Curling - tricep muscular/skeletal aggravations....

[Guest guest]

I am of a thin build (5'10 " , 145#, 45 y.o.) and in good shape. I work

out with free-weights 3X weekly for the purpose of staying in shape.

In the last 2 months, I have developed what seems like an overuse type

of injury/pain on the inside of the elbow area, I guess called the

forearm, the " medial (humerus) epicondyle " area per my review of some

online anatomical references. On the skeletal side, maybe the

" trochlea " area - and the " knob-like " capitulum " area... on the

inside, I am guessing... I feel the pain most during the under-handed

curl, although No. 4 below also adds pain, but to a lesser degree....

I laid off the gym for a week and came back and the pain remains.... I

have tried to adjust my form to alleviate the intensity of the pain,

but would like to share the form and pain aspects in case anyone has

heard of or experienced a similar manifestation....

The 4 exercises I have been performing which I believe relate to the

pain are as follows:

1) long-bar curl: I keep my hands shoulder length apart; elbows

neither in or out, but if anything in; I do not leverage the back of

my elbows against by body as I come up; I raise and lower the bar

slowly; I start with only bar weight, then 2.5# on each side, then 5#.

I perform 1 set of 7-9 reps with each weight.

2) during warm-up for the above, using the bar only, I also perform a

reverse curl, with no weight, slowly raising with my hands down. I do

1 to sometimes 2 sets only.

3) I don't know what the following exercise is called but I describe

as follows: using similar weight progression as for the above

referenced curls, holding my hands down and more in from shoulder

width apart, maybe 3-5 inches from hands together, I pull the long-bar

up towards my chin, elbows come out.... shoulders and arms feel the

workout. For added intensity, I sometimes hold the bar out further

from my body slightly, and as I pull up, I pull the bar back in. As

above, the movements are slow and controlled, both ways....

4) dumb-bells: straight-arm raises with 15, 20 & 25#, slow and

controlled. Variation as I get tired includes starting more from the

side of my body and raising towards the middle....

5) tricep laying on a bench : using the preacher bar, with 5, 7.5 and 10#.

While I don't see a connection, the only difference with my workout is

the addition of exercise no.4 more often than I used to. I don't do

No. 4 every workout, maybe more like every-other....

My point of references are:

1) Using http://workoutsthatwork.tripod.com/p17.htm - search " forearms

(front) " for muscular analysis: " Forearm: medial (humerus) epicondyle,

common flexor tendon " ;

2) Using http://www.innerbody.com/image_skelfov/skel37_new.html

Skeletal: trochlea " At the lower end of the humerus (upper arm bone)

and the femur, there are two smooth condyles (rounded processes of the

bone): a knob-like " capitulum " on the lateral side and a pulley-shaped

" trochlea " in the middle. The capitulum unites with the radius

(smaller lower arm bone) at the elbow, and the trochlea is a notch

which joins ligaments to the head of the ulna (larger lower arm bone).

Above the condyles on either side are " epicondyles, " which provide

attachments for muscles and ligaments of the elbow. The one toward the

center of the arm is the 'medial epicondyle,' and the one to the side

is the 'lateral epicondyle.' "

Any input would be appreciated.

Steve Nuin

Miami, FL USA