Every person has had an elbow injury at least once in their life. Any person knows the sensations when hitting the olecranon process, which are manifested by pain such as the passage of an electric current and numbness. But, as a rule, such sensations are short-lived and go away on their own. Elbow pain may appear after exercise. Weight-related elbow injuries can be minor or severe and present with symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and decreased range of motion. But the most common cause of elbow pain is acute injury to the elbow, and the patient sometimes cannot remember the specific injury, especially if the symptoms began gradually or during daily activities. Elbow injuries most often occur during sports, professional activities, housework, and falls.
Most elbow injuries in children occur during activities such as playing sports or playing, or are the result of accidental falls. The risk of injury is higher in contact sports such as wrestling, football, or basketball, or speed sports such as cycling, skating, skiing, hockey, snowboarding, and skateboarding. The elbows, forearms, wrists, hands and fingers are most susceptible to injury when playing these sports. Any injury in a child or adolescent localized to a joint can damage the growth plates, which can disrupt normal bone growth. Older people have an increased risk of fractures in the elbow (including the elbow) due to decreased bone density and decreased muscle mass. In addition, the high risk of fractures in the elderly is due to vision problems and impaired body balance.
Why do my elbow joints hurt after training?
Painful sensations in the elbows after exercise can occur after various exercises: tennis, golf, French press, etc. “If after a workout you feel tired and even slightly ache in the muscles you trained, this is normal,” says Marina Moreva, personal fitness trainer .
- But there should be no painful sensations in the joints! Acute pain indicates injury, sluggish pain indicates a chronic inflammatory process.” The inflammatory process occurs due to some kind of damage or deformation of the joint. This may be the result of an old injury or constant mechanical pressure that occurs during exercise. “Normally, during exercise, the load falls on the muscles,” explains Irina Mikhrina, fitness trainer, sports doctor . - But if the weight of the burden is too large, or the sharpness and frequency of movements is excessive for a given level of physical fitness, the muscles cannot cope, and compression of the cartilage and bone tissue occurs. As a result, they become deformed. Deformation sooner or later leads to damage, swelling and inflammation occur in this place.”
In ordinary life, this inflammation may not bother the patient, but when exerted, the pressure on the inflamed tissue increases and pain appears.
What to do to get rid of pain?
If you have already visited a doctor, various techniques may be recommended to relieve pain. Some experts recommend starting with the safest options, others - with the most intense, albeit not the most harmless. According to statistics, the following treatment measures have the greatest effect:
- Temporary refusal of loads. The most important thing for pain after pull-ups is to create peace and allow the tissues to regenerate. This alone often relieves pain and makes it possible to return to full-time activities later.
- Elbow immobilization. Severe pain, swelling, and spasm require complete “switching off” of the elbow. Most often, a scarf bandage is suitable. It relaxes the muscles of the shoulder and forearm as much as possible, and reduces tension in the elbow area.
- Use of special bandages. A good elbow bandage reduces muscle pain and spasticity, massages and relieves stress on the elbow. For epicondylitis, additional straps are effective for working the muscles of the forearm.
- Warm or cold locally. After overload, local warming of the elbow can help; in case of inflammation, it is better to carefully cool the painful area. Medical cold accumulators and gel pads are suitable.
- Massage and exercises. Proper loading, stretching and massage of tissues strengthens them and improves metabolism. It is better if the exercises are shown by a competent rehabilitation therapist.
- Short-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Pain relief medications are only a temporary solution. They act only on the symptom and often have a negative effect on the regeneration processes. Therapeutic steroid blockades also work.
Medtechnika Orthosalon always has high-quality and effective products for elbow treatment. Experienced consultants are ready to answer any questions. In our salons you can find the most suitable solution for quick relief from pain.
How does elbow pain manifest after training?
The degree of pain depends on how severe the inflammation is, whether the deforming change in the elbow (arthrosis) is pronounced, and the condition of the nerve endings.
•Acute pain that occurs suddenly during or after a specific exercise is most likely an injury.
•Unpleasant sensations of low and medium intensity, which persist after training, but go away in the morning or within a day - too high a load, which led to primary damage to the joint capsule or ligament.
•Aching pain of moderate intensity, lasting several days, aggravated by cold - chronic inflammation.
