I was climbing an overhanging crack yesterday that went through some OW pods. In the process of trying to move through one of these pods I had a deep fist and to keep it and my feet set I was leaning really hard out on my elbow. (think bending elbow backwards over a corner). I probly had the sequence blown but instead of just giving up I kept fighting to squirm up. Eventually I heard a pop and gave in. Anyone else ever experience this? I ended up finishing the route so it didn't seem to effect me too horribly, though I had to hang for a good while till I could keep going. It doesn't hurt too bad but there is deffinately soreness and I am avoiding extending and contracting it fully(especially quickly). surprisingly no bruising or swelling is visible, and it doesn't really hurt to touch.

Any advice? I'm planning to just take it easy and see what it does, try to slowly stretch it back out once innitial internal swelling stops. No insurance so a doctor visit is out of the question unless its really necessary (I still owe on medical bills from a broken back a year ago).

You didn't really say exactly what hurt and where. It's kind of important.

Popping noises are often indicative of ligament tears. Do you have any joint instability?

I would avoid stretching for now and focus more on RICE and range of motion exercises that are relatively pain-free.

The soreness is mainly on the inside of my elbow (rests agains my ribs) somewhat near the "funny bone". It's generally kinda around the funny bone, kinda more toward the inside bend, and maybe an area that is an inch, more on the fore arm side than the bicept side. It feels a lot better today than it did yesterday, got most of my range of motion with no soreness.

The feeling was like an exaggerated soreness from what I have felt in the past from tendonitis and bone spurs. I occasionally had issues in the past with this elbow not wanting to extend all the way from the aforementioned issues (usually with pressure involved, think push up's holding a strait edge when cutting sheets of glass etc). My other elbow is actually sore in the same place I'm noticing but wasn't to the same extent.

I'm thinking it was a ligament stretching. it does feel like the soreness is coming from the attachment point.

I mainly just took it easy yesterday, and by stretching I guess I just ment that I was going to slowly try to extend it occasionally to prevent it from tightening up more.

Still open to any and all advice on the matter. Also anyone have advice on preventing this, seems deep awkward jams are prone to this kind of thing, and I'd prefer not to avoid routes just because of this factor.