory as it has been going on for a 2 month period. It could be more of a tendonosis ie more wear and and tear, but only a problem if the tendon is overloaded to soon or too much. It is difficult for an exact diagnosis when it is deep elbow pain. The action you describe is both when the biceps is contracting and the joint is being compressed (also some of the nerves around the elbow can be compressed).Poor posture can certainly contribute and often climbers are stiff in their mid back region. This area is important for reaching and stretching your arms out for holds. If you are in a sedentary sitting job then make sure you move regularly and do neck and trunk rotations and lift your chest and occasionally reach towards the ceiling. As before avoid extensive locking out positions and reduce your load and grades. Increase as able and maybe you need to come in or visit a physio.regardsMatt
Quote from: HPclinic on February 28, 2014, 12:40:58 pmQuote from: Andy W on February 26, 2014, 06:05:59 pmHiOk my problem/pain is in my right bicep. I can make it hurt by contracting bicep with my palm facing out. The pain is near the elbow end of the bicep. Its been like this a while, about month and half. I train or boulder lets say an average of 4/5 days a week, maybe pushing it a bit recently. I actually have a similar pain in the left bicep as well, but less so.cheers in advanceHi, it is difficult to say whether you have a purely biceps problem as it could also be deeper ie elbow joint. It hurts when you have your palm facing outwards which is actually taking load off the biceps (the biceps flexes and rotates the lower arm from palm down to up). It could be that you are compressing the joint ie fully flexed elbow and a biceps contraction. As both biceps are hurting it is probably more due to the recent increase in intensity. I would tend to think that you need to back off on the intensity and climb at a pain free level and then slowly increase the loads/grade as symptoms allow. Maybe stay away from locking out on the elbows for the next few week. When you are back to climbing fully again just make sure you monitor the intense sessions and ensure you have easier sessions on following days particularly when you are climbing frequently.Other possibilities are that sometimes the neck or upper back can refer pain and we would tend to assess what your shoulder and trunk is doing and are you pulling too much through your elbows. Hope this helps and let me know if symptoms persist, regardsMattHi MatThanks for your reply. I just gave myself a little test. The right bicep is quite a bit worse and hurts if I do a regular bicep curl, as well as the palms out indicator I gave you. It doesn't hurt deadhanging. Thinking back I did do quite a lot of deep lock training on rings and campus boards about two/three months ago. Since then I have been focusing on projects which are generally steep and fingery and haven't caused much pain. The pain got worse three days ago after a session on a problem that again involved a deep lock on a big hold.I did some research and thought maybe distal bicep tendonitis.I've also been climbing a very long time, ie I'm old! so maybe posture is a key as well.cheers Andy
Quote from: Andy W on February 26, 2014, 06:05:59 pmHiOk my problem/pain is in my right bicep. I can make it hurt by contracting bicep with my palm facing out. The pain is near the elbow end of the bicep. Its been like this a while, about month and half. I train or boulder lets say an average of 4/5 days a week, maybe pushing it a bit recently. I actually have a similar pain in the left bicep as well, but less so.cheers in advanceHi, it is difficult to say whether you have a purely biceps problem as it could also be deeper ie elbow joint. It hurts when you have your palm facing outwards which is actually taking load off the biceps (the biceps flexes and rotates the lower arm from palm down to up). It could be that you are compressing the joint ie fully flexed elbow and a biceps contraction. As both biceps are hurting it is probably more due to the recent increase in intensity. I would tend to think that you need to back off on the intensity and climb at a pain free level and then slowly increase the loads/grade as symptoms allow. Maybe stay away from locking out on the elbows for the next few week. When you are back to climbing fully again just make sure you monitor the intense sessions and ensure you have easier sessions on following days particularly when you are climbing frequently.Other possibilities are that sometimes the neck or upper back can refer pain and we would tend to assess what your shoulder and trunk is doing and are you pulling too much through your elbows. Hope this helps and let me know if symptoms persist, regardsMatt