Of course, such a diagnosis based on your feelings is very conditional. “Fitnessists should remember the general rule,” says Irina Mikhrina. “If the load somehow caused pain in the elbow joint, such training should be stopped and consult an orthopedist or sports doctor for diagnosis and treatment.”
Physiotherapy
If your elbow hurts after training, then physical therapy is used to restore this joint. Effective use:
- electrophoresis;
- shock wave therapy;
- therapeutic exercises;
- massage;
- laser;
- balneotherapy;
- diadynamic currents;
- healing mud.
A complex effect is ensured by using several methods of physiotherapy at once, for example, electrophoresis, massage and therapeutic mud.
How common is elbow pain during exercise?
There are no exact statistics on this issue. But it is known that most often this is encountered by athletes who always work with one hand. The expressions “tennis elbow” and “golfer’s elbow” arose precisely because the movement technique in these sports often entails overload of one elbow. Those who like to do exercises on the forearm and triceps (arm extension) with heavy weights also often suffer.
“We cannot say that this or that sport or exercise entails problems with the elbow,” says Marina Moreva. — The preconditions for illness are created not by the exercise itself, but by errors in it. Incorrect technique, too often, too much, for a long time, too much weight - this is what spoils the elbow joint. Moreover, if in sports such mistakes are understandable - the athlete wants to achieve a high result as quickly as possible - then in fitness we train primarily for health, and there is no need to rush to take on too much weight.”
Prevention
To prevent injury, you must adhere to the following rules:
- It is undesirable to perform monotonous physical work continuously. This applies to training and everyday life. Therefore, push-ups should be performed in moderation.
- It is important to alternate exercises for different muscles. Then the load will be uniform.
- The training technique must be agreed upon with the trainer. This especially applies to beginners and self-taught people.
- Before training, you need to familiarize yourself with how to perform the exercises. This will avoid injury.
- The speed of training should be increased gradually. After all, if a person has not been involved in sports or has had a long break in training, under heavy load, negative consequences are likely to occur.
- The weight of the device should be increased gradually, rather than immediately starting with heavy dumbbells and kettlebells.
- It is necessary to take vitamin complexes with magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
What diseases can be associated with pain in the elbow during exercise?
As a rule, they all arise as a result of a large or several minor injuries:
•Bursitis - inflammation of the joint capsule;
•External or internal epicondylitis - inflammation of the external or internal tendon;
•Arthritis - inflammation of the cartilage and other tissues inside the joint;
•Arthrosis - deformation of the bone edges entering the joint;
•Ostearthrosis - arthrosis accompanied by the deposition of calcium salts in the joint.
Pain in the elbow joint after exercise: diagnostic features
To understand what's wrong with your elbow, your podiatrist or surgeon must first do manual tests. To do this, he will bend-extend, abduct and perform other similar movements in the elbow. Here are examples of such tests:
•Hyperflexion test - bend the arm at the elbow joint as much as possible. It will show whether there are limitations in mobility and where the pain occurs.
•Supination tension test - turning the arm inward. Helps to understand the purpose of the joint and its ligaments.
•Varus stress test—bringing the straight arm inward. It will show whether the ligaments on the outside of the joint are intact.
•Valgus stress test - straight arm abduction outward. Detects damage to the elbow ligaments on the inside.
•Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) test - your doctor will ask you to make a fist and straighten your arm. Then, holding your fist, he asks you to straighten it. If pain occurs just above the elbow in the outer area of the joint, the diagnosis will most likely be confirmed.
•Test for medial epicondylitis (“golfer’s elbow”) - you need to bend your arm, the doctor will hold the hand and ask you to straighten the arm, overcoming his hold. Pain just above the elbow joint on the inside will indicate that the diagnosis is correct.
As a result of a manual examination, the specialist assesses what the problem may be. To determine the cause, an X-ray examination, CT scan or MRI may be required. “Without the described manual tests, we can take many pictures in different projections, each time irradiating the patient before we find the reason,” explains Irina Mikhrina. “And after such an inspection, we already know exactly where to look for damage.” Instrumental studies will help assess the degree of joint damage and the amount of inflammation.”
Sports nutrition for healthy joints and ligaments
An additional measure to maintain the health of joints and ligaments is to take special supplements - chondoprotectors. Most often they contain chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine sulfate, collagen, hyaluronic acid and calcium. Supplements can be multi-component or contain only one active ingredient. Taking chondoprotectors helps restore damage to cartilage surfaces and strengthen the joint. Let's take a closer look at the most popular additives.
