[Tommy]

About 8 weeks ago, I had a hard session and noticed a immediate stiffness in my arm the next day. This has continued since then, but after 2 more weeks climbing turned to pain. I've rested it ever since then.

I've done some research in books and on the web and the obvious answer seems golfer's elbow. However, I'm not sure....

1. The pain is not directly on the elbow, more like 1-2 inches along the forearm from the elbow.

2. It doesn't hurt when I bend my arm under strain, only when I hang open handed or hand jam. For example I can wash my hair in the shower quite happily with my fingers flexed but it's really painful if I do it with flat palms. Likewise, washing my face is painful, but not brushing my teeth!

3. Crimping doesn't hurt as much.

4. I've tried to usual NSAIDs, ice-packs and rest, but it has not improved one little bit after 6 weeks.

5. Also, I thought that golfer's elbow was supposed to come on gradually?

I can't think it would be a forearm muscle tear as it's not really painful when I climb, only really afterwards once it has been aggrevated. Massage also seems to make it more painful.

Also, does anyone know the details of that climbing specific physio in Sheffield? I think he used to operate out of the same place as Prof Rolfe, the knee and foot specialist.

Thanks!

[LongMonkey]

This might be of some help:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=4879

[Tommy]

Thanks - I'd already looked at that thread. Seems that everyone else who has golfer's gets it right on the bone on the inside of the elbow and I don't have that hence it seems it might not be that. Very confused...

[Palomides]

Tommy,

I had almost exactly the same as you describe, starting last Sept:

Pulling too hard lead to stiffness/soreness about 2 inches towards the hand from the elbow, on the inside of the arm (looking at it with hand palm upwards). I can actually remember the move that did it - pulling really hard to move round a bulge on a traverse, hand on an open-handed edge thumb down, with my arm across my body).

The hands on head thing made it hurt exactly as you describe.

I think I had a smaller dose than you, as I managed to keep going for about 2 months before taking all of Dec off.

It seems to be better now, but I'm not really climbing much at the moment (>once a week, mostly indoors :cry: )

What sorted out was a combination of rest, stretching out the forearm and deep massage - rubbing the painful area as hard as possible with a thumb for 5 long minutes. It hurts but apparently that's good! (Advice for this was from a friend who had really bad golfers elbow - and still does a bit)

Ibuprofen helped, but didn't make it go away.

As mentioned on the other thread, doing antagonistic exercices does seem to have helped me - pressups and dips.

Good luck.