Long lasting forarm pain

So for starters I have been climbing for a long time and have had my fair share of injuries. This injury is something I have never had before and so far Internet searches have come up with nothing.

So I can only best describe my forarm pain as annoying. It is located deep inside the bunch of muscles that run along the top of my forarm. extender muscles. It is only in one specific spot...kind of where the muscle connects to the bone. Just to be clear it is not on my elbow.

This sounds kind of weird but the pain started when I was carrying a paddleboard... Lol. I was trying to be superman and carry the damn thing a really long way without switching hands. Pumped out more doing that then any climb I've ever done. I didn't think much of it as it was just a dull pain at that point and I could only feel it when I climbed hard. Then one day a month or so down the road I was working on a V7 on the smallest crimp on the route when the pain became worse. It was NOT an immediate sharp pain but now it hurts all the time. From when I wake up to when I go to bed.

Most of the time all I need to do is take time off of climbing and massage the crap out of whatever hurts. I have been doing that with this injury. Took a full month off and have been careful not to overexert it. Massage it often. The pain seemed to go down a little bit but not much.

Wondering if anyone has had something like this happen before. Any idea what this could be? How to treat?

Have you read about chronic exertional compartment syndrome but for the record I have zero qualifications to make an assessment. I just read about Pamela's CECS recently and your description sounds similar. It's pretty extreme sounding.

Tennis elbow (forearm extensor tendons) and/or inflammation of the forearm extensor muscles.

Had it for several years now. Requires on-going therapy. I do exercises several times a week to hold off the problem.

Google TheraBand FlexBar exercises.

Recovery takes several months. The key that my physical therapist taught me is "light resistance and high repetition exercise" to stimulate blood flow which encourages repairs.

I have also found that frequent use of a mouse and keyboard contribute to the problem.

read this. Dodgy Elbows Then dowload the PDF

Check out the Armaid. A buddy has also been having success with the electro-therapy. Don't forget to work the opposing groups.

Sounds a lot like what my arms were like about a year ago. I bought and started using a Theraband FlexBar and it worked like magic for me.

gription wrote:read this. Dodgy Elbows Then dowload the PDF

The new book, "Make or Break", by Dave MacLeod, is significantly better than that for elbow problems.

Research "post injury scar tissue". I'm not doc, but have had a similiar problem before. Worked through it with heavy ice massage to break up and remove aggravating scar tissue. Hurt like hell!

this cheap easy fix worked wonders for me after ignoring the issue for several months which was degrading my climbing: climbing.com/skill/recover-…

So shame on me for not keeping up with my opposing group exercises. I used to do them like clockwork, but I fell off. I think you guys are right...tennis elbow it is. Just bought the extra light and light Theraband Flexbar. Looks like no climbing for me smack in the middle of prime Red River Gorge season :-( I will report back with updates...

Treatment Plan

So this is the bane of my existence over the last years. I don't even climb in the gym anymore since it just flairs up my 'itis.

Things that help are chelated magnesium, tumeric and fish oil. The magnesium was a lifesaver.

Things that inflame it. Man honestly spending too much time on my iphone or computer.

I have the thea-band but always forgot to use it as soon as i feel great. Having a bit of flair up now so it's back to more exercises.

Also check out stretches on youtube. That's a huge aspect of the healing process.

Make sure you have plenty of vitamin C in your diet. Its what your body uses to create the collagen that repairs and strengthen your tendons. Protein is also very important for tendon health so check how much you're eating. You're body needs the ingredients it takes to heal. Otherwise it wont heal or just take a lot longer.

The arm band for tennis elbow is great. If you can find some tiger balm cream give it a try. It helps increase blood flow to the area you apply it to which promotes healing. I use it a lot for martial arts injuries and have used it for the tennis elbow. Just don't use it on saturated skin like before or after a shower, it will burn like hell.

Lateral epicondylitis. fairly common, Tennis Elbow.

RICE & nsaids. Rest being the key part of that.
If it doesn't resolve, PT & ortho can get more invasive, but they are fairly straight forward procedures as well.

I have also heard of extensor avulsion injuries in the forearm that might present similarly.

But let me warn you, do NOT google search anything containing "avulsion" if you are at all squeamish.

Austin Adair wrote:S... Looks like no climbing for me s

I climbed through the therapy.

Austin Adair wrote: Looks like no climbing for me smack in the middle of prime Red River Gorge season :-( I will report back with updates... Treatment Plan

You are supposed to keep climbing throughout the process of strengthening those opposing forearm muscles. If the pain becomes unbearable, then stop, but mine typically goes away after some warming up. Just don't go so hard in the paint.

Buff Johnson wrote:Lateral epicondylitis. fairly common, Tennis Elbow. RICE & nsaids. Rest being the key part of that. If it doesn't resolve, PT & ortho can get more invasive, but they are fairly straight forward procedures as well.

Poor advice, particularly the NSAID recommendation. Rest should be relative. You should keep climbing albeit at a significantly reduced intensity and volume. You may want to take 1-2 weeks off to get it to calm down a bit first. You should see a PT, the therapy is straightforward (assuming lateral tendinopathy).

Ok doc. Good to know.
Don't really know why an nsaid is viewed with such disdain, but I can certainly be enlightened through evidence-basis.

I'm having similar chronic tendon pain from my fingers through my hands and wrists down my arms to the elbows. Those of you using those Theraband Flexbars what strength are you using? Light? Medium? This pain has been here for months and just trying to get it to go away.

Buff Johnson wrote:Ok doc. Good to know. Don't really know why an nsaid is viewed with such disdain, but I can certainly be enlightened through evidence-basis.

I think RICE and NSAIDS are, generally, good all-around treatment for mild injuries and skeletomuscular ailments.

And to the OP, see a doctor. Preferably an orthopedist. Forget the Internet diagnoses.

This is why you DON'T take NSAIDs for tendon problems.

"2. Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID’s) and/or corticosteroid injections can actually accelerate the degenerative process and make the tendon more susceptible to further injury, longer recovery time and may increase likelihood of rupture."

This is a long read but here is the source. elitesportstherapy.com/tend…
Also describes the difference between tendonitis and tendinosis.

Of course you should see a doctor to figure out the actual cause of the pain. Theres a good chance it is tennis elbow but no one on here could ever confirm that like a physician could. FWIW I didn't see a doctor for my tennis elbow.

Tendon injuries for me have needed heat therapy (or my use of tiger balm) to help heal. It helps increase blood flow to the area which promotes healing. HOWEVER, if the problem is inflammatory an increase in blood flow will make the problem worse. Which is why its imortant to know whether its tendonitis or tendinosis. Either way its important to keep exercising and mild stretching. Just don't do anything strenuous that can cause more damage.