elbow pain, tms

Hey all,
I don't typically post in the forum as I prefer private messages but I thought I'd put this up as I am feeling like I need some help. I am having an issue that seems like it could be tms but I honestly cannot tell. I have considered going back to the tms doctor but have not made any appointment yet. I am a very fit guy who likes to work out. Back in the spring I started having right elbow pain. I suspected it was from pullups so I went to the tms doc and he said it was...tms. It slowly seemed to get better after that and then I went through a break up that really hurt me emotionally. In that time I had no tms pain. I am now mostly recovered from the break up and the elbow pain is back but in both elbows. I noticed sometimes as the workout goes on the pain diminishes. Sometimes not.

Today I did a pullup routine as I normally do and the pain hit right away. I decided on the second set to grip the bar a bit tighter, noticing no pain. This leaves me very confused as to whether this is tms or not. I do not know if I should go back to the tms doctor, if I am harming myself, etc. I get very scared because I am a pianist and need healthy joints to play and make a living! What do you think I should do? I will say that my uncertainty could easily be causing this, or possibly improper technique (until I made this adjustment today). Thank you!

 

TMS is so interesting because one of its characteristics is that it often hits us where we are going to be most concerned about it. I've seen many musicians on this forum who have arm or hand pain, dancers or runners with leg or hip pain, singers with vocal pain, etc. Your elbow pain is creating fear and is a perfect distraction. I would spend some time looking at whether or not you are truly over the break up, or if there is something else going on in your life. It is quite likely you have TMS, as if it isstructural it usually doesn't move around, go away, or effect both sides of the body.

 

Thanks Ellen, I am trying to focus more on the psychological and believe that it's tms. It is hard. I will probably get looked at just to be sure. I agree that the fear is a great distraction from the emotional turmoil.

 

Hi!

I went through almost the exact same experience. Also a fit guy, had elbow pain in the right arm when doing pullups, mostly inside of right elbow. Took me roughly a year to get rid of. Read Sarnos books and understood how body-weight training was a bit too central to my sense of self worth. My subconscious was telling me to tackle emotional stress but i didn't listen. I took a break from training, focused on creating some form of inner calm. Got back in to training 4 months ago. Started off easy, and did some ulnar nerve glides, not that I needed it for the pain, but a saw it as a way of increasing my resilience to training long term. Now I'm stronger than ever before. Can do one-arm pullups like they're nothing. And when I work out I focus on how fun it is. How much I enjoy being there. I listen too music I like etc. I also work out more seldom, every other day at the most. I want to feel strong and have energy each time I go to the gym. Training shouldn't only be about achieving som arbitrary strength goals, they come regardless as long as you enjoy yourself

BR John