Shooter's Forearm? Pain near elbow...

[ArmdCtzn]

Any time I start to dry fire regularly, or even shoot live fire quite a bit, I get a pain in my shooting arm about 2" below my elbow. If you take your finger and start at the point of your elbow, then move toward your hand about 2" and push down kind of between the muscles, that's the spot. Oh, it hurts. It hurts all the time. I have to cut way down on using my hands for some time to get it to heal up. I wanted to start practicing seriously for this season, but this is really pretty much killing that idea.

Anybody else get that? What's up with that?

[BillD]

Yes, it's tendonitis, I would think. I was going to set the world on fire last winter with my dryfiring.

Hour long sessions everyday. Now, I had two cortisone injections last year and I wear a band on my forearm except when I'm sleeping.

It sounds like tennis elbow to me.

Surgery is an option. A doctor visit is a must have.

[maineshootah]

Any time I start to dry fire regularly, or even shoot live fire quite a bit, I get a pain in my shooting arm about 2" below my elbow. If you take your finger and start at the point of your elbow, then move toward your hand about 2" and push down kind of between the muscles, that's the spot. Oh, it hurts. It hurts all the time. I have to cut way down on using my hands for some time to get it to heal up. I wanted to start practicing seriously for this season, but this is really pretty much killing that idea.

Anybody else get that? What's up with that?

Been there, done that.

Mine was to the point of not being able to grip a can of (*insert favorite beverage here*) and hold it out straight in front of me. There are a ton of threads on this subject here on the forum.

Rest, ice, compression and time off are the best solution for long term care, I know... not what you want to hear.

It does not heal fast. Most of the threads here talk about this as an inflammation injury,(I am not a medical professional) where things are swollen from over training and rubbing where they should not be. I did ice massage every night for several months as well as limiting use as much as possible to get to the point where I could shoot again, but it still hurt.

A Cortisone injection will make you feel like you can lift a car off the ground almost immediately, since you are used to so much pain by the time you get one.

See your Doc, or a decent Athletic Trainer / Physical Therapist who is good with sports injuries. They can set you straight.

Edited February 16, 2011 by maineshootah

[dcarter]

I had this same problem a few years ago. I didn't need surgery to correct it just a little rest and then started doing some simple excersises. I haven't had the problem again since.

[ktyler]

I've had the same problem for years. I started going to an acupuncturist and it really helped. I would highly recommend it.

[pjb45]

Mine is on the inside of the elbow. It is usually referred to as Golfers elbow. Talked briefly with Chad about it.

Do a search and read his article about it. BadChad is a PT and a great shooter.

Ping him using the message function.

[JakeMartens]

Do you get numbness in your fingers? Especailly your pinky and ring finger?

[Kyle O]

tennis elbow....me too.

[ArmdCtzn]

So THIS is "tennis elbow". Wow, it sucks.

I read the BadChad article, interesting, but hard to understand the excersizes he suggests.

Seems like wrist rotations, I sent him a message. Interesting about the arm bands as I had

taken a belt and wrapped it around my forearm tightly because that helped the pain. Guess

I wasn't the first to think of that.

So much for dry-fire and shotgun reload practice. :-(

[RangerTrace]

I had the same issue about a year ago when I tried to change my grip. I was also dry firing too much with the new grip. Enos member badchad is a PT and he has lots of good info. Any time I start to feel that pain coming back, I hit him with a PM for instructions.

[barrysuperhawk]

Same pain for me too, hit really bad last year for some reason. My solution [besides OTC pain meds] was Biofreeze as often as I could get away with it and this velcro strap dealie with a gel-pack in it.

I also started paying very close attention to what I was doing when it hurt, and what I could do differently that would accomplish the same task but with less pain. Stupid little things like which direction I flicked my wrist during a reload made the difference between pain and no pain, in some cases.

Also I ended up shooting most of last year with mouse guns [9mm & .223] instead of my standbys [.45 & 308].

I'm gonna have to look up badchad myself if the pain comes back, though, because doing it on my own took FOREVER to heal.

