Joint pain

[jarobins]

Wondering, what has anyone successfully used (or done) for joint pain caused by fitness activities?

Due to weightlifting I regularly get tendonitis/tendonosis in my elbows and also suffer from mild pain in my AC joint (shoulder). I have tried fish oil, cissus, NSAIDS, and done various physical therapy exercises. Eventually I end up getting a cortisone shot about every six to eight months and start the whole cycle over. I'm interested in any suggestions, particularly any experiences with ART (active release therapy).

I'm too stupid/stubborn to stay out of the gym so that's not an option. FWIW, I'm currently running a 5x5 routine and having good results so I'm not wanting to take a break. However, if I can't get some relief from the joint pain I may have to change my plans.

[mcsap]

Welcome to aging My elbows tend to get sore , my heels and knees too but I just ignore it while working out and the pain goes away for now. :D

[JRT6]

I'm a walking bone spur and can't even lock my elbows out. You have to totally change your mindset from 5x5. I don't bench anymore or go for any strength PR's. I now do stuff similar to Crossfit (but not Crossfit as my workouts have a planned purpose). I do front squats, one leg romanian deadlfts, ring pushups with added weight, lots of chins instead of pullups, side to side inverted ring rows etc. The amount of weight I use is no longer the priority and instead the work capacity is the goal and I try to change my exercises every workout.

www.rosstraining.com is a great example of what I do now.

[CityOfChicago]

There is a degenerative condition common to people with arthritis and even more common to weightlifters. It's called Distal Clavicular Osteolysis, and it sucks. Due to repeated stresses in the AC from lifting, the shoulder (distal) end of the collarbone can begin to dissolve. This can be as little as a couple millimeters to as much as a full centimeter. If it's just a touch, then rest can usually provide time to allow the bone to stabilize. If not, it requires arthroscopy.

Typical treatment involves that cortisone shot, which clears up the inflammation, then rest and some calcum supp just to let the end of the bone solidify. Surgically the procedure is called a resection, and they just grind off a few mils of the collorbone and you spend about a week and a half in a sling and 3 months to ful recovery.

If you've ever separated your AC that could also make it worse. If your doctor hasnt already, you should get x-rays of the AC, normal front, holding weight (to open the AC a bit so its easier to see the distal clavicle), and one from above looking down.

Don't mean to sound doom and gloom, but if your getting routine cortisone in the AC (which you dont want to do anyway because cortisone is a formulation of the catabolic corticosteroid cortisol, and repeated injections will weaken the AC) and it's not worked, time to find another cause of pain.

PS - the cortisone should provide nearly immediate pain relief, full effect in 24hrs and lasting about....forever. If you are not getting the immediate pain relief from the shot, then the AC is not the real problem and the pain is just showing there.

[jarobins]

I guess I should have been clearer. I have only received cortisone shots in my elbows, never in my shoulder(s). My shoulders have gotten better the last few months by working on stabilizer muscles that aren't directly worked doing a 5x5 workout. I have also changed my bench form to a powerlifter form which has also reduced the pressure on my elbows. Nonetheless, I still have tightness/soreness in my elbows for about 24 hours after working out. This is somewhat alleviated by ice and compression.

I have only been on a 5x5 routine since the beginning of the year and will continue to run with it until I no longer am seeing progress. FWIW, it has been great for increasing strength in my bench and deadlift, not so much on squats. I recommend it to anyone looking to lift for strength, although muscle growth is often a natural by product of strength gains. I have promised myself that when (if ever :rolleyes I get to a 1500lb total (raw) I would finally man up and enter a powerlifting competition.

[CityOfChicago]

I like to mix in a bench workout once in a while that I call "Benching the Cage". It's very Louis Simmons, and I got it from a coach of mine is college.

Roll a flat bench into a squat cage, then set the catch bars so that when you lay on the bench, the barbell touches or nearly touches your chest. Load your 10RM and stop each rep on the catch bars. 3sets of 10.

Move the catch bars up one hole (about 5 inches over your chest). Add weight, perform another 3s of 10.

Move catch bars up one more hole (should almost be just a lock-out now). Add weight, 3s of 10

Conclude with a couple sets of body weight dips, get a good forward lean to activate the chest, perform to failure. Thats it for that workout.

[Norm357]

I am an expert on joint pain due to post traumatic arthritis.

[JRT6]

If what you are doing hurts you so much you have to get cortizone shots you need to either change what you are doing or accept the consequences. Because having bone spurs in your elbows isn't as bad as it sounds; it's a whole hell of a lot worse. Certainly not worth a bench press weight I can never do again.

[CityOfChicago]

I get to a 1500lb total (raw) I would finally man up and enter a powerlifting competition.

What's your weight class?

[jarobins]

What's your weight class?

I weigh 210-215 so it would either be 220 or 198 if I wanted to cut. I'd be in the open division but I'm not too far off from qualifying for the submasters. The 1500lbs total is my goal for my gym lifts, I know pause benching and the setup of an overall competition would lower that number some. I'm shooting for 405 bench, 495 squat, and 600 DL. Are my goals unrealistic? Maybe, but I'm a goal oriented person and it gives me something to work towards. As of today I have about a 1300lb total. DL is my weakest link, I've even debated switching from conventional to sumo just to see if it made a difference. Either way, even if I never get to my goals I'm in better shape now than I've ever been.

[CityOfChicago]

I competed in the ADFPA through HS and college as a 198. I also competed raw. But my lifts were the opposite of yours. Bench was my weakest at 345, but I rocked a 545 SQ and a 670 DL (conventional). My back was always really strong, my gym partner and I did our barbell rows with about 245 for 10, but I just could never get tham dam bench to 350!

[FHBelton]

Check out Ostio Bi-Flex for that pain in yoru joints. You can get it in any Wal-Mart.

[jarobins]

I competed in the ADFPA through HS and college as a 198. I also competed raw. But my lifts were the opposite of yours. Bench was my weakest at 345, but I rocked a 545 SQ and a 670 DL (conventional). My back was always really strong, my gym partner and I did our barbell rows with about 245 for 10, but I just could never get tham dam bench to 350!

Great lifts. I've only been doing DL for about 6 months so I'm still working through some form issues. I was always afraid of injuring my back so I always chose other exercises for back work. My bench progress has slowed due to the recurring tendonitis in my elbows. Some nights I feel good, others not so much. Next max effort bench workout has me charted doing 362x5 for my last set. Been icing intermittently today getting ready for it.

[Silver Fox]

I am an expert on joint pain due to post traumatic arthritis.

This works better for me Norm.

[JRT6]

Most of the top doctors think Glucosimine is a placebo. I've read so many inconclusive studies to convince me they are hype. Even my ortho, who is into all kinds of alternative medicines, thinks that glucosimine dosen't do **** and certainly not the chondrotin. So I take the cheap bulk powder from bulknutrition becasue it's cheap enough that I'm not wasting my money covering my bases. Omerga 3 & 6 on the other hand have much stronger supportive research.

Advil gel caps and Alive are the best because they stop the inflamation immediately and that is when the joint damage is being done.