HiOk my problem/pain is in my right bicep. I can make it hurt by contracting bicep with my palm facing out. The pain is near the elbow end of the bicep. Its been like this a while, about month and half. I train or boulder lets say an average of 4/5 days a week, maybe pushing it a bit recently. I actually have a similar pain in the left bicep as well, but less so.cheers in advance
Quote from: HPclinic on March 07, 2014, 12:04:25 pmQuote from: Andy W on February 28, 2014, 01:07:59 pmQuote from: HPclinic on February 28, 2014, 12:40:58 pmQuote from: Andy W on February 26, 2014, 06:05:59 pmHiOk my problem/pain is in my right bicep. I can make it hurt by contracting bicep with my palm facing out. The pain is near the elbow end of the bicep. Its been like this a while, about month and half. I train or boulder lets say an average of 4/5 days a week, maybe pushing it a bit recently. I actually have a similar pain in the left bicep as well, but less so.cheers in advanceHi, it is difficult to say whether you have a purely biceps problem as it could also be deeper ie elbow joint. It hurts when you have your palm facing outwards which is actually taking load off the biceps (the biceps flexes and rotates the lower arm from palm down to up). It could be that you are compressing the joint ie fully flexed elbow and a biceps contraction. As both biceps are hurting it is probably more due to the recent increase in intensity. I would tend to think that you need to back off on the intensity and climb at a pain free level and then slowly increase the loads/grade as symptoms allow. Maybe stay away from locking out on the elbows for the next few week. When you are back to climbing fully again just make sure you monitor the intense sessions and ensure you have easier sessions on following days particularly when you are climbing frequently.Other possibilities are that sometimes the neck or upper back can refer pain and we would tend to assess what your shoulder and trunk is doing and are you pulling too much through your elbows. Hope this helps and let me know if symptoms persist, regardsMattHi MatThanks for your reply. I just gave myself a little test. The right bicep is quite a bit worse and hurts if I do a regular bicep curl, as well as the palms out indicator I gave you. It doesn't hurt deadhanging. Thinking back I did do quite a lot of deep lock training on rings and campus boards about two/three months ago. Since then I have been focusing on projects which are generally steep and fingery and haven't caused much pain. The pain got worse three days ago after a session on a problem that again involved a deep lock on a big hold.I did some research and thought maybe distal bicep tendonitis.I've also been climbing a very long time, ie I'm old! so maybe posture is a key as well.cheers AndyHi Andy, you may have overloaded the distal tendon but it is less likely to be a tendonitis ie inflammatory as it has been going on for a 2 month period. It could be more of a tendonosis ie more wear and and tear, but only a problem if the tendon is overloaded to soon or too much. It is difficult for an exact diagnosis when it is deep elbow pain. The action you describe is both when the biceps is contracting and the joint is being compressed (also some of the nerves around the elbow can be compressed).Poor posture can certainly contribute and often climbers are stiff in their mid back region. This area is important for reaching and stretching your arms out for holds. If you are in a sedentary sitting job then make sure you move regularly and do neck and trunk rotations and lift your chest and occasionally reach towards the ceiling. As before avoid extensive locking out positions and reduce your load and grades. Increase as able and maybe you need to come in or visit a physio.regardsMattHi MattSlightly worrying how long ago my original post was! I still have a deep bicep pain, worse in my right bicep. Hurts now in some everyday situations, such as carrying a laptop with bent arm, and when I wake up, a good stretch helps. pain is no worse when climbing and doesn't limit a session at all. Getting a bit fed up with it now. Any ideas? cheers Andy
Sorry this is a post from my partner (who isnt on ukb), not me:Hello. I am on a long climbing trip at the moment and my right elbow has been really sore for about 2 months. It is painful on the bone on the thumb side but also some pain up the back of my arm. I also have a neck problem which I have had for a few years and I guess might be connected. I have pain in the muscle that runs from the neck to the shoulder and sometimes this makes my upper back really tight where it meets the spine. I can reduce this issue by massaging the pressure point (??) on my neck to remove the tightness across my back, which leaves a sore lump on the pressure point in my neck. Any suggestions for stretches/remedial action that might be useful? I seem to notice more pain in my elbow when I use flat rarther than in cut holds. I get pain when I use my fingers - e.g. picking up a bottle. The elbow is the main problem currently but any suggestions for either if you feel the neck and shoulder issues are not connected would be great. Many thanks,Caryl
