TM elbow

[skydiveoc 0]

Starting to get busy...12-15 jumps a day weekends and 4-6 a day during the week. Elbows getting sore...anyone else suffer from Tandem Master Elbow? Flying Sigma 370 and ICarus 330 so pressure is as light as it can get.

[DougH 270]

Maybe see a PT so you can get a brace and some exercises?

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Kimblair13 0]

http://www.nutrex-hawaii.com/mdformulas/jointastin.html

This stuff works REALLY good. If you don't feel like ordering it...you could get any joint soothing glucosamine product at a GNC or Vitamin World type store.

[JohnMitchell 14]

Have the students help you fly it and land it.

Ice and Ibuprofen.

[mattaman 0]

Stretch it when it isn't swollen, electrolytes, glucosamine, ibuprofen. Start being very conscious of how much you use your elbow, limit in your ruitine, you can cut it down by having the passenger help on pulling some straps, steering, etc. Make sure to keep the less used muscles in your forarm strong so as to take pressure off the ones your using all the time. Change the way you keep your hands in the toggles a bit and use other muscle groups, tendons, etc. Don't pack it you can get someone else to. Elastic elbow braces.
I had the surgery for pitchers elbow about eight years ago,it worked for about five years and then the prob returned, my elbows need constant awareness and maintenance when I'm busy, fortunatly thats not much now days. Good luck! Hydrate

Those stuck in maya, seek to be seen.

[Stuntbabex 0]

Quote

Stretch it when it isn't swollen, electrolytes, glucosamine, ibuprofen. Start being very conscious of how much you use your elbow, limit in your ruitine, you can cut it down by having the passenger help on pulling some straps, steering, etc. Make sure to keep the less used muscles in your forarm strong so as to take pressure off the ones your using all the time. Change the way you keep your hands in the toggles a bit and use other muscle groups, tendons, etc. Don't pack it you can get someone else to. Elastic elbow braces.
I had the surgery for pitchers elbow about eight years ago,it worked for about five years and then the prob returned, my elbows need constant awareness and maintenance when I'm busy, fortunatly thats not much now days. Good luck! Hydrate

I agree with this. Perhaps locking the elbows and using the lats to steer/flare would help.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Quote

Starting to get busy...12-15 jumps a day weekends and 4-6 a day during the week. Elbows getting sore...anyone else suffer from Tandem Master Elbow? Flying Sigma 370 and ICarus 330 so pressure is as light as it can get.

I got it big time a couple of years ago. I had to take myself out of the rotation for a while when shaking hands became a painful experience. A cortisone shot helped a lot, although the other one is giving me grief this year.
A friend told me he had great success with a ROLFing practitioner for tendonitis, but that sounds like an off-season thing.

[parachutist 1]

If it's tendinitis, in my experience the only way to eliminate it is non-use and anti-inflamatory like ibuprofen (plenty of it a day)

Is the pain only on the outside of the elbow?

[feuergnom 22]

apart from medication: see a physio-therapist, explain what you are doing and get some special exercises/training on how to use your arms in a slightly different way. pulling toggles in a different angles can change things dramatically. also cross-check if your tendinitis isn't triggered from your neck (yes, this can be a cause too). last shot: consult a osteopath, works like magic most of the time

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[NSEMN8R 0]

I'm going through this too right now. Except it's my elbow and shoulder. I assumed it was from wingsuiting, but I'm starting to think it's all the tandems. Cortizone shot really helped the shoulder, but the elbow is still screwed. I can usually make it through the weekend if I baby it. I try to be as lazy as I can get away with under canopy. I give the student the toggles after opening and I don't touch them again until 1000ft. Getting old sucks.

[Dokeman 0]

I have the same problem. except I always called it set400itis. Mine would get so bad that I couldn't bend my elbow. I take a few advil liquigels in the morning and everything fine all day.

[riggerrob 558]

Tendonitis in my elbow started with packing too many reserves.

