Bizarre weightlifting injury of the posterior elbow

[spleenharvester]

Hello all.

3 months ago I was doing my usual weightlifting routine in the gym. I tried to add a new triceps exercise (EZ skullcrushers), and afterwards felt a slight strain sensation in both my elbows. By the end of the week, the pain was too severe to open a door by myself. That 30 seconds of lifting appears to have completely ruined my elbows. I have since taken rest from any physical labour, and it feels like it healed halfway after a few weeks and nothing has improved since.

The pain is in a really strange location - posterior medial side, shown on this diagram best I can (sorry, my anatomy is quite poor).



Blue dot is where the pain is focused - I am really not sure what this is, it feels like bone and seems to be separate to the olecranon, but palpating this structure is extremely painful on both elbows, and is the only area that is painful. Blue arrow tries to show better where it is on my elbow (though maybe a bit higher than shown). Pain kicks up any time I do a bicep or tricep exercise (I attempted at 50% of usual weight a week ago, for the first time since the injury happened).

Dx: "tendinitis" after one week by GP, "triceps tendinitis" after 3 months by GP. I assumed tricep tendinopathy too, but I have a feeling the pain is too far to the medial, and there is no pain on palpation of the olecranon insertion area. Also wondered posterior band of UCL, but feel like it's too far behind the elbow? Also, I don't see a physio for another few months.

Any help is really appreciated! This is driving me up the wall and is stopping me from really doing anything I enjoy.

Thanks in advance

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[Yarok]

Hi

maybe overstrained wrist flexors ( golf elbow ) and their tendinopathy
all the best

[anka_nikoleta]

Do you have any instability of the elbow?
Did you take AINS, applied ice and compression?
You shouldn't lift weights.
Let me know if is any change in your symptoms.

[ALS388]

Sounds like and looks like Golfer's Elbow / Medial Epicondylitis / Pitchers Elbow (which is a form of tendonitis).
I definitely recommend putting a cold compress on it, if you haven't already, and especially after you are active with it. You want to get down as much inflammation as possible. If the inflammation is always present, it forms a barrier and blocks the bodies natural ability to bring blood flow to the area. I have included a link for more info on Golfer's Elbow and a really good treatment i recommend. All the best.
Golfer's Elbow Treatment

[StatesPT]

Hi - if the tendinopathy treatment doesn't do it then try ulnar nerve tension test; Google search will show you the way. You basically put your arm in a position like you are holding a serving tray. If that reproduces your pain then you may have over stretched the ulnar nerves. Do GENTLE, LIGHT movements into VERY MILD discomfort to get them toughened up again. Good luck!