"tennis elbow" from clean and snatch?

[Tom Whalen]

Both my wife and I have developed "tennis elbow" (Lateral Epicondylitis) in an arm - seemingly from either cleaning or snatching or both.

In my case I was practicing the lifts once a week and almost always with sub-maximal loads.

Is there a commonly known technique flaw that might lead to this? We've both temporarily stopped weightlifting, but would like to avoid a recurrence once we can resume.

Thanks.

[Steven Low]

Starting the lift with bent arms can do this.

What other exercises/sports are you doing? It may not just be Oly... unless Oly is the only thing you're doing?


As for recovery:
1. Rest
2. Massage (cross friction), tennis ball it
3. Ice after any exercise.
4. Stretch out both extensors and flexors
5. Possibly strengthen both.. but hold off on that for now.

[Tom Whalen]

Thanks, Steven.

I may be bending my arms early, but I don't think it's as early as from the floor. My start off the floor is very deliberate (slow) right now.

Weightlifting is all I do these days - so it's definately not an overuse injury Fran CrossFits.

I'll try those recovery options.

[Derek Simonds]

I can remember Greg saying that as you move into O/Lifting there is a definite period of adaptation. I can't tell you how many different areas hurt for weeks when I first committed. Hell I guess it really hasn't changed much.

Steven's recovery advice is spot on. Do you notice it while you are lifting or only afterwards?

[Steven Low]

Oh, just remembered -- trying to muscle the bar up to rack or overhead can put a lot of stress on the lateral epicondyle area..

I would bet this is most likely the problem. You gotta be more powerful in the second pull so you don't use your arms.

[Tom Whalen]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

Derek, I don't think it's an adaptation thing. It's not plain ol' soreness - which we're both very familiar with

Steven, yeah, it'll be back to the drawing board on the 2nd pull when we resume.