UKC

Hi all

I have been pushing my training of late and about a month ago noticed a small soft lump on the medial side of my elbow. It is painless although not the most comfortable thing thus far it hasnt stopped me climbing.

I suspect it to be a ganglion from a rupture in the joint! I have looked into various outcomes/ managment for this condition. I have also been to the doc with limited advice!

Is there anyone out there who has been through an elbow injury that can advise on suitable rehab points.

Thus far one doc suggests if it doesnt hurt just carry on! Another says lay offclimbing!

D

In reply to dartfrog: I've got one of those! Had it for the past year, my wife's a GP and said not to worry and carry on climbing and if I whinge any more she'll pop it with a syringe and lance the contents!

In reply to dartfrog:
If doctors had their own way, no-one in the UK would be allowed to climb!If it's a ganglion cyst it shouldn't cause any problems. If it was me though, I'd ask the doc to whack it with a bible!

lol Yeh thought about smaking it with the Merck manual! My friend suggested drawing a smily face on it!

In reply to dartfrog:

I would just carry on. I guess the doc is just covering their back.

In reply to dartfrog: I think you need to be a bit careful about just continuing climbing though it does depend whether the underlying damage has healed or not. It is difficult to tell.

I had a ganglion cyst on my ankle which caused no pain (although I knew the ankle was weak from another sporting injury) which grew from a small pea size when I first noticed it to almost the size of a golf ball. At this point I went to the doc who said that it's the damage to the sheath that surrounds the tendons causing the synovial fluid which lubricates the tendons to leak out. He used a syringe to extract some of the fluid (it's like a clear jelly substance) and said to return if the cyst increased in size again as this indicated the underlying damage had not healed.

Within a few weeks it had so I went back to the doc who said there was not point to keep lancing it and that I could either put up with it (as it caused no pain) and hope the underlying damage eventually healed and the synovial fluid would eventually dissipate & the cyst disappear or have an operation. Operations have a 100% success rate (according to him) if the damage was outside the joint but less if inside the joint.

As I'd had the problem for nearly 1.5 yrs I decided to have the operation and hope the enforced rest away from climbing would help heal the weak ankle I had which was probably causing the problem. I had an MRI scan which indicated it was inside the joint but I went ahead with the operation & was off climbing for 6 weeks. The op was a success and had no problems for about a year during which time I work an ankle support but then a small cyst returned (gutted) when I stopped using the support and so went back to using it and cyst eventually disappeared on it's own. That was 3 yrs over a year ago & I've had no problems since though continue to use the support off and on depending upon what climbing I'm doing.

Apologies if that's more detail than you wanted but I hope that helps. In summary the answer is it depends ! Depends upon whether it has or will eventually heal by itself or whether it causes pain or whether it's inside or outside the joint. What you musn't do though is whack it with a book !

In reply to prw: I have one on my knee. The doc said to not worry about it carry on doing my normal exercise/sports and if it bothers me it can be removed.

It dissappeared for a while and then when I started spin classes again after about a month off (work commitments) it came up again, planning on getting the thing removed in the autumn.

It does get painful if there is any direct pressure on the cyst but otherwise it fine apart from looking like I have two kneecaps.

Thanks people, I am building a picture here. I was pushing my climbing but will have to tone it back until I see the specialist! Bit of a shame really. Back to low grade classics

At least you can carry on with them to some degree. saying that a friend of mine does weights and he has one but just keeps going regardless.

Its in the inside of my elbow so there will be limited whacking I think.

D

In reply to Edd Reed: COOL 2 kneecaps, go on, post a photo!!

the cyst comparison club lol...

In reply to dartfrog:

one behind my knee that came up on a scan after muscle tear injury and some sort of lump on wrist after straining tendon sheath (i think) been told by physio just to keep doing what i wabt as long as i'm not in pain.. there should be a cyst forum i think, or at least an injury forum

Yep, on a serious note, its really handy to learn about potential injury and how to get back on track as fast as possible etc.

Lots of acupuncture I think...

D

In reply to dartfrog:

there's a feature on ukc on the home page abput elbow in juries.. haven't looked at properly.. might be worth a look

Just checked, there is some stuff but doesnt seem to be anything about cyst in specific...

In reply to dartfrog:
I've had a ganglion on the back of my knee since I was about 15, I'll be 29 in a few months. It is currently the size of a marble but varies from pea sized to about the diameter of a 2p coin. I was told by a doctor that no surgeon would bother with it and that hitting the back of your knee with a bible was a bad idea so I've just ignored it. Unless the NHS has changed their policy on ganglions in the last 14 years then I expect I'll have it for a while.

Hi

Yes it would seem that this is a case of poor healing in the body and has no real bother unless it is pressing nerves or tendons.

That said as Prw suggests it is probably worth checking out. I will certainly be trying to treat mine as much as possible assuming it is a Ganglion. As an acupuncturist, acupuncture and adjustment of climbing should help prior to official diagnosis! The question is, does one still push on to that E3 thats been calling for the last few months

I found an interesting article on Dave Macleod's site

http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com/2007/04/elbow-injury-lessons-from-t...

Maybe a healing and injuries forum is a good idea on UKC?