Tennis Elbow from Shooting?
- Thread starter Regen
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tulsamal
Member
Yeah, happened to me once as well. I decided it was a combination of heavy recoiling handguns and excessive use of the mouse on my Mac. So I stopped shooting the big cannons for a while. And I made my workstation as ergonomic as possible. I quit playing games that cause you to tightly grip the mouse for hours at a time. I'm sure that was the biggest factor.
It went away. I shoot the big guns again without any problems. It was a scary time though because I was worried I wasn't going to be able to shoot some of my favorite guns anymore! I was more than happy to give up some stupid games instead of my real guns.
Gregg
It went away. I shoot the big guns again without any problems. It was a scary time though because I was worried I wasn't going to be able to shoot some of my favorite guns anymore! I was more than happy to give up some stupid games instead of my real guns.
Gregg
Old Grump
Member
Wrist and elbow
Helped the wrist problem with regular use of rubber squeezer which conditioned hand, wrist and forearm. Shoulder and elbow problem went away with a month break from shooting and some barbell work doing a variety of exercises and the old standby which I find hard and boring of raising and lowering a weight attached to a cord and wound on a stick that you wind up and down with your arms extended straight in front of you. I have never been able to keep myself doing that one.
Helped the wrist problem with regular use of rubber squeezer which conditioned hand, wrist and forearm. Shoulder and elbow problem went away with a month break from shooting and some barbell work doing a variety of exercises and the old standby which I find hard and boring of raising and lowering a weight attached to a cord and wound on a stick that you wind up and down with your arms extended straight in front of you. I have never been able to keep myself doing that one.
El Tejon
Member
Do you stretch? Before and after?
I haven't shot in two weeks and stopped dry fire practice this week. So we will see if that help.
Spoke to my Doctor about it, and his reaction was "Your getting older, take some anti-inflammatory drugs (advil) and stop doing what hurts. Let me know if it gets worse, or doesn't start getting better in a week"
I have a IDPA match comming up in a month and a half. Either I don't practice, resulting a low score, or I shoot in pain resulting in a low score.
Oh well. Lack of practice shouldn't cause permanent injury, I hope
Spoke to my Doctor about it, and his reaction was "Your getting older, take some anti-inflammatory drugs (advil) and stop doing what hurts. Let me know if it gets worse, or doesn't start getting better in a week"
I have a IDPA match comming up in a month and a half. Either I don't practice, resulting a low score, or I shoot in pain resulting in a low score.
Oh well. Lack of practice shouldn't cause permanent injury, I hope El Tejon
Member
Regen, I stretch out with Chinese martial arts and yoga. Go to youtube and type in "elbow pain stretches" and you'll find a lot of helpful techniques. If it persists, I'd see a doc. However, a lot of complaints about modern life are owing to the fact that we do not move and stretch IMHO.
If you are shooting from a Weaver or modified Weaver (as I do), you may want to see in a triangle helps. Move your elbows around until it does not hurt.
If you are shooting from a Weaver or modified Weaver (as I do), you may want to see in a triangle helps. Move your elbows around until it does not hurt.
Boomer
Member
Happened to me, dominant side, after a fairly intense weekend tactical course when I was about 50. Came on suddenly, about 24 hours after the course finished. I couldn't even lift a coffee mug. Doc said hard gripping could cause it and make it worse. During the course, I was gripping hard whenever the gun was in my hand. Would have been a lot better to grip adequately firmly, then tighten up just before sighting / firing. That's what I've done since.
Physical therapist had me do exercises and wear a rubber elbow band, and it got better slowly.
Physical therapist had me do exercises and wear a rubber elbow band, and it got better slowly.
jaholder1971
Member
I'm 36, 37 next month and I'm one large case of tendinitis.
First it was Plantar Fascitis, the it was Achilles tendinitis, now I'm dealing with Tennis Elbow in both arms.
My work routine requires mandatory stretching sessions before we begin work and after lunch and it seems to have little effect. Even my Physical Therapists are surprised with as much stretching I do and the lack of flexibility.
First it was Plantar Fascitis, the it was Achilles tendinitis, now I'm dealing with Tennis Elbow in both arms.
My work routine requires mandatory stretching sessions before we begin work and after lunch and it seems to have little effect. Even my Physical Therapists are surprised with as much stretching I do and the lack of flexibility.
