Joints problems - heavy work, rehab?

[Piotr Ochocki]

Well, finally problems got me, not being the youngest now (30+) I have to start asking myself some questions.

Joints making popping/cracking sounds is what I'm used to for some time (and I've been int some activities for years), my right elbow has a habit of making multiple popping sounds with most bend/straight actions, so every pushup sounds... Some 3 months ago things got worse with it, I'm not sure what movement exactly caused this, but half way through elbow bend there was a pain and sort of blockage this wasn't blocking joint completely, but enough to stop any heavy loaded exercise, this was regardless whether I was bending or straightening arm, from time to time quite a massive popping sound can be heard, like all these single ones multiplied. On top of that some problems with right shoulder started more less at the same time, less power and pain when trying handstand pushups or extending arm to the side (quite likely somehow related to shoulder problems). With decreased load, intensity and supplements most of the shoulder pain has gone now, but it is definitely in worse condition than it was, shoulder pain is still there.

Recently I've visited a orthopedic doc, I've got shoulder and elbow RTG taken and I've heard what I was suspecting I'll hear anyway. Basically doc says stop doing all these crazy things, activities are good, but rather swimming than gymnastics.

RTG shows joints are worn, joint bone surfaces are uneven and don't have the best shape now, also there is something (shadow on RTG) in right elbow that may be a "foreign object" floating there. He put me on NSAIDs and drug to reduce production of uric acid (on top of that I'm exercising lemon therapy just in case there really is excessive amounts of uric acid inside).

Some questions, how joints health is managed in young gymnasts, is joint preparation, strengthening muscles able to help a lot with protecting the joint itself (obviously most of pro sports people usually have problems with joints after years what gives some answer to that ), do you guys do anything special to prevent or fight these problems (if you've got these) - I know and do (although not very often) prehab routines advised on the forum?

Question I have to answer myself is do I stop gymnastics - mostly rings (that I enjoy, unfortunately started quite late ), or do I try to go with it, but concentrating as much as possible on statics (which is something I was leaning towards in my training anyway), reducing my own fat storage would help definitely, a lot of kgs to drop there (but I like chocolate, cakes, etc too much ), still, I've got MU, BL and I was hoping to get nice FL (one leg straight at this moment)...

[Blairbob]

Well with juveniles you either tread carefully or ruin them or burn them out. Most junior gymnasts won't push for too strenuous of difficulty on strength skills on rings till they are nearly seniors.

My left elbow is fairly similar but doesn't hurt really. So long as I release it from time to time and do my shoulder mobility, it works but it does make some loud popping sounds. Without "releasing" it, I will notice that I may have difficulty extending it fully to it's natural ROM.

I haven't put it under the doctors scope, but there is no way I'm going under the knife for it. I'm sure it's all related to my left shoulder for the most part which works but I know isn't ideal since it pops and needs to be released as well and likes to pop from time to time when just hanging when I wake up in the morning.

A year or two ago, and my left elbow would start to ache when I worked rings strength too frequently. However, there was an incident where it was hyperextended due to some idiotic wrestling armbar. Being smart about with some elbow mobility work and a chiropractor adjusting it helped a bit though not hitting rings strength so much was probably a big part of that.

To note, my shoulders were jacked up before the elbow pain started but I had never really ever had elbow pain in my prior years of gymnastics.

Right now I'm 33 and not really work rings strength though I was prior till September as things have sort of derailed and now I'm focusing on the olympic lifts. What really worked for me the past year or two is lots of mobility work and pacing myself with the rings and gymnastics strength programming.