Inner elbow pain, how to train and recover?

[DroppingPlates]

Since a few weeks I've got some annoying inner elbow pain (the tendon between my forearm and bicep) in my left arm which makes it's hard to train my back and biceps (accept for preacher curls). It looks like a golfer's elbow (no I don't golf or play tennis), but I think it was caused during some pull downs with a slow negative rep style.


Any guy's here with similar problems? Would elbow sleeves like these prevent/lower this kind of pain?

[pumpster]

I had golfer's elbow a few years ago. The same as tennis elbow, but on the inside of the arm. Those sleeves might help to work thruough the pain, and warmups will temporarily mask it, but in the end if you want a long-term remedy it's the following.

It's a chronic problem-the aggrevation to the body builds up over time from exercises that put stress on that area. Usually lat work and/or biceps for example-you're exterting some degree of force inwards when pulling, which is not immediately obvious but builds up over time.

Remedy is using the process of elimination to experiment with different grips, find which ones are and aren't problematic. Different grips will do 2 things: slightly change the dynamic on how the muscle's hit and on how the connective tissues and joints are impacted.

Also try varying the width of grip. Eventually some combination of those two will be found that won't cause the same aggrevation, often by small not big changes. In my case going from neutral close-grip pulldowns and rows to medium neutral grip; not a big change. After that the pain went away.

[thewickedtruth]

the APT elbow sleeves are a beautiful choice.. il ove mine. I have the convict pro double ply ones when my elbow gets funky from heavy squatting.

I do a ton of light hammer curls nad pressdowns every workout until the problem goes away and that routine has yet to fail me. I'm talking about 100 or so reps of each with really light weight.

[tonymctones]

i used to have a bad case of it that wouldnt go away i finally just had to stop everything that effected my elbow, find different hand positions for curls, tricep ext., even deads hurt my elbow

[webcake]

I seem to be jynxed when it comes to my elbows. It seems that my tennis/golfers elbow (i have/had both) seem to come and go.

I haven't had tennis elbow for a while now, but the last week golfers elbow is back after i did a few sets of BB curls. I don't normally do much direct bi work, and when i do it is normally DB's.

I guess i'll just take it easy then go back to some light(ish) DB work.

I did have some relief when i used this for a while...

[The Coach]

I've got it (I play alot of golf) not a whole lot you can do. Anytime you create flexion you will feel discomfort. Flexion is anything concentric (bicep curl, pulldown etc) you can play with various grips but you will still have some discomfort. Rest, ice, Ibuprofin.

[pumpster]

I've got it (I play alot of golf) not a whole lot you can do. Anytime you create flexion you will feel discomfort. Flexion is anything concentric (bicep curl, pulldown etc) you can play with various grips but you will still have some discomfort. Rest, ice, Ibuprofin.

Untrue in most cases related to training. Read the other posts from those who have found solutions.

"Free your mind, your azz will follow"..George Clinton

[pumpster]

I haven't had tennis elbow for a while now, but the last week golfers elbow is back after i did a few sets of BB curls. I don't normally do much direct bi work, and when i do it is normally DB's.

I guess i'll just take it easy then go back to some light(ish) DB work.

As tony and i mentioned, use a process of elimination to find the problem exercises/grips. It comes and goes when you're not cognizant of the exact causes, and can be eliminated.

[The Coach]

I've got it (I play alot of golf) not a whole lot you can do. Anytime you create flexion you will feel discomfort. Flexion is anything concentric (bicep curl, pulldown etc) you can play with various grips but you will still have some discomfort. Rest, ice, Ibuprofin.

Pumpster......what part did you miss? He can train but he will not eliminate the pain completely.

[pumpster]

Pumpster......what part did you miss? He can train but he will not eliminate the pain completely.

If he finds the right grips on certain problem exercises, all pain will be eilminated.  If that doesn't work then certain exercises have to be avoided entirely. That is my exact case for the last 3 years after having this problem. Completely gone now, after analyzing the problem and avoiding specific grips that caused the problem. Competely remedied, no issue now. Tony's saying same.

What's remarkable is how much a difference grip and grip width can make both in causing injury and in causing greater muscle stimulation. Until the options are explored it's not immediately obvious how these nuances effect things.

[The Coach]

*sigh* of course it will eventually go away. What it sounds like you're saying is as soon as he changes grips the pain will go away.

[The Coach]

Treatments and drugs
The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you'll be able to return to your usual activities.

Rest. Put your golf game or other repetitive activities on hold until the pain is gone. If you return to the links too soon, you may only make it worse.
Ice the affected area. Apply ice packs to your elbow for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, four times a day for several days. To protect your skin, wrap the ice packs in a thin towel. It may also help to massage the inner elbow with ice for five minutes at a time, two to three times a day.


Stretch and strengthen the affected area. Your doctor may suggest specific stretching and strengthening exercises. Physical or occupational therapy can be helpful, too.

Reduce the load on your elbow. Wrap your elbow with an elastic bandage or use a forearm strap.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Try ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or aspirin.
Consider other medications. If over-the-counter pain relievers aren't effective, your doctor may recommend a cortisone injection to reduce pain and swelling.

Gradually return to your usual activities. When you're no longer in pain, practice the arm motions of your sport or activity. Review your golf or tennis swing with an instructor and make adjustments if needed.
Ask your doctor when surgery is appropriate. Surgery is seldom necessary. But if your signs and symptoms don't respond to conservative treatment, surgery may be an option.


Depending on the severity of your condition, the pain may linger for several months — even if you take it easy and follow instructions to exercise your arm. Sometimes the pain returns or becomes chronic. While you're recovering, remember the importance of rest. Sneaking in a round of golf before your elbow heals won't help you feel better. It will only prolong your recovery.

[pumpster]

*sigh* of course it will eventually go away. What it sounds like you're saying is as soon as he changes grips the pain will go away.

Open your mind dude, you've got 2 guys already on here who have been there, done exacty that which you dismiss because you believe you know more, which isn't true. It would be harder to rectify the problem with a golf swing, but is possible.

I've also taken the treatment and drugs route you've jumped the gun on. (1) RICE is fine but drugs are to be reserved for later if nothing else works, and (2) both will address only the  symptoms, do NOT address the root problem actually.

[DroppingPlates]

Great discussion guys and thanks for sharing your experiences. 

I have to agree with Pumpster when it comes to positions. It makes a big difference when I do my curls, rows and chins with a small, medium, wide, supplinated, pronated or alternated grip with a DB, BB or cable. I always thought that a preacher curl places the most stress on the bicep belly. That may be true but this exercise is less stressful than a standard DB or BB curl.

Regarding those pain relievers, I've never used them so far for treatments like these. Aren't these substances catabolic?