forearm splints...rehabbing and what to avoid

[Gerald Mangona]

Trying to plan my new workout schedule in order to let my forearms heal for the next 4 weeks. The inflammed tendons are the ones at my elbow, they activate when I extend my middle, ring, and little finger.

So rehab:

Rice bucket circles

Rice bucket opening and closing.

FSPs and FBEs

Which exercises are out of the question? I'm still not exactly sure which exercises are stressing it (other than dips and XR support). Can I do pseudo planche pushups on the floor? Handstands? Pull-ups on a bar?

Need some guidance on what's in or out of bounds for the next 4 weeks.

To whatever extent you can help...thanks.

[braindx]

I would just take the time off as a rest week and work on your overall mobility and rehab/prehab work.

If you haven't taken a break in a while it would be good anyway. Then you can come back and see which exercises are aggravating it.

[Gerald Mangona]

I took a week off, and this is my first week back at it.

Turns out that supporting weight while in a straight arm position is what was firing up the forearm splints. Been icing, contrast bath, massage, dorsal pushups (modified), and doing rice bucket work. Moreover, I adjusted my volume as follows:

Ring Support FSP: was 4x per week, dropped it and replaced with straight arm inverted hang work to beef up biceps.

L-Sit: Replaced with L-Hangs

Handstands: Was 10 min twice per week, now 3 minutes once per week.

Then I added 3 minutes of holding at the top of a straight arm plank position on the floor, contract bicep muscles to keep pressure off the hyperextended elbow.

Dropped XR dips and XR Push-ups down to 1 set just to maintain. No straight arm position at top.

So far, so good. Discomfort is at about 0 most of the day, at a 1-2 right after working out. Feels like mild soreness, not acute, sharp pain. Subsides after an hour or so plus massage and contrast baths. I've definitely learned how giant the gap is between my bicep strength and tricep strength. The plank hold in a straight arm position really fatigues my biceps after only 30 second hold times. I think that's probably the right level of progression for me right now even though I have the tricep and chest strength to do push-ups on one hand, let alone holding at the top of a plank with two. Just trying to be patient.

Should I hold volume here for another week? Can I add a set to my XR Pushups and Dips?

JMan

[Coach Sommer]

Good job on the reasonable adjustments to your workouts.

Patience is key. Remember that you can always do more later if necessary; however you cannot undo the damage done once you have done too much.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer