Firewood elbow

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NCPT

Love my saws
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Messages
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Location
NC
Never had a problem with pain in my forearms or elbows until I started cutting, splitting, stacking firewood two years ago. Doctors call it tennis elbow but I have never played tennis in my life. Already had two shots in each elbow within the last year because of the pain and I'm due another because the pain is creeping back.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Will it get any better or any tips to make it better. I wear braces on my elbows now when I cut, split, stack and they help some. I'm really hoping it's just a little soreness and I'm getting stronger lol. I'm 35 yr old by the way. Thanks.
 
Never had a problem with pain in my forearms or elbows until I started cutting, splitting, stacking firewood two years ago. Doctors call it tennis elbow but I have never played tennis in my life. Already had two shots in each elbow within the last year because of the pain and I'm due another because the pain is creeping back.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Will it get any better or any tips to make it better. I wear braces on my elbows now when I cut, split, stack and they help some. I'm really hoping it's just a little soreness and I'm getting stronger lol. I'm 35 yr old by the way. Thanks.
I'm 52 and I hurt everywhere. [emoji16]

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mennonite girls are tough.:omg:
Yep [emoji16]
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Never had a problem with pain in my forearms or elbows until I started cutting, splitting, stacking firewood two years ago. Doctors call it tennis elbow but I have never played tennis in my life. Already had two shots in each elbow within the last year because of the pain and I'm due another because the pain is creeping back.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Will it get any better or any tips to make it better. I wear braces on my elbows now when I cut, split, stack and they help some. I'm really hoping it's just a little soreness and I'm getting stronger lol. I'm 35 yr old by the way. Thanks.
read up on this. check with your doctor before taking anything.
https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/arthritis-supplements#1
 
I went through a bout of elbow bursitis a couple months ago, not wood related. I think that is what tennis elbow is. It was sore & swelled up like a tennis ball. Swelling went away in a week or so once I avoided what caused it. Still a bit of pain once in a while. Pain was real bad the first couple of days, but one ibuprofen just one night on the way to bed seemed to get rid of most of the pain - it made me sweat like a stuck pig though.
 
Physiotherapy will help if isn't going away on its own. I also wear the brace and never let my elbow straiten out to the max when carrying something heavy. Vibrations from an older saw are a killer for me.
 
I'm still playing tournament and league Racquetball three nights a week, as well as 12-16 cord of firewood through the winter. I've had elbow tendonitis in my right elbow for years. I tried cortisone shots, and got temporary relief, but needed another every six months or so. I wear a tennnis elbow brace while playing RB, but rarely while splitting and or sawing. I've found that I can keep it under control for months at a time, but if I push too hard, strain it, or hyperextend it, I will be in for a month of rehab. Sadly, age has been the biggest source of chronic pain. I'm working on a theory: once I passed about 58 every strain, sprain, hyperextend, whether elbow, wrist, knee, shoulder, or ankle never really heals. It just settles into a period of "ok" only to return when least convenient. Good luck.
 
Connective tissue inflammation is common when overuse occurs. In this case most likely do to the repetitive motion of doing the same thing over and over for hours on end.

Are you hand splitting?

I'd start by getting timber tongs to pick up the wood. I'd also consider getting a machine to split the wood.
 
I’ve been gettin’ it for years. Wood, shovels, jackhammers...well you got the drift. Go to the drug store and get ya one of those bands that go across your forearm...Helps a bunch.
 
I found one thing that helped me was to stop handling pieces of wood one handed. I am strong enough to grab pieces by the end and toss them but that was really hard on the elbow. The combo of squeezing the piece and pivoting my wrist really stressed a tendon in my elbow. Changing my habit to using two hands to pick up and toss splits really helped. Unfortunately it took a long time to heal. It was so bad for a while I couldn’t hardly swing a hammer or drink a beer.

Whatever hurts your elbow, figure out a new way to do it so it hurts less or not at all. After changing some habits I haven’t had problems for a couple years.

The bands that go around your forearm did help some but my arms are pretty big. To get one that fit I had to get one for your knees. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I get firewood knee.
 
I'm 52, and what has started with me in the last few years is cramping in my forearms. I use to be able to work all day with no problems, but now my damn forearms give me fits at night after cutting all day. I guess I should eat more bananas while I'm working.
 
I'm not looking forward to getting old.

I'm in my mid 30s and the weather plays hell on my back, knees and hands. Some days it takes me a good 3-4 hours before I'm going pretty decently.

Couple years ago I had a back MRI (broke some vertrbrae). They called to reschedule, said it hadn't come out right.

Re-did and a few weeks later met with the Dr to go over.

Well... the first go around was correct. It's just that they were pretty sure something got mixed up. I have arthritis in my back on the level of someone that would be in their 70s.
 
My elbows get pretty sore for a couple days after long boughts of hand splitting, but usually goes away with some rest and ibuprofen. I’m 42 but I workout hard when I’m not working firewood which helps out a ton with soreness and over use injuries due to CSS.

Cortisone is only a temporary fix. Since you’ve already had a couple shots your probably best off changing your methods like others said. Might want to consider a splitter and 2 handed work. I also find that grabbing splits one handed is very hard on wrists and elbows.

Best advise is follow a physical therapy program and get on a strength training program!
 
Thanks for the replies. I have tried braces and those straps also, they help but I still have it. I got a splitter, but several mentions of grabbing splits one handed may be the main cause....just thinking about doing it hurts lol.
 
Thanks for the replies. I have tried braces and those straps also, they help but I still have it. I got a splitter, but several mentions of grabbing splits one handed may be the main cause....just thinking about doing it hurts lol.
How often (once a week/ once a month) and how long per day (1 hr 2 hr etc.) do you get to CSS? Do you exercise at all when you are not CSS? How much physical activity does your day job require?
 
Never had a problem with pain in my forearms or elbows until I started cutting, splitting, stacking firewood two years ago. Doctors call it tennis elbow but I have never played tennis in my life. Already had two shots in each elbow within the last year because of the pain and I'm due another because the pain is creeping back.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Will it get any better or any tips to make it better. I wear braces on my elbows now when I cut, split, stack and they help some. I'm really hoping it's just a little soreness and I'm getting stronger lol. I'm 35 yr old by the way. Thanks.
Tennis Elbow usually refers to lateral epicondylitis. It's usually caused from overuse to the forarm extensors. I am NOT a doctor but would put my paycheck on it being from your forarm flexors being tight from gripping logs; this condition is commonly called golfers elbow, or medial epicondylitis. Massage and/or PT should get it in check. Ice and stretch when you get in from cutting/stacking/splitting. Again, not a doctor, but these are the steps I would personally take. Best of luck!
 
How often (once a week/ once a month) and how long per day (1 hr 2 hr etc.) do you get to CSS? Do you exercise at all when you are not CSS? How much physical activity does your day job require?
Usually one weekend a month during cooler months of fall and winter. Most of my exercise comes from work. I do sheetrock for a living, but I dont get pain from it like I do when handling firewood or running a saw.
 
Probably not what you want to hear, but the first time I had it, it took over six months before I recovered. Even shaking hands was a killer; I do a lot of that in my work. Grabbing most anything with my arm extended was very painful. There was no working through it. Once I got to the point it hurt too much to use my arm to reach and grasp with my hand, it started to get better. The next time it popped up I immediately stopped doing anything that was painful - the pain left in about a week. Don’t know if you have the option to take this course, but if you do then my advice would be to take it.

Ron
 
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