Severe elbo pain

[concreteguy]

I have recently started doing dips as part of my push pull work out. It wasn't until I started hanging over 100 lbs on my waste that I started getting a pain in my elbow while doing them. The pain carried through about 48 hours after the work out and then goes away. Last night I'm feeling good and hung more weight on in hopes of bringing my total reps down. After the first set I felt pain. Lke a MORON I continued to persevere through the pain for two more sets even wrapping it for the last set. Today my elbow is swollen and red. It hurts to the touch only at the very end of the bone. Only the very end of the elbow bone is swollen. I don't feel pain moving my arm around unless it requires enough force to flex the tricep mucle. I didn't think anything was connected at the end of your elbow.
I have been doing the ice pad thing off and on tonight. Do you think I could have hurt anything? Is this something I can just work through?

Thanks for any help

 

[oldfella]

I have recently started doing dips as part of my push pull work out. It wasn't until I started hanging over 100 lbs on my waste that I started getting a pain in my elbow while doing them. The pain carried through about 48 hours after the work out and then goes away. Last night I'm feeling good and hung more weight on in hopes of bringing my total reps down. After the first set I felt pain. Lke a MORON I continued to persevere through the pain for two more sets even wrapping it for the last set. Today my elbow is swollen and red. It hurts to the touch only at the very end of the bone. Only the very end of the elbow bone is swollen. I don't feel pain moving my arm around unless it requires enough force to flex the tricep mucle. I didn't think anything was connected at the end of your elbow.
I have been doing the ice pad thing off and on tonight. Do you think I could have hurt anything? Is this something I can just work through?

Thanks for any help

In a bucket big enough or the sink, put a bag of ice and then fill with enough water to immerse your entire elbow and prt of your forearm. Do this for about 15 minutes then allow the elbow to warm up on its own. Repeat two times per day/night and take some anti inflammatories. Get to your local doctor or physiotherapist and have it checked.

 

[EVERLAST]

concrete guy....

do you work concrete?
Masonry, blockwork, flatwork... it all involves elbow working under load for long periods in all weather.
Tendons heal way slow in this area. take it easy and feel your way back in.
Its a matter of blood flow...
cold at first to minimize damage from swelling,
then maybe later heat it up for gentle stretching to see how it feels.
I messed up big time rushing injuries to heal.
I like to cycle back and forth from ice to heat packs as things go along in the healing process...

 

[oldfella]

do you work concrete?
Masonry, blockwork, flatwork... it all involves elbow working under load for long periods in all weather.
Tendons heal way slow in this area. take it easy and feel your way back in.
Its a matter of blood flow...
cold at first to minimize damage from swelling,
then maybe later heat it up for gentle stretching to see how it feels.
I messed up big time rushing injuries to heal.
I like to cycle back and forth from ice to heat packs as things go along in the healing process...

Hey Everlast!

More and more evidence is pointing to cold immersion as the fastest way to heal an injury. It is a must to reduce the inflammation and increase blood flow to the area. When ever a body part is chilled, not frost bittien but chilled substantially the reaction by the body is to open or dialate all the blood vessels in this area to rewarm it as quickly as possible. In doing so this increases blood and oxygen to the area. This promotes healing and minimizes swelling. Taking the pressure of of the injured part.

 

[concreteguy]

Hey Everlast!

More and more evidence is pointing to cold immersion as the fastest way to heal an injury. It is a must to reduce the inflammation and increase blood flow to the area. When ever a body part is chilled, not frost bittien but chilled substantially the reaction by the body is to open or dialate all the blood vessels in this area to rewarm it as quickly as possible. In doing so this increases blood and oxygen to the area. This promotes healing and minimizes swelling. Taking the pressure of of the injured part.

Oldfella, I'm going to try your ice bucket idea. I generally don't go to the doctor until something falls off. Do you think it could be a tendon all the way out on the tip of my elbow?

 

[oldfella]

Oldfella, I'm going to try your ice bucket idea. I generally don't go to the doctor until something falls off. Do you think it could be a tendon all the way out on the tip of my elbow?

Could be severe tendonitis. Wich is what it sounds like. But I am not a doctor, what the ice will do is give you some relief from the pain and swelling. I really would go to the doctor and in the mean time now would be a good time to prioritize your leg training. When I hurt my shoulder and tore the Outer head of the bicep off at the shoulder, I did legs every other day. Just so I kept some training going. I was extremely limited to any upper body work but manged to do some. Just train smart until this heals and do not do any movements that cause the pain. Back work should probably be ok, see how you go.

 

[Test_Eagles]

It is a must to reduce the inflammation and increase blood flow to the area. When ever a body part is chilled, not frost bittien but chilled substantially the reaction by the body is to open or dialate all the blood vessels in this area to rewarm it as quickly as possible. In doing so this increases blood and oxygen to the area. This promotes healing and minimizes swelling.

I dont think it is too increase blood flow per se. As far as I know it's mainly to slow metabolism of the area to decrease the amount of cells dying from hypoxia. When cells die they release inflamattory mediators which trigger other cells to go off in a type of chain reaction so any cells you can top from dying helps.

Ice does other useful things such as dec. muscle spasm, dec. nerve conduction velocity, decreased oedema and pain.

To OP, like the guys said I would put it in a bucket of ice on and off atleast every 2 hours throught the day for several days if possible. I might even rap it as I'm seen a few articles say the wrapping will not impede the effect of the ice but WILL help relieve the Oedema faster.

 

[juggernaught]

I have managed to rupture tricep tendons in both arms over the last 4 years
because I ignored tendonitus and didnt take the time to let them heal cost me a total of two years out of the gym.The tendon I ruptured is anchored on the top of the elbow on the ulna (forearm) .
Listen to thease guys and do the cold submersion my doctor told me if had done that and taken a couple months off they would have been fine.

 

[Fa Seeshus]

i'd swap the dips for close grip presses (check out phil's thread). there is no logic in doing a movement that you know will cause injury.

 

[hawkmoon]

You have gotten some good advice already but I'd like to consider the possibility of bursitis here. The swelling and redness, plus the pain at the tip of the bone point to this. It will go away of you rest it. A doctor will likely give you a topical corticosteroid anti-inflammatory.

 

[concreteguy]

Good call

You have gotten some good advice already but I'd like to consider the possibility of bursitis here. The swelling and redness, plus the pain at the tip of the bone point to this. It will go away of you rest it. A doctor will likely give you a topical corticosteroid anti-inflammatory.

Got back from the Doc and he said exactly what Hawkmoon said. He scripted a anti inflamatory pill and said ice three times a day for no less than twenty minutes at a time. I asked about working out and he said if it hurts don't do it. Thank you everyone for the good advice!