Elbow Pain

[Fritz]

Sorry if this was already posted, I couldn't find anything.

I don't know what I did with my throw technique, but my elbow is having some pain in it. Anyone else have this, if so, or if anyone knows, what is causing this?
What did I do with my throw to cause this pain?
It's to the point where It causes me a decrease in power in the middle of the round. It happen to me again on Thursday of this week. Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens more often than I'd like.
Thanks in advance for your answers.

[Timko]

Do you think you have technique failing somewhere? Did you change something in your throw?

Do you feel like you're hyper-extending your arm?

[Fritz]

Do you think you have technique failing somewhere? Did you change something in your throw?

Do you feel like you're hyper-extending your arm?

It's very possible I could be hyper-extending. I'm trying to figure out what I changed, I did notice in my round yesterday that I was trying too hard to control the disc. I'm wondering if that is the change. I haven't lost any distance or accuracy, just getting that pain.
hmm...

[Mark Ellis]

There are probably numerous elbow ailments, each with various causes and potential cures. The only one I am familiar with is tendenitis/tennis elbow.

Playing tournament racquetball for many years before finding disc golf, I picked up a dose of "tennis elbow" which is very common in that sport-so common that pretty much everyone gets it eventually. There were generally known cures within the sport which worked superbly for me (tennis elbow braces prevent you from injuring it worse, then ice, anti-inflammatories, and reverse curl exercises).

Lifting weights a few years ago I tweaked my elbow badly. Since then it has been painful at times and no problem most of the time. Once you mess a body part up you never know when it will act up again or get reinjured. Fortunately my throwing form (I'm forehand dominant) puts little stress on my elbow, so even when it is throbbing it doesn't hurt or seem to get worse when I throw.

As I was preparing for Worlds a few years ago (Northern Wisconsin) my elbow got really bad. I couldn't even lift my disc golf bag with my right arm and it was getting progressively worse. The week before Worlds, practicing the courses, I ran into my buddy Brad Hammock. Shaking his hand almost brought me to knees it hurt so much. Brad then fixed my elbow by massaging my forearm. It, of course, hurt like heck while he was digging his steel fingers into my forearm but it did the trick and recovered over the next week from just the couple minutes of massage.

I still feel occasional twinges at times. When that happens my personal trainer puts me through a series of stretches and hand/forearm exercises which puts it back in shape. I do know that ice is magic and icing and injured body part always seems to help.

[Fritz]

Thanks a ton for that info Mark. I'm gonna take it easy this week, rub the arm and put ice on it. Got a tournament on Saturday.
What are some good stretches? USS Swimmer. Maybe I'm not doing adequate stretches.

[Mark Ellis]

Thanks a ton for that info Mark. I'm gonna take it easy this week, rub the arm and put ice on it. Got a tournament on Saturday.
What are some good stretches? USS Swimmer. Maybe I'm not doing adequate stretches.

It is so difficult to use words to describe motions. Maybe we need a Youtube video?

Ok, I will try to explain two of the basic ones:forward and backwards wrist stretches. Stand next to a waist high table. Place the palm of your hand (afflicted side) flat on the table (on the edge of the table closest to your body). Lean your arm and body forward without moving your hand, stretching your wrist and bending your hand backwards. Then do the opposite stretch, placing the back side of your hand in the same spot and lean your arm and body away from the table, stretching the wrist inwards.

Do each stretch (and hold it for 20-30 seconds or so) then repeat the cycle.

Why stretching out your wrist helps your elbow is a bit of a mystery to me (ok, I know they are connected, but still...) but it seems to work.

Hope it helps.....

[Webslinger]

Good tips Mark. I've got another that works miracles for tennis elbow. I do this stretch/exercise all the time. I've had tennis elbow twice in my life. Both times due to, of all things, playing tennis.
Besides the stretching exercises Mark mentions, take a thick rubber band (1/4 in wide) maybe 3-4 inches in length, place the rubber band around your pinky finger, down to the knuckle. Now pull the rubber band over all your fingers and around your thumb down to the knuckle. Now all of your fingers are inside the rubber band. Here is the exercise...
Spread/splay your fingers as wide as you can and hold for 2 seconds then relax. Do sets of these "finger stretches". 3 sets of 20 reps each. It's harder than you think and you may need to start with lower reps. You WILL feel the stretch in the tendon area of your tennis elbow. As it becomes easier to do reps with your rubber band, you can get a thicker rubber band, or use two rubber bands, and do the same exercise. You will be amazed at how much this helps rehab your tennis elbow. It also serves as a preventative measure against future injury.
I keep a few rubber bands in the cup holder of my car. Whenever I drive, I'll pull one out and do this exercise over and over again, especially when I'm on my way to play a round of disc golf or a tennis match.

[Webslinger]

Also, if you find that you need any physical therapy treatment for tennis elbow, or any other -itis condition you experience from disc golf, find a Physical Therapist that does ASTYM. This non-invasive procedure is a 'miracle in a bottle'. I kid you not. Not all Physical Therapists utilize ASTYM yet, but it is fast becoming a standard. Two links for you here.

This one provides an in-depth explanation of ASTYM:

http://www.gosportstherapy.com/astym.htm

This one will help you locate an ASTYM provider in your area:

http://www.astym.com/

Get fixed, then go out and give 'em hell

[RS39]

I did something too much to my elbow in a previous year, and found one of these to be very helpful:

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_ ... crumb=true

Futuro Adjust to Fit Elbow Support
SKU #462607
$15.99


It shares both the benefits of a strap to stabilize muscles/tendons, with a bit of wrap to keep warmth and increased blood flow to the area.

I felt it mainly when throwing annies, but who knows what combination of disc, mtn bike, darts, pool, several p-t jobs made it hurt. All I know now is that my elbow is much better, and I read a lot about how tendons get much less blood flow so they are very slow to heal compared to muscles.

[discraft]

Went to the doc today for my elbow pain.It just came on suddenly last week.He recommended the strap support over the sleeve.Just have a tendon strain should be better in 2 weeks.
He also perscribed this http://www.flectorpatch.com/ and to take Aleve.Also use ice or heat which ever helps.

[tigel]

Last week I threw way too many overhands and could feel my elbow/upper arm exploding. The next day I figured it was just a random soreness so I went to the field and did light field work. By three throws my elbow was on fire. I walked home shivering in 60 degree weather. I could hardly breathe it was so bad. Once I got home I put ice on it then sports cream. The cream actually made it feel SO much better. It was still sore but not enough to ruin my day.

This weekend I had a tournament and didn't throw forehand or overhand and near the middle of first round I couldn't pick up my bag, or rest my bag on my right shoulder. It didn't hurt as bad as the above but it was getting there. Luckily it didn't get too painful and I was able to keep playing. Played like shit though.

By round 2 it was a light pain all day but didn't bother me.... SO I really don't know what it is. Could this be tennis elbow? It hurts right above the elbow and triceps.

[JR]

Above elbow tendon damage is called golf elbow. The nasty thing about nerve damage or pinched nerves from swelling of the inflammation is that the pain may occur totally elsewhere from the damage. Tennis elbow can be felt in the wrist, hand and fingers. If it doesn't go away soon you may well need a doc.