WheelGunMom
Member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2006
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- 83
Tennis elbow is evil.
One thing that helped was to buy an elbow strap that fits tightly on your forearm an inch or so below the elbow. The best ones had kind of pillow thing that actually compressed the side of your forearm in the spot needed to alleviate the wear and tear from repetitive motions. I know this is not a great description but I guarantee that any large sporting goods store will have these by the rest of the knee braces, etc. or by the tennis stuff.
Icing after exercise (shooting in your case) helps too. You probably don't want to hear this, but the only thing that fixed my lateral epicondylitis for good was an extended time off from any activity that caused pain in that region.
Hope it's fixed soon...
One thing that helped was to buy an elbow strap that fits tightly on your forearm an inch or so below the elbow. The best ones had kind of pillow thing that actually compressed the side of your forearm in the spot needed to alleviate the wear and tear from repetitive motions. I know this is not a great description but I guarantee that any large sporting goods store will have these by the rest of the knee braces, etc. or by the tennis stuff.
Icing after exercise (shooting in your case) helps too. You probably don't want to hear this, but the only thing that fixed my lateral epicondylitis for good was an extended time off from any activity that caused pain in that region.
Hope it's fixed soon...
spwenger
Member
I Thought I Had...
...shooting-related tennis elbow, on both sides, for a few years. It turned out that it was referred nerve pain from irritation of the palm. For a few years I had been shooting mostly autoloaders in the StressFire isosceles position. After a few months of shooting only revolvers, with a slight bend in the elbows, the pain went away.
...shooting-related tennis elbow, on both sides, for a few years. It turned out that it was referred nerve pain from irritation of the palm. For a few years I had been shooting mostly autoloaders in the StressFire isosceles position. After a few months of shooting only revolvers, with a slight bend in the elbows, the pain went away.
Old Grump
Member
After breaking wrist
Had to use a leather wrist brace on my right wrist for 2 years after breaking it, Arthritis set in about 20 years ago and If I will be shooting more than a 100 rounds or so I use an elastic knee brace on my right elbow because the elbow braces are too small. Sometimes being built like a gorilla is a nuisance.
Had to use a leather wrist brace on my right wrist for 2 years after breaking it, Arthritis set in about 20 years ago and If I will be shooting more than a 100 rounds or so I use an elastic knee brace on my right elbow because the elbow braces are too small. Sometimes being built like a gorilla is a nuisance.
Unisaw
Member
I'm about 3 months into treatment for tennis elbow. I originally injured both elbows pulling some shrubs that I wanted to get rid of. The left elbow healed on its own but the right didn't. It got a lot worse while I was trying to break in the trigger on a new 642, so I finally went to a specialist. It turns out I had tears and degeneration in the muscles and tendons of my right elbow. The treatment has largely consisted of physical therapy -- first to rest the area and stimulate healing, and then to rebuild strength. The doc has told me to expect it to take 6-9 months for complete recovery. I'm 50 years old.
Valkman
Member
I have problems in both elbows now. I used to get the occasional bursitis attack but last year had a massive attack with both elbows involved and now they are both greatly weakened. I try and grind knives and I can feel the strength just go away.
Unfortunately my shoulder guy doesn't do elbows and I need shoulder surgery. Then I guess I'll go see the elbow guy.
Unfortunately my shoulder guy doesn't do elbows and I need shoulder surgery. Then I guess I'll go see the elbow guy.
Darth Muffin
member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2005
- Messages
- 184
Whatever you do, don't ignore it. Get treatment for it, rest, stretch, whatever--but don't work through the pain. You'll end up causing permanent damage from a buildup of scar tissue.
I fought it for a few years in my weak-hand elbow (from typing, not shooting, but it certainly did prevent weak-hand shooting too). Did the cortizone shots, physical therapy, etc and finally had to have surgery last fall. I'm still only about 80% in that arm, but it's slowly getting better.
For a stretch, hold your arm straight out in front of you. Pull back on your fingers so your wrist bends up and back, hold for 10s, repeat 3x. Do the same pulling down too. There are a few others you can probably google on too.
After using it a lot, and before bed, do a 2 minute ice massage on the tendons near the elbow (wiggle your fingers, see where it moves in front of your elbow--right there). Freeze some water in a styrofoam cup, peel the cup back to expose some ice and rub.
