tennis elbow

Ghost · Post by **Ghost** » Tue May 07, 2002 4:33 pm

short post for the doctors out there. Since about a week and a half ago I have been experiencing some pain in the outside of my right elbow. feels like what i hear lots of people describing as tennis elbow. Not really sure if it is uechi related but it has popped up only recently. Anybody got any ideas?

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue May 07, 2002 4:51 pm

Ghost

I always tell people first to consult with an MD that can give you a proper physical exam. Even if I were an MD, I couldn't definitively tell you what your problem is online.

That being said, there are "karate elbow" problems that sometimes crop up, although that ususally happens with beginners or with a change in training. I recommend the following as warmups.

1) Do dynamic tension punching as in the Goju sanchin. Make sure you breathe properly.

Once you have warmed the tendons/muscles and flushed the joint a bit, then you can do the following PNF stretches.

1) Arm locked in fully flexed position. The PNF contraction is attempting to extend the arm that is locked in the flexed position.

2) Arm locked in fully extended position. The PNF contraction is attempting to flex the arrm that is locked in the fully extended position.

3) Arm bent 90 degrees, and fully supinated. The PNF contraction is attempting to pronate in the fully supinated position.

4) Arm bent 90 degrees, and fully pronated. The PNF contraction is attempting to supinate in the fully pronated position.

You might also consider doing these PNF stretches as a warmdown before leaving the dojo or weight room.

And remember to ice the area after a workout if there is inflammation and/or pain. Only use heat before training.

- Bill

Ted Dinwiddie · Post by **Ted Dinwiddie** » Wed May 08, 2002 3:23 am

Bill,

I suffer from this, too. Warmup is key in my experience.

I have a stupid question: Supinate and Pronate with respect to the arm/hand?

I have fitted ski boots and now do hiking boots. I understand these terms with respect to the foot.

Pronation is rolling inward of the foot and supination is rolling outward. So, with the arm at ninety degrees upright in front is the palm away for pronation and facing for supination? Or am I, as usual, confused?

thanks

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ted

"I learn by going where I have to go." - Theodore Roethke

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Wed May 08, 2002 5:42 am

Ted

This is not a "stupid" question. Most people don't understand how to use the medical terminology, and yet it's the best language to use in the dojo.

I 'm not exactly sure what you mean by <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote

Pronation is rolling inward of the foot and supination is rolling outward.

Do you mean ankle, or bottom of the foot? In any case, I'll describe both foot and forearm as I understand them.

Now my specialty is systems physiology (a branch of biomedical engineering), but I've picked up my anatomy along the way. I always try to have at least one medical type in the class to double check my terminology. These days I have an occupational therapist that helps me out.

For the arm, think of it this way. Start with arm down and elbow bent 90 degrees. When you supinate the forearm, you can hold soup in your hand. When you pronate, you dump the soup.

Think of the feet the exact same way, except have the whole leg dangling down. Turn the bottom of your foot in (roll your ankle out). Note that this is the side kick position. That would be supinate. Pronate would be turning the bottom of the foot out.

- Bill

Ted Dinwiddie · Post by **Ted Dinwiddie** » Wed May 08, 2002 2:12 pm

My experience is much less technically precise than yours, but we are saying the same thing. I now understand the terms as they refer to the hand and arm also.

As an aside, in the footwear business, when a person walks and their foot rolls inward as they weight it, they are said to be pronating.

Thanks

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ted

"I learn by going where I have to go." - Theodore Roethke

Tony-San · Post by **Tony-San** » Thu May 09, 2002 11:28 am

I am having this problem on my left side right now. Funny, one day the pain left my elbow and moved into my tricep and made it swell up a little. Then it creeped back into my elbow again during the course of the day. I had this same problem on my right side a few years ago and it turned out to be something in my shoulder, even though my shoulder didn't hurt, my elbow did. Go figure.

Ted Dinwiddie · Post by **Ted Dinwiddie** » Thu May 09, 2002 2:26 pm

There is an interesting thread on Van's forum right now called Force of Thrust. My recent problems with this pain are concurrent with some interesting developments I have been making with power in my kata. Some of you smart guys (Bill?) might enjoy that thread and help people like me understand it more thoroughly.

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ted

"I learn by going where I have to go." - Theodore Roethke

[This message has been edited by Ted Dinwiddie (edited May 09, 2002).]