Chondroitin sulfate
Chondroitin plays a major role in the full functioning of the joint. This is a polysaccharide found in cartilage, responsible for building bone tissue and lubricating the joint. It has anti-inflammatory properties. Taking chondroitin accelerates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, suppresses the action of enzymes that destroy cartilage tissue and increases joint mobility. The daily intake is no more than 1200 mg. It is best taken in combination with glucosamine.
Glucosamine
It is an amino sugar in chondroitin and is obtained from the hard body covering of insects and shellfish - chitin. In the human body, it is produced by the cartilage tissue of the joints. Numerous studies confirm that long-term use of glucosamine slows down the development of joint diseases and significantly reduces pain. The supplement is available in the form of powder and capsules, the recommended dose is from 1500 to 2000 mg per day.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)
MSM is widely used as an anti-inflammatory agent, in particular for diseases of the joints and ligaments. The additive serves as a source of sulfur, which is involved in the formation of new tissues. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of the ligamentous apparatus by accelerating the flow of nutrients into cell membranes. MSM also has an antioxidant effect, slowing down aging and strengthening the body's protective functions. Most often it is used in conjunction with chondroitin and glucosamine to obtain a more pronounced result.
We recommend taking glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM together. Both during physical activity and during breaks, to support recovery processes.
Collagen
This is a protein that serves as the basis of the connective tissues of the human body; it consists of many fibrils. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity, ligament elasticity and joint mobility. Thanks to these properties, it is actively used to restore cartilage tissue and synovial fluid.
The most easily digestible form is collagen hydrolyzate. In the Prime Kraft online store you can choose from four bright flavors. By the way, pomegranate extract also has a positive effect on the condition of joints and signs of aging in the body as a whole.
Using the promotional code BLOG in the official online store
primekraft.ru there is a 10% discount on the entire range! Delivery throughout Russia.
These supplements have a cumulative effect and require long-term use, so you should not expect noticeable results after 1 week or even a month. This is due to the fact that the joints do not have their own blood supply and it takes a lot of time for nutrients to enter the joint cavity. Playing sports and any other physical activity accelerates the effect.
How to alleviate the condition before starting treatment
Self-medication is unacceptable, but sometimes you need to wait a few days before seeing a doctor. And sometimes at this time you also need to work! How to help yourself?
“To alleviate the condition at first, ointments with decongestant and anti-inflammatory substances work great,” says Marina Moreva. “They are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, all these sports rubs.” It is better to use warming ointments with bee venom, snake venom, hot pepper extract with caution: if the skin on the joint is red, the elbow is swollen, it feels hot to the touch, there is a feeling of distension from the inside, you should not warm it - the inflammation may intensify. Skin preparations are applied 3-4 times a day, rubbing in thoroughly.
"Nicoflex"
What is Nicoflex ointment used for? This remedy treats various diseases of the joints and muscles: spondyloarthrosis, arthritis, arthrosis and other ailments. The ointment eliminates severe pain in muscles and joints. It is used for bruises and sprains.
What else is Nicoflex ointment used for? The drug is effective for myalgia, neuritis and neuralgia. This medicine helps athletes warm up their muscles before training. Only hypersensitivity to the components of the drug is considered a contraindication. Please note that the ointment is not used during pregnancy and lactation. The product should be used with caution for children under 6 years of age and for bronchial asthma.
Difficulties with final recovery
Sometimes, despite all treatment methods, the recovery of a sore elbow is delayed for a long time. If a person leads a sports lifestyle, climbs rocks, does pull-ups on the horizontal bar, it will be difficult for him to change his lifestyle for a long time. Otherwise he will become depressed. People live for this.
Therefore, they wait a couple of weeks or 1 month and, even if the elbow still hurts a little, they run to the horizontal bar again. It seems that they are doing everything carefully and correctly, but the sharp pain still returns. This means that the old trauma has become fresh again. We have to wait again. And so time after time.
It happens that the pain is not sharp, but it is still there. This can turn an injury into a chronic one, which is very difficult to completely cure. In order for the injury to go away completely, you cannot stop right off the bat.