Elbow hurts when its locked

What's up ? 

Within the last few days after doing HBP/PE3, my left elbow really hurts, but only when its locked.  If I understood correctly, I need to lock out for most presses correct? 

Anyhow, I can do most things without pain until I lock it. I've been icing it. 

Any advice on training frequency?  Should I train, not train, how much etc etc.?  

Also, how do I recover from this?   

Is this tendonitis? 

Thanks 

Where in the elbow does it hurt on full extension? The back, side or front.

When a hinge type joint such as the elbow is fully extended, it is the ligaments that become most taught it's also the position where the joint surfaces are most closely brought together.

Tendonitis would hurt when the tendons are put under tension, so when the muscle is contracted, particularly when it is toward full length. If you can do everything without pain (pull up, press up, grip etc) without pain then it is likely not tendonitis.

I would definitely avoid fully extending the joint especially when weight bering for at least a week. Move the arm and elbow a lot (high volume but with low resistance to greatly increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage and thus promote healing).

Need more info from you to be more specific.

Hey Wes,

Thanks for the reply.  

It hurts on the back of my elbow just above the pointiest part of the elbow. (sorry for horrible description)

Yes, I can do pull ups, push ups, grip etc. so long as I don't fully extend my elbow. 

It hurts to extend it fully even if I'm not doing anything but simply extending it.  Meaning, no weight bearing on it. 

Its not excruciating pain, however, its painful enough that I cannot do the exercises correctly. 

Let me know if that was descriptive enough. 

Follow up question: 

So, from what I gathered, is to keep training however, not to lock it out.  So, does that mean continue with my GB foundations training log BUT just avoid locking the joint?   Would that count as a successful week completed? 

Hi Ricardo,

Thank you for the extra information.

The pointy bit behind the elbow is knownxas the olecranon process, its part of the ulna bone (main foream bone) and is the attachment site for the triceps surae down the back of the arm. It doesn't spund like tendonitis because it doesn't hurt when the triceps are contracting as in a push up.

It sounds like you have an impingement of the olecranon process, this is a mechanical issue. Sometimes there can be a slight bursitis issue also but it doesnt sound like it. What else do you do? This often occurs with throwing activities.

I would take a deload week as of right now, without locking the elbow. Think of the long term and not about where you are currently. It's best to heal now and avoid making a fairly small issue larger. If it hasn't improved by next week perhaps think about seeing a professional therapist who can assess your entire arm mechanics and look for other possible contributing factors.

Avoid table holds or any stretches that lock out the elbow.

Wes Tan said:

Hi Ricardo,

Thank you for the extra information.

The pointy bit behind the elbow is knownxas the olecranon process, its part of the ulna bone (main foream bone) and is the attachment site for the triceps surae down the back of the arm. It doesn't spund like tendonitis because it doesn't hurt when the triceps are contracting as in a push up.

It sounds like you have an impingement of the olecranon process, this is a mechanical issue. Sometimes there can be a slight bursitis issue also but it doesnt sound like it. What else do you do? This often occurs with throwing activities.

I would take a deload week as of right now, without locking the elbow. Think of the long term and not about where you are currently. It's best to heal now and avoid making a fairly small issue larger. If it hasn't improved by next week perhaps think about seeing a professional therapist who can assess your entire arm mechanics and look for other possible contributing factors.

Avoid table holds or any stretches that lock out the elbow.

I do various martial arts which include grappling & kickboxing, boxing etc.   Perhaps punching? 

I've done that for many years and I've never experienced this.  I think it has to do with the fact that I've never locked my joints completely until I started GB so its a new movement. 

Thanks for the advice.  Yes, I've already deloaded for 1 week and am continuing to do so this week again.  I'Ve also eased up on the punching and I've been icing it periodically. 

It has gotten better. It used to hurt when i would lock my elbow but now it only hurts slightly (minor uncomfort) if I lock it & put weight on it. 

I'll take it slow until the pain is gone. If another week goes by and its not 100% I'll follow up here and go see a DR. 

Any other advice? 

Thanks again! 

p.s. Is this a normal issue for beginners who aren't used to locking their joints? 

Sounds like valgus extension overload (VEO).  This is an overuse injury.  Form is obviously important.  If there is a mechanical block (osteophyte or loose body), that's probably not going away on its own.  So, like many seem to be saying, cut back on use, don't train through pain, and probably want to focus on strengthening the flexor-pronator mass which should help stabilize your elbow.

What would you suggest for strengthening these flexor pronator muscles?

The wrist and finger flexion exercises in the handstand series are good, also:

A PT would be better able to help.  

The video is for golfer's elbow, which is not the same, but the exercises in the video target the flexor pronator mass.

thenail001 said:

Sounds like valgus extension overload (VEO).  This is an overuse injury.  Form is obviously important.  If there is a mechanical block (osteophyte or loose body), that's probably not going away on its own.  So, like many seem to be saying, cut back on use, don't train through pain, and probably want to focus on strengthening the flexor-pronator mass which should help stabilize your elbow.

Hi thanks for the post.  I read up on it and I don't have ANY of the symptoms except pain when I completely lock the elbow.  Even now, that pain is completely gone because I didn't "train through it".  

Today was actually the first day that I did a push up with it completely locked and didn't realize it never hurt whatsoever. 

Regardless of that, I'm taking it easy for this week and slowly getting back into it next week. 

I've just be icing it & using it EXCEPT not locking it including when stretching as Wes suggested. 

Glad to hear the elbow pain has resolved Ricardo.

Make sure you spend time with all the wrist prep exercises of Handstand 1, they really help keep the forearm musculature and and elbow in good balance. Undergrip dislocates also produce a great stretch on the forearm muscles whilst strengthening simultaneously, go slow and steady though.