Closing reserves requires a lot of grip strength.
It was actually a muscle that helps me close my hand. The tendonitis was where a muscles attaches to the arm bone, near the elbow.
The short term solution was to wrap a strap (made for tennis-elbow) around my fore arm. This limited the amount of tension where the muscle attaches to the bone.
The long-term solution was to invent a new tool (third hand, see Reid's Rigging Manual) for closing reserves.
Another solution is to use a Pack-Boy when closing mains.
The third solution is to hire some one to pack tandem mains for you ... or at least close them for you.

[jvcvudu 0]

I do. Try wearing a "tennis elbow" strap/brace. Started wearing one this season on my right arm and it works wonders.

[demoss99 0]

I'm starting to suffer from this now as well. A year into doing tandems and there are very few weekends that I can get away without having that deep burning and throbbing sensation in my elbow and forearm all week. Problem is it never has time to heal before I flare it all up again the following weekend. I think its a combo of picking up that heavy ass rig one handed and then dropping it off my shoulders while laying it out and catching it in the bends of my arms etc.. Just simple repetitive trauma. Besides anti-inflams and ice ...anything else work well?

"I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

[PiLFy 0]

Quote

I'm starting to suffer from this now as well. A year into doing tandems and there are very few weekends that I can get away without having that deep burning and throbbing sensation in my elbow and forearm all week. Problem is it never has time to heal before I flare it all up again the following weekend. I think its a combo of picking up that heavy ass rig one handed and then dropping it off my shoulders while laying it out and catching it in the bends of my arms etc.. Just simple repetitive trauma. Besides anti-inflams and ice ...anything else work well?

Hi,
You, & others here are describing over-use injuries. I had one in my elbow once when I was a teen. It used to hurt me terribly. My elbow would throb & ache for hours. It took FOREVER to heal. So, I feel your pain reading these posts. If I may make a few suggestions. NSAIDS & R.I.C.E are fine for simple sprains. Yours aren't simple. Your injuries need more attention. There is a type of medical doctor called a Physiatrist. This is a doctor that specializes in rehabilitative medicine. They usually have physical therapists on site to assist in treatment. This is the specialty you should consult. If you let an injury like this go on for too long. You can cause permanent damage to the joint. Don't treat it properly? You'll be prone to re-injury. Beyond healing your current injury. A physiatrist & PT will teach you how to keep it from happening again. This is your livelihood, as well as your passion. Proper treatment now, can prevent this from becoming a chronic problem. I wish you all speedy relief.

[DocPop 1]

Quote

You, & others here are describing over-use injuries. I had one in my elbow once when I was a teen.

I am quite sure you did!

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

[AggieDave 6]

You have "golfer" or "tennis" elbow (depending on if it is tendinitis on the inside our outside of your arm).

Its overuse and/or an injury due to strength issues. Rest, Advil and rest. If you don't rest and it gets worst, then you'll be looking at a cortisone shot. The shot in the elbow hurts a LOT worst then the shot for a shoulder. It stinking hurts. You'll also be really sore for a few days from the shot. You're better off resting.

I have a couple of neoprene knee "sleeves" that I'll wear on my elbows if I really get sore. Otherwise I have a wrap that helps when its really bad. Although I helped fix my problem with a better warm up in the gym before the heavy sets, as for your tandem work, well, maybe a good dynamic warm up at the beginning of the day. It is much better for your body than static stretching.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[tuffyjensen 0]

More than likely everyone is talking about the same thing and yes it is a type of tendinitis (tennis elbow). I am very certain that it is more from the tightening of the lower connections than flying the canopy, especially if you tend to make them very tight. It was bothering me real bad at the end of the year last year, as stated shaking a hand or picking up a cup hurt like hell. I changed how I pull on the lowers and got through the year and have had no issues this year after the winter break to let it heal. Having the student help tighten the lowers and flying the canopy will save your body the wear and tear it doesn't have to entail.

http://www.tennis-elbow.net/tenniselbow.htm

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/tennis_elbow/article_em.htm

Be Safe and Have Fun, in that order!
Tuffy

[PiLFy 0]

Quote

Quote

You, & others here are describing over-use injuries. I had one in my elbow once when I was a teen.

I am quite sure you did!

"My elbow would throb & ache for hours." Jealous...

[fasted3 0]

Do you sleep on your arm? If so, try a different position.

But what do I know?

[Fledgling 0]

Harden the fuck up!