Strained Muscles not able to see a doctor anytime soon.

hellonew2015
hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Seeing a doctor and physical therapy is probably the best route...I want to start lifting again but I am afraid that I may get my tennis elbow worse. I have been resting for 3 weeks and feel better but definitely have some mild pain still. Would I damage it more if I attempt triceps and biceps workouts? I looked into stretches exercises and did it a little bit but I want to get back to what I love to do.

Replies

  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Could you call your doctor at least?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Arm exercises might set you back some. But do keep the joint moving - don't keep it immobilized.
    What do you think caused it?
    By the way, tennis elbow isn't a muscular issue, it's tendon degeneration.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    edited February 2019
    I think what caused it is Muscles overuse. Doing too much and not resting enough between sets. Not warming up before lifts sometimes. I think lift light and build up again to get back if I do not feel pain
  • Competeballpythons
    Competeballpythons Posts: 224 Member
    Yea that doesn’t sound right to be tennis elbow
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Tendonitis and tendinopathy will eventually go away with proper load management.

    Commonly thought "to rest" is actually worse than training in most cases.

    Tendons are very course and just like muscles need blood to repair. If you refrain from training, that restricts the needed blood flow to help heal.

    I suggest a neoprene sleeve to keep arm/elbow warm during training. A good written program with some sort of regulation that practices proper load management. NSAIDS could be a temporary bandaid, though I don't usually suggest it unless I know more info and is more of a as needed basis.

    I wouldn't neccessarily go to iso bicep and tricep work without knowing more info.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    Tendonitis and tendinopathy will eventually go away with proper load management.

    Commonly thought "to rest" is actually worse than training in most cases.

    Tendons are very course and just like muscles need blood to repair. If you refrain from training, that restricts the needed blood flow to help heal.

    I suggest a neoprene sleeve to keep arm/elbow warm during training. A good written program with some sort of regulation that practices proper load management. NSAIDS could be a temporary bandaid, though I don't usually suggest it unless I know more info and is more of a as needed basis.

    I wouldn't neccessarily go to iso bicep and tricep work without knowing more info.

    What info do you want to know? I wore a regular elbow strap and a wrist strap but that made it worse. So I took them off and started to heal faster. I have no swelling but annoying burn outside above elbow, triceps and a little burn in forearm. Right arm pain is more than left. I was deadlifting and farmer’s walks besides biceps and triceps, and what I did New was punches/taekwondo maybe that what caused the strain since these were new muscles movements.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I’m torn (pardon the expression) in cases like this because, on the one hand, it is not possible/appropriate to try to treat/diagnose in a forum. OTOH, if you aren’t seeing anyone and don’t have access to care, I don’t see much recovery taking place.

    I agree with an above poster that, once the initial pain or swelling has subsided, further rest will likely not help you recover.

    These exercises might be helpful:

    https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/tennis-elbow-rehab

    The other thing to add is that the common thinking with tendon strains is that eccentric loading seems to provide best results. So for two of the exercises listed in the link above (supination and extension) choose a heavier weight, let your other hand assist with lifting the weight, and then do the eccentric lowering with the injured arm only.

    This is a device that has also been helpful, again, for eccentric loading:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJA_MmAS5ws

    Not to be discouraging, but for perspective, this could be a more lengthy recovery. I suffered an acute strain in this area a couple of years ago and one of my clients suffered a similar injury. In both instances, full recovery took close to a year. I’m not saying it will take that long, but don’t despair if it does.

    I was still able to do some lifting—I couldn’t do lat Pulldown, but I could do a lot of other things. Just start with light weights and experiment.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    I strained my shoulder and couldn't lift (bench/chest, shoulders obviously, or deadlift for 2 months). If it is a strain (in your case), here's what the dr told me: ice, stretch, and not to be immobile; but NO lifting for approximately 8-10 weeks.

    8 weeks later, I went back to heavy bench...I followed her advice to prevent further damage, which is why recovery was "speedy."
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    deputy_randolph wrote: »
    I strained my shoulder and couldn't lift (bench/chest, shoulders obviously, or deadlift for 2 months). If it is a strain (in your case), here's what the dr told me: ice, stretch, and not to be immobile; but NO lifting for approximately 8-10 weeks.

    8 weeks later, I went back to heavy bench...I followed her advice to prevent further damage, which is why recovery was "speedy."

    Thanks. This is helpful and good to know. I am not immobile but I am not lifting.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    Azdak wrote: »
    I’m torn (pardon the expression) in cases like this because, on the one hand, it is not possible/appropriate to try to treat/diagnose in a forum. OTOH, if you aren’t seeing anyone and don’t have access to care, I don’t see much recovery taking place.

    I agree with an above poster that, once the initial pain or swelling has subsided, further rest will likely not help you recover.

    These exercises might be helpful:

    https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/tennis-elbow-rehab

    The other thing to add is that the common thinking with tendon strains is that eccentric loading seems to provide best results. So for two of the exercises listed in the link above (supination and extension) choose a heavier weight, let your other hand assist with lifting the weight, and then do the eccentric lowering with the injured arm only.

    This is a device that has also been helpful, again, for eccentric loading:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJA_MmAS5ws

    Not to be discouraging, but for perspective, this could be a more lengthy recovery. I suffered an acute strain in this area a couple of years ago and one of my clients suffered a similar injury. In both instances, full recovery took close to a year. I’m not saying it will take that long, but don’t despair if it does.

    I was still able to do some lifting—I couldn’t do lat Pulldown, but I could do a lot of other things. Just start with light weights and experiment.

    Yes eccentric I did read about that and watched doctors providing a few stretches to follow. I am resting from lifting weights, but still use my arms and lift about 10 lbs the most in each hand.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    Tendonitis and tendinopathy will eventually go away with proper load management.

    Commonly thought "to rest" is actually worse than training in most cases.

    Tendons are very course and just like muscles need blood to repair. If you refrain from training, that restricts the needed blood flow to help heal.

    I suggest a neoprene sleeve to keep arm/elbow warm during training. A good written program with some sort of regulation that practices proper load management. NSAIDS could be a temporary bandaid, though I don't usually suggest it unless I know more info and is more of a as needed basis.

    I wouldn't neccessarily go to iso bicep and tricep work without knowing more info.

    This is super helpful, now you got me reading about proper load management great info!!!
    Thanks.

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