Wes Tan said:

Glad to hear the elbow pain has resolved Ricardo.

 

Make sure you spend time with all the wrist prep exercises of Handstand 1, they really help keep the forearm musculature and and elbow in good balance. Undergrip dislocates also produce a great stretch on the forearm muscles whilst strengthening simultaneously, go slow and steady though.

I'm frustrated to report the pain is back again!! 

Only when the elbow is locked & especially when I put any weight on it if its locked. 

This is very frustrating because I haven't been doing anything to lock it within the GB course and I've been doing my best to be careful.  

I'm not sure what to do at this point.  Just rest completely, or keep training without locking it.  It doesn't seem to be getting worse NOR improving. 

Any suggestions?  Thanks

Ricardo 

Lay off anything that works the elbow for a week or two, or as long as is necessary for the pain to diminish. Gradually reintroduce upper body work one PE at the time, so you can determine which exercises aggravate the issue.

In the meantime, focus on legs, pike, pancake, neck bridge, whatever you can do.

I agree w/ Ravn. you need to give the elbow some time off.  it went away fairly quickly, then promptly came back. this is good news and bad.  if you rest, it should improve. if you keep trying to work through it, it may become a chronic issue.  needless to say, if it persists you would be best served with personal attention at a physical therapist.   

Thanks thenail

I've tried the wrist movements from one of the 'hammer' exercises and it seems to target the area that gets sore. Hopefully this helps because I'm getting sick of injured elbows!

MT Nordic said:

I agree w/ Ravn. you need to give the elbow some time off.  it went away fairly quickly, then promptly came back. this is good news and bad.  if you rest, it should improve. if you keep trying to work through it, it may become a chronic issue.  needless to say, if it persists you would be best served with personal attention at a physical therapist.   

Yes, I've come to that conclusion.  I think I will take the last couple weeks of the year "off".  My off just means easing up on anything that targets that area. 

Thanks for the reply. 

BenHack said:

Thanks thenail

I've tried the wrist movements from one of the 'hammer' exercises and it seems to target the area that gets sore. Hopefully this helps because I'm getting sick of injured elbows!

Is the hammer exercise in handstand 1?  If so, I haven't purchased it. Planning to in the new year along with the stretching and tumbling series. 

So you've had similar issues?   

I'm beginning to wonder if its from boxing and/or grappling.  (hyper-extending my arm when punching at times OR from arm locks). 

Perhaps its a combination of that plus locking the elbows is a new movement for me.

I'd love to hear Coach chime in. 

Hi Ricardo

The 'hammer' exercise in referring to comes from the video thenail linked roto from the golfers site. It's the one that involves lateral movements of the wrist joint rather than rotations. I'd also suggest looking into other forearm/wrist exercise like the ones from handstand1.

My problem with this part of my elbow has come from tables and working on shoulder extension. I don't seem to get it from dynamic exercises but instead static/isometric types. It's definitely cramping my style though. Good luck finding something that works.

Cheers

Ben

BenHack said:

Hi Ricardo

The 'hammer' exercise in referring to comes from the video thenail linked roto from the golfers site. It's the one that involves lateral movements of the wrist joint rather than rotations. I'd also suggest looking into other forearm/wrist exercise like the ones from handstand1.

My problem with this part of my elbow has come from tables and working on shoulder extension. I don't seem to get it from dynamic exercises but instead static/isometric types. It's definitely cramping my style though. Good luck finding something that works.

Cheers

Ben

Ben,

Oh, I haven't checked it out. (foolish of me).  Okay, I'll have a look and work on any exercises that help.   I've always thought locking out your joints is bad for the joint, so I've never done it purposely in training.  

Yes, I believe its the same thing for me.  I think its either from the plank exercise or from the psuedo planche push-ups. 

So has coach Sommers or others mentioned this being part of the process? 

How long has this happened for you?  

Peace

Ricardo 

Yeah I thought the same about locking joints out but I've been proven wrong. Personally I find planks/leans etc stress the front of my elbow so I'm slowly conditioning my biceps tendon etc with less intense leans.

Good luck and let me know if you find anything that really helps you. We're all in this together.

Cheers

Ben

BenHack said:

Yeah I thought the same about locking joints out but I've been proven wrong. Personally I find planks/leans etc stress the front of my elbow so I'm slowly conditioning my biceps tendon etc with less intense leans.

Good luck and let me know if you find anything that really helps you. We're all in this together.

Cheers

Ben

How were you proven wrong?   

Hi Ricardo

I think that many of the elbow problems

I've had over the years have seemed from a lack of strength in the end range of motion. This of course leads to instability and compensatory mechanisms.

Lots of working on straight arm strength has lead to an imbalance that I'm now needing to work on

Hi Guys.

When I began Foundation, I was quite used to tuck planches, advanced tuck front levers, so I thought I had a headstart at the straight arm strength element.

To my surprise I did experience elbow aggravation by very low level elements like the table iM, Xiaopengs, and HS1/PE2 and PE4.

Just goes to show that foundation attacks straight arm strength from a lot of angles, not just the usual suspect of sPL and FL, and personally I had to slow down to get used to it. 

Now there are no issues whatsoever.

Hey Ravn

Did you do any supplemental work for your elbows or any particular foundation moves that helped?

Cheers

Ben

Not really, the few times I experienced it, I just slowed down and took things easy for a few weeks, that usually was enough to let things recover.The thing to remember is that you're subjected to a stimulus, and you must allow the body to adapt.

There are so many moves across F/H/T that use some sort of straight arm loading, involving torque, column loading, pulling etc.

I wouldn't be able to program something like this myself...