UKC

After 2 years of tons of pain in both my elbows I managed to get an MRI of one of my elbows and I've been diagnosed with Posteromedial elbow impingement. Apparently it's quite rare and commonly found in elite throwing type sports like javelin or baseball pitchers etc.

Seems likely that climbing is probably the main cause though I've never had any kind of accute injuries to the elbow or any kind of hyperextension issues etc.

Anyone else had anything like this? Just from the initial conversation with the consultant it seems likely that surgery is the only option

How does it manifest itself, and where is the pain, I have some weird issue going on with my elbow, which is neither tennis of golfers elbow, but seems to be a pain between the radius and ulna just south of the elbow joint.

I had an arthroscopy on R elbow to remove a plica (small fold of tissue that was in a cycle of repeatedly being trapped/aggravated/swollen in joint mechanism.) Was having at the same time real troubles with tennis elbow so had afflicted tendons debrided at the same time. Done via keyhole surgery on NHS at Guys and Thomas's orthopaedic dept. They were fantastic. Took onboard my relatively young age (36 at the time,)  career and fact that I was a climber and went the extra mile to help me. Recovery time was 6 weeks do basically nothing, then build up slowly with follow up physio from there. 

It took time for me to return to climbing mostly because going through quite a bumpy period of life back then. Upon my return (bouldering in climbing walls - typical London climber) around 2 years later elbow was fine, though it took a little while for me to trust it.  I tended to avoid (and still do) the more climbing gym/parkour style problems due to personal preference anyway.

Good luck with it. Peserverence is a must in terms of getting correct/any treatment in my experience, but once you're referred to the experts (as it appears you have been,) things start to move in the right direction.

I spent six years wrongly believing the bilateral elbow pain I suffered from was tennis elbow.  I eventually saw a consultant, had an MRI and the problem was diagnosed correctly as posterior interosseous nerve syndrome.  The consultant advised me against surgery as he felt the risks outweighed the benefits.

Fortunately having an accurate diagnosis allowed my physio to proscribe a set of exercises that have made the pain manageable.  (neck and shoulder strength and postural - holding my shoulders backwards and down). I'm still in slight pain in both elbows as I write this today, but I know I can get rid of it if I do the right things.

You have a different nerve impingement to me (I'm guessing yours is the inside of the elbow?) but I'd recommend paying for a physio who knows their business.  More than 10 GPs/physios/osteopaths etc assured me I had tennis elbow until I booked in with a London physio named Cris Costa (https://www.vauxeast.co.uk/treatment-room/).  Within one session he correctly diagnosed the