Hyperextended elbow?

Question

I posted a question last night about irritating elbow
pain and I finally figured out what I did. In my BJJ
class this week we have been doing this:

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/amaas/grappling/elbowpress.html


I'm pretty sure that's what caused it all.
Is there a certain amount of time that I
should wait to go back to training or
no?

I've been doing RICE and taking pain
killers since last night, but I don't know
what else to do. The pain is still bothering
me a lot.

I went to the doctor today and all
he did was make my arm hurt more
and put me on some medication. He
said if the pain is still there in three
days he's going to prescribe some
Steroids‘. Also he told me to not to
go back to training for awhile but
I probably will and just stay off my
arm.

Answer 1

How about going to a doctor or seeing a professional? you cant really be diagnosed online, nobody here know's what your pain tolerance is like so it could be worse or not as bad as you are making it seem. Take care of it properly so you don't have a nagging injury for the rest of your life. stretched ligaments and tendons sometimes take a while to heal, and sometimes they never fully heal.

Answer 2

Hyper-extensions like this can be very damaging so if the pain does not subside then I would see a doctor. I would also talk to the instructor and see if they have insurance-most places do or are required and it may pick up some of the cost along with your own insurance. I would also talk to the instructor to let him know that you got hurt so that he can more closely monitor the student or students that you were working out with so this does not happen again or to anyone else. Oftentimes if students don't take adequate time to learn and practice their technique and develop their touch, (their sense of how much pressure to apply or not to apply), they then sometimes injure others. There are at times just freak type injuries and if you did not feel it when it happend initially then it probably would be more of that type of accident than the case of a student to rough or not keeping a measure of safety in the training.

Answer 3

Did you follow the Hot / Cold , Hot / Cold treatment I mentioned?

If so and you are still in pain "Time to see the Doctor"

You will be out of training for 6 / 8 weeks or more depending on the extent of damage.

I love the idea of training in BJJ..........But at 51 years old and a business owner,(machine shop),I can not risk an "armbar" or similar injury because some blue belt or purple belt that doesn't know the amount of force they are applying goes too far while I just lay there and let them.

Hard to imagine having to wait 2 or more months healing up,(or more),and paying all the medical bills,as well as the loss of work & income, just to wait after class to bash his teeth in.
(sorry for the harsh tone)
BJJ is "Very" popular now-a-days,I fully expect to see plenty of people with their arm in a sling over the next 5 or so years,some with "Permanent Injuries" do to some kid with dreams of being the next big thing in the UFC.
Joints do not heal well,most are "Never the same" after an injury.
Some techniques should be taught advanced professionals.

Answer 4

Tell the dummy you were practicing with to go slower and use technique rather than strength. That's what jujutsu is. By technique, I mean it doesn't take much to hyperextend an elbow if you have the fulcrum at the proper spot. This type of thing shouldn't happen in practice; save it for competition or the streets.

Answer 5

Get to a physio straight away.

I had a straight arm bar put on me a few years ago and it took about three years before I had no pain at all. I didn't actually realise I was injured until I cooled down.

I had to wear a couple of different kind of braces/guards on my elbow and arm for about a year!

Answer 6

theres a very old joke,a guy goes to the doctor and says"doc,everytime i raise my hand,my arm hurts"the doc says stop raising your arm.
in other words,don't do something that hurts you.isn't there an instructor ? they would know the answer hopefully,the ice is for the first day then alternate with heat,you know your body best.

Answer 7

You might have popped your back out of alignment.