As soon as you can do it without hurting yourself further, do some exercises to build up strength. Some I can think of, I do about 3 sets of 10 of each of these every other day (except for the string one). I stopped these for a few weeks once and the pain started to return, so I plan to keep them up indefinitely:
- elbow at side, forearm straight forward, palm down. You could even do this on the arm of a chair. Grip a weight (just a couple pounds, a can of beans, whatever you can manage) and lift your wrist.
- rotate arm so palm is up, repeat above.
- regular curls
- elbow straight up, arm bent so you're holding the weight just above/behind your shoulder. Straighten your arm (straight up), sort of a reverse curl.
- get a heavy object a foot or two long. A flashlight, hammer, pipe wrench, stick, whatever you can find and manage without hurting yourself. Grab the end of the object, arm out in front of you, and rotate your wrist side to side so the object swings vertically through 180 degrees.
- you'll have to make a tool for this one, but it really works. Take a stick like a broom handle about 18" long, drill a hole through the center and tie a string or light rope. When holding it in front of you the string should just reach the ground. Tie a weight on the end of the string (I'm up to 3lbs now). Hold it out in front of you and turn it (using both hands) to winch up the weight, and then back down.
- Repeat above spooling the string the opposite direction as you did previously.
I fought it for a few years in my weak-hand elbow (from typing, not shooting, but it certainly did prevent weak-hand shooting too). Did the cortizone shots, physical therapy, etc and finally had to have surgery last fall. I'm still only about 80% in that arm, but it's slowly getting better.
For a stretch, hold your arm straight out in front of you. Pull back on your fingers so your wrist bends up and back, hold for 10s, repeat 3x. Do the same pulling down too. There are a few others you can probably google on too.
After using it a lot, and before bed, do a 2 minute ice massage on the tendons near the elbow (wiggle your fingers, see where it moves in front of your elbow--right there). Freeze some water in a styrofoam cup, peel the cup back to expose some ice and rub.
As soon as you can do it without hurting yourself further, do some exercises to build up strength. Some I can think of, I do about 3 sets of 10 of each of these every other day (except for the string one). I stopped these for a few weeks once and the pain started to return, so I plan to keep them up indefinitely:
- elbow at side, forearm straight forward, palm down. You could even do this on the arm of a chair. Grip a weight (just a couple pounds, a can of beans, whatever you can manage) and lift your wrist.
- rotate arm so palm is up, repeat above.
- regular curls
- elbow straight up, arm bent so you're holding the weight just above/behind your shoulder. Straighten your arm (straight up), sort of a reverse curl.
- get a heavy object a foot or two long. A flashlight, hammer, pipe wrench, stick, whatever you can find and manage without hurting yourself. Grab the end of the object, arm out in front of you, and rotate your wrist side to side so the object swings vertically through 180 degrees.
- you'll have to make a tool for this one, but it really works. Take a stick like a broom handle about 18" long, drill a hole through the center and tie a string or light rope. When holding it in front of you the string should just reach the ground. Tie a weight on the end of the string (I'm up to 3lbs now). Hold it out in front of you and turn it (using both hands) to winch up the weight, and then back down.
- Repeat above spooling the string the opposite direction as you did previously.
thorn726
Member
i got it too only of all dumb things, it seems to be a combo of heavy lifting and the darn throttle on my motorbike===
another tip = this one really helped me-
SLEEP with you arm STRAIGHT, not bent, sometimes i put my arm on a pillow to help it stay straight
this takes stress off the joint, most of the time, we are stressing it slightly all night
THIS HELPED TONS!! after getting a little rest on my arm and a couple weeks of sleeping with straight arm, i feel MUCH Better!!!
WORST case it don't get better there is always the cortisone shot, and i have read there is also a newer, even better process as well
another tip = this one really helped me-
SLEEP with you arm STRAIGHT, not bent, sometimes i put my arm on a pillow to help it stay straight
this takes stress off the joint, most of the time, we are stressing it slightly all night
THIS HELPED TONS!! after getting a little rest on my arm and a couple weeks of sleeping with straight arm, i feel MUCH Better!!!
WORST case it don't get better there is always the cortisone shot, and i have read there is also a newer, even better process as well
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