Tricep Tendon Injury?

[jtvision]

I injured myself doing paused db floor extensions two weeks ago. I was doing legs and a training partner was doing the movement wrong so I demonstrated the proper form. He joked I couldnt do it with the weight he was using... I stupidly took the challenge after saying no a few times as Id hurt myself. I hurt myself after the 4th rep. Sharp pain that instantly came on above the elbow in the tricep/bicep.

I've been hot/colding it. It was better after 3 days of this. But back in the gym powerlifting it aggravates it; especially on my dynamic speed days.

Currently, the pain seems to be situated between my tricep and medial delt (right where the muscles really cut in). It hurts when i put my hand in hammer curl position and push up while arresting my first with the other hand. Palm up is pretty much fine; palm down is also. Taking dumbells back to the rack hurts.

Anyone have advice on what I should do? I planned on breaking some records at meet come september... but I dont want to damage myself terminally.

 

[nate212]

It sounds like you strained the brachialis, which is a elbow flexor lying just under and lateral to the biceps. The aggrivating manuvre you describe is with resisted elbow flexion with a neutral forearm position right? Do pressing movements hurt it at all? You mentioned triceps tendon but from what you described it sounds like the flexor more than triceps. Pain at triceps origin would be higher and insertional triceps pain is down at the elbow.

Give it 6 or 8 weeks and it should get better (if it is a simple strain). In that time I would just stay away from stuff that really irritates it and keep working what does not.

Hot/cold should also help. What ever you can do to increase circulation in the area.

 

[walker11]

ice and heat, try some light stretching, and you could also try doin push ups against a wall or on an elevated bar and gradualy work your way down to the floor (thats what scott cartwright did for his tricep injury). As nate said above, give it 6-8 weeks and just take it easy and you should be fine.

 

[jtvision]

Yeh, I borrowed one of my roommates anatomy books and it def looks like the origin of the flexor as your speak of.
Pressing movements aren't too bad. Seems wide grip is better.

I'm not going to stop lifting because if feels better when I'm lifting rather then just letting it rest. Provided I don't work it with movements that hurt.

I'm doing floor press max tonight... so we'll see what happens. I started doing explosive wall presses a few weeks ago (only did it once) but it felt awesome for working my lower end bench movement... but I think it would hurt with the explosiveness now with the injury.

If I keep powerlifting with this injury could I cause serious irreversible damage? I'll stay away from movements that hurt too much.

Anyways, Ill post after training tonight.

Thanks for the input.

 

[nate212]

[If I keep powerlifting with this injury could I cause serious irreversible damage? I'll stay away from movements that hurt too much.

Anyways, Ill post after training tonight.

Thanks for the input.[/QUOTE]

I would stay away from heavy elbow flexion exercises for the 6-8wk. Deadlifts and such will stress it but you could try alternating the grip with under (full supinated) grip on the painful side which should recruit more biceps brachi and less brachialis.

You will probably not seriously hurt it for long term, it will just take longer to recover.

 

[jtvision]

So I did some bench training tonight. Barbell on flat and decline were OK- no pain.
However, I tested a few others out as Im supposed to be deloading right now anyways... Dips hurt like hell; and incline db press is painful no matter what range of motion I tried.

So, Ill try changing my grips up on deadlift and see how that works.

It sucks that I cant do any supplemental tricep work- or anything close grip... but at least I can still bench wide. My westside training will have to be modified to work around this. I guess biceps will end up getting worked on again.