Hi there,I've a sharp pain (almost spasm) in my lower left back moving down the top of the back of my left buttock (if that makes sense). Hard/impossible to put socks on first thing, but eases off after I've been up and moving for a bit. I'm wondering if its lower back (where I've had problems before) or something to do with my leg/bum/hamstring area? It came on after (a few hours after) trying some high leg compression moves... Doing some basic stretches - and single leg raises (esp left) seem to twinge it....Tom
I am on a long climbing trip at the moment
Thanks Matt - off to a wedding tonight, so I now have the perfect excuse not to dance then! :D
How long does it take for tennis elbow to improve? Mine has been giving me problems for a few months now. I had it diagonsed first by a GP, confirmed by a physion, and have been doing eccentric curls as recommended by Dave MacLeod, Julian Saunders etc, and there's not been much sign of improvement. I've barely climbed at all since I did it.Thanks
Quote from: SA Chris on November 10, 2014, 09:16:41 amHow long does it take for tennis elbow to improve? Mine has been giving me problems for a few months now. I had it diagonsed first by a GP, confirmed by a physion, and have been doing eccentric curls as recommended by Dave MacLeod, Julian Saunders etc, and there's not been much sign of improvement. I've barely climbed at all since I did it.Thanks. Was this one overlooked?Thanks Again
Quote from: tomtom on November 14, 2014, 12:51:14 pmThanks Matt - off to a wedding tonight, so I now have the perfect excuse not to dance then! :DWent to see a physio in Manc on Monday - and it seems I have a strained/pulled glute.. Still painful..
Hi Matt - was having another session when you replied...She worked my lower back and also hamstring a lot... But spent 15 min hammering my glute (deep) and you could feel it free up...A week on it feels like someone is twisting a knife deep in my arse/buttock above the hip whenever I transition between standing up or sitting down. She also talked a lot about linkage from right shoulder to left lower back (and where the pain is) wondering whether it was linked to R shoulder issues I had 25 yrs ago. Dead hanging banned too
Quote from: Will Hunt on June 11, 2014, 08:06:22 pmFor perhaps the last winter I've had a bit of a niggling in my left shoulder. Since turning to filthy sport climbing this spring, this has started to flare up and tonight I have had to pass up the wall as I've felt it giving me pangs while sat at work today.Its basically a pain that runs down the rear of my neck (left side) and down into my shoulder blade to a point that feels quite central in my shoulder. This doesn't really hurt while climbing, but after getting on the sport I've certainly noticed it in the days after. Particularly pronounced when I turn my head to the right. After a session at Malham on Sunday it wasn't great. Went for an 'enthusiastic' swim last night (mainly breast stroke) and today its been pretty poor.Any idea what this might be and what I ought to do to make amends? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!Hi it sounds like the problem is coming from your neck more so than the shoulder. The cervical spine will refer pain in to the shoulder, shoulder blade area, arm and even in to the hand and fingers.The fact that breast stroke irritated it probably means that the neck isn't liking excessive or repetitive extension ie looking up. In the daytime take care that you are not slumping when you sit which tends to promote a forward head position. Often climbers become stiff in their mid back regions and this can affect neck and shoulder positions/movements. Basically try to do some stretches for this area and be more aware of your posture.I would recommend you see a physio as you have had this since the winter.RegardsMatt
For perhaps the last winter I've had a bit of a niggling in my left shoulder. Since turning to filthy sport climbing this spring, this has started to flare up and tonight I have had to pass up the wall as I've felt it giving me pangs while sat at work today.Its basically a pain that runs down the rear of my neck (left side) and down into my shoulder blade to a point that feels quite central in my shoulder. This doesn't really hurt while climbing, but after getting on the sport I've certainly noticed it in the days after. Particularly pronounced when I turn my head to the right. After a session at Malham on Sunday it wasn't great. Went for an 'enthusiastic' swim last night (mainly breast stroke) and today its been pretty poor.Any idea what this might be and what I ought to do to make amends? Thanks in advance for any help you can give!