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Training Around Injuries

b fold the truth

Elite Strongman
Platinum
These are two very minor points taken from an article in the June 2002, Vol 10. No. 1 MILO Journal.

The general principles for dealing with these minor (wrist, knees, back, shoulders, elbows), invisible injuries are:
*ice it
*identify the cause
*treat it
*wrap it
*alter your training
*be persistent
*be patient
*be intelligent

Naturally, see a doctor, preferable a sports medicine doctor, if you think you need to. I will close with a few of my time-proven cliches:
* Everyone gets knocked down (injured), the champs get back up (heal) the fastest.
* To the young, suppress the pain; To the old, surrender to the pain.
* Whether it be psychological or physiological, it if works and feels good, do it.
* Light weights, no aches, and no medals.
* You have to be tough, but don't be stupid.

Jim Schmitz, U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team Coach 1980, 1988, 1992

B True
 
This is very sound advice. I used your general principles for a
major injury - completely torn biceps tendon at the elbow.

After consulting with my doctor, Louie Simmons, Ricky Crain and
a bunch of people on this forum plus the supertraining forum, I
came up with a plan to rehab.

It is amazing to me, in my case, how I was able to come back
so quickly. I am back to full speed on just about everything
except for DLs and pull-ups. I am just over 3 weeks out from
my injury and I am training hard again.

Most of you on this board are younger than me. Sound rehab
worked well for me at 45 years of age. It will probably work
even better for you younger ones.

B fold the truth, thanks for posting this. Most folks on this board
probably already know how to work with injury. However, at
times we tend to ignore what we know. So, it helps to have
this type of information reinforced from time to time.

Geno
 
I think that there is some truth to the 'with age comes wisdom' saying. If I had to come back from my previous injuries in my 20's, I probably would have pushed too hard too soon and done myself even more damage.

Amazing how another 2 decades of aches and pains can teach prudence.
 
Flex your triceps right before you break the bar from the deck. The only way (generally) to tear a bicep is to pull with the elbows bent.
 
Arioch, I have never pulled a deadlift with even a small bend at
the elbow. I blew off my tendon because of equipment. The
bars had grip cut-outs and the gym had no chalk. I had to use
grippers. The grippers coupled with the cut-outs pushed the
bar up into my palm. I am a hook finger puller.

I noticed that the bar was riding up in my palm. So, I made an
effort to flex my tris and lock at the elbow even more so than
normal. My grip caused my forarm to become very active and
this led to tension in my bicep. The bicep tendon let go while
the arm was locked out at the elbow.

Twitched, if you want to take the bicep out of the equation,
pull with both hands down.

I would like to add a bit more about my rehab. I pulled 585
last night. Went for 635 and pulled it up to just below my
knees and then set it down. Did not try to strain it all the
way to completion. Had I more balls, I would have gotten
the weight. This would have been a PR and that with no
belt and suit. This is amazing given that I blew the tendon
off 3 weeks and 3 days back.

And for those of you that want to call BS, Grimmer lifted with
me and his old lifting parner last week. He can attest to my
lack of right bicep and solid, quick recovery.
 
I blew off my tendon because of equipment.

This is one of the rare exceptions.

I also recall this happening to Rick Gaugler. There was a pic in PLUSA a few years ago taken at just the time his bicep started to tear. You could actually see this in the photo.


One other thing I would like to add, and this is not directed at anyone in particular, is that AAS use will also change the equation. Using AAS in even moderate doses allows the muscle to develop faster than the tendons and ligaments, which, in some cases, can take almost four times as long to catch up.
 
Arioch, you mention tendon strength and AAS in your reply. I
need some advice concerning tendons and muscle imbalance.

As I have said over and over, I am an older lifter. I have a low
test level. I get prescription test as a result. This stuff even
at the low amount I take, makes my muscles very strong. My
tendons on the other hand, are lagging. How do I bring my
tendon strength up so that it is on an equal footing with my
muscle strength? Are there any specific tendon exercises
that help build PL'ing tendons?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
Well, high rep sets, followed by carb loading, can help. Otherwise patience and proper nutrition go a long way. Adequate vitamin and mineral intake (especially minerals). Possibly MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin as well.

IIRC, you are around my age (42)?

You could try and talk you doc into a script for deca. While it does not strengthen the tendons any more than any other form of AAS, in has been shown to increase the flow of synovial fluid in addition to retaining water at the joints, which will help with the tendons as well (helps me).

Check your PM's
 
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