I don’t know what is causing it, but my right elbow has hurt for days, and this morning, it was rather extreme and physically limiting. I don’t know if it’s the guitar playing, if it’s the lace knitting… I know that something (I can’t remember what) was aching while I was knitting recently, and I ignored it.
So, in looking online, it seems that it might be Tennis elbow or Lateral epicondyle. Though, it hurts more when I make a fist than when I open my fingers up, which sounds more like Golfer’s Elbow, or Medial epicondyle. Either way, it sucks. And what sucks the most is that aside from possibly having to go to the doctor, I have to stop the activity that caused it. Not knowing if it’s guitar or knitting, I should probably quit both, which I REALLY don’t want to do. I’m supposed to quit for weeks.
This is so unfair.
And it hurts so much that I can’t just do something else, like clean out the garage, which I’ve wanted to get done. And I’d imagine that I shouldn’t do it anyway.
So what do I DO for 3 weeks? Assuming that I’m going to rest it like I’m probably supposed to.
I absolutely loathe being unproductive. I hate feeling like I’m wasting time. That’s why I knit. I learn. I create. I make things.
Ooooooh. Wait a minute.
I’ve been wanting to do some serious catch-up in the family scrapbook/photo albums. (Yeah, I’m YEARS behind). I suppose I could do that for a few weeks. I could possibly spin, too. Fortunately, I’m ahead of the game with my deadline knits. The only problem is that I’m in guitar lessons, and I can’t exactly go to lessons if I’m not playing. And I REALLY don’t want to stop playing! I enjoy it so much, and I’m making such good progress…
Dangit, dangit, dangit.
So, my brother has lent me his new guitar to play around with.
It’s an auditorium, or concert bodied guitar, meaning it’s smaller than the standard dreadnaught I’ve been playing which is my mom’s guitar, also on loan. I think a concert body will help my elbow, if my injury is guitar related, because having as much in front as I do, and with my freaky small shoulders and such, sometimes it’s difficult to get around the guitar to play it.
Ooh, ooh, and check out this incredibly cool guitar strap I found.
It’s a velvety corduroy pink/brown paisley and I love it.
So, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’ll take a couple days off of knitting and guitar (pout), ice it, Advil, rub eucalyptus oil into it to increase blood circulation, do some stretches I found online, and we’ll see what happens.
This is SO lame.
Continuing thoughts that were added later-
Maybe it’s my weight lifting? It really hurt the last couple times I did my biceps. I could go 3 weeks without weight lifting.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Bummer! : (
Could you postpone guitar lessons or take them less frequently? That way you wouldn’t have as much pressure to practice alot.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:42 am
But I REALLY don’t want to! Until I know that guitar is for sure what’s doing it, I don’t want to take such drastic measures. I’ll see what my guitar teacher says on Tuesday. I did practice this morning, after writing my post, and I paid attention to how my arm felt. It didn’t hurt at all while I was playing, but it was stiff straightening up after. However, it always hurts straightening my arm now, so that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
I know that it is more uncomfortable to play sitting than it is standing because my arm has to reach up and around instead of resting on the top and draping across the front. Maybe I can play standing for awhile? But I’m not going to pick up the guitar again today. I’ve done my bar chord exercises, and I’ll leave it at that.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I apparently have tennis elbow. With a touch of cubital tunnel (like carpal tunnel only in my elbow), and a side of a slipped disc in my neck. It is really super fabulous and I am so thrilled I am this lucky, let me tell you. Physical therapy was amusing (and for my second round I went to a place that incorporates a lot of massage which actually WAS nice) if not especially helpful for the long-term. Rest helps. But not totally, so I don’t rest totally. I try to limit my knitting, and using the mouse. I find small yarn/needles (ie my favorite thing, socks) to be the worst culprit along with the mouse. Spinning doesn’t hurt so I do more of that. I can’t read lying down because holding a book in that position hurts too much so I prop myself up to read in bed.
Per doctor’s orders, I try to keep my elbows extended and relaxed as much as possible. I try not to lean on my elbows cause this puts extra stress on them. I try to do my exercises faithfully – mostly gentle stretching to build up the muscles around my elbows. I don’t lift weights for the time being (frustrating, since I’m trying to tone my arms before my wedding!).
Your best bet is to see a doctor and get some physical therapy, and hopefully you’ll have a good therapist that will help you modify/adapt the things that you do to decrease the pain/irritation. Obviously I cannot stop using a mouse (I need it for work) so they just tried to give me different positions, etc to use it in.
Good luck and I am sorry!!
March 14th, 2008 at 8:28 am
So sorry. I’ve dealt with pain like that, too. Knitting and computer work (work, wish I could stop that! 🙂 ) agravate it, but I get by and haven’t had to stop for more than a day or two, yet.
Get well soon, but have fun with the scrapbooking if you do take a knitting/guitar break.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Oh bugger! I hope it’s the weight lifting. That would atleast be something that you would WANT to quit for a while 🙂 I hope it’s feeling better soon. I can’t really imagine NOT knitting for 3 weeks. Atleast you have your spinning wheel 🙂
March 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Sorry to hear abou tthe elbow problems. It would probably be good to see a doc and get some OT or PT. Sometimes, musicians or medical people who deal with musicians have ideas about changing your positions so you are in less pain. It sounds like you are doing a lot with your hands and arms these days.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
It’s the weight lifting! Give it up immediately! 🙂
March 16th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I totally understand your frustration. It is tough to develop some pain just as you were on a roll!
Whenever I push myself to fight my natural laziness and start getting things done, my body rebels against me and I end up with some weird pain or illness that sidelines me. By the time I recover, I have to start all over again convincing myself that I really want to clean the garage or walk on the treadmill.
March 20th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Hello! I am currently dealing with a significant flare-up of tennis elbow, caused most likely by knitting. I just got a cortisone shot in my elbow this week, and that seemed to help, BUT I think the biggest help has been wearing a wrist brace and limiting that motion until the micro tears heal. Basically, the wrist tendons attach to the elbow, and when you limit wrist use, it limits the stress on the tendons. My doctor also said that most people with Tennis Elbow also sleep with their wrists in funny positions, so the tendons are flexed for long periods of time. The brace really helps with that. Once the tendon heals, then you can do isometric exercises to strengthen the tendons and muscles so this never happens again. Good luck with your healing!