Edited February 22, 2011 by barrysuperhawk

[pranavdc]

Tennis elbow/ shooters elbow is generally a case of either the ulna or radius or both being not properly aligned. If it is the radius (thumb side when hand is palm up) you will also develop wrist and thumb pain. It is easily worked on and "fixed" by a skilled competent chiropractor. If the joint is misaligned it will cause the swelling and repeated pain. The pills and braces will mask or give you limited piece of mind but won't do more than bandaid the issue. It is not uncommon as I have helped professional athletes to old woman who can pickup a gallon jug of milk. Unless the structure is righted the swelling will continue and the weakness will get worse. The numbness in the fingers as referred to above is a whole different animal but can be part of the elbow situation also. If you have any questions please shoot me a message.

Cheers!

[steviesterno]

We actually get great results at my office with this, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and more, using gua sha. It's a Chinese massage technique using tools. It hurts like a bitch, but it actually breaks up the calcifications. After 2 weeks, my shoulder tendonitis was cured and has been for 3 years now. PM me for more info if you'd like

[Kyle O]

Mine was feeling better last week, so I went bowling........DON'T is my advice.

[badchad]

Tennis elbow/ shooters elbow is generally a case of either the ulna or radius or both being not properly aligned.

FWIW, I think that's completely bogus.

[pranavdc]

FWIW It is how I make my living! I will retract what I had here to say I understand that you are a PT but sir where I am at the PT's send me their patients they can't seem to help! Shoot me a message we can talk shop. Have you heard of nusremaids elbow?

Edited March 12, 2011 by pranavdc

[badchad]

Profanity warning, Penn & Teller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qkXR9mflOo&playnext=1&list=PL9C5B38B841894FA7

[pjb45]

Like most PTs Chad doubles as a sadist! At WSSSC I asked him about the pain in my elbow. He promtly drilled his thumb into with enough pressure to make me cry and drop to my knees and beg for mercy!

Then he causally replied 'Yep that is golfer elbow.'

Just to remind you Chad, you promised to update your article!

[Coach]

Get a band and slow down a little. Other than harden up and deal with the pain. It will either go away eventually or it won't. I have had this in the past but got use to the dry fire routine and it has not been a problem lately. I found the band to be plenty of a remedy.

[Matt Griffin]

Do you get numbness in your fingers? Especailly your pinky and ring finger?

Jake, that's more likely ulnar nerve entrapment than tennis elbow. I had that for years, it came from working at a desk for too long, grinding my forearm against the desk edge. Eventually scar tissue traps the nerve and it can't slide any more, I'd say I was down to 20% strength in my right arm. The good news is that PT (a technique where they scrape the hell out of your arm to break up the scarring) and stretching restored 100% strength in about two months. It's very fixable, unlike tennis elbow which is still plaguing me in my left arm.

Matt

[Sin-ster]

I upped the ante on my dry and (more notably) live fire practice not long ago. Came away with what seems like tennis AND golfer's elbow for my support side. Going to the Doc next week to have it checked out, and been treating it with suggested remedies for the last couple of weeks.

I've found that the pain isn't only manageable, it's basically non-existent. A little stiff, but 3-5 press outs and it goes away entirely. It does however feel sluggish and like it's missing some flexibility during extension-- probably thanks to the swelling.

Worst of all, I discovered that it's pulling my shots in two different ways. After a match where every stage, there were several hits left of center (right handed) that I had NOT called as anything but perfect shots, I wondered if I was just aiming at brown... consistently to the left. Practicing the next week, I had a light strike and noticed that my typical response to the missing recoil had altered from straight down to down and WAY left. As I shot that day and paid attention, it became obvious that after the first shot on any target, my body was responding to the injury despite the fact that I had no pain. On top of that, as this was an entirely new response, it was turning into flinch from time to time as well, pulling shots WAY off of POA. (These were mostly called of course, but I'm still not an expert at that practice and from time to time, a "minor" jerk still slips by unnoticed-- until I hear "A-D" on a 12 yard target during scoring.)

[Sarge]

I have been reading this for a few days and it occured to me that I too was having elbow problems last year and came to find out it was from the way I held my right arm while reading these very forums! I started laying my arm flat and the pain went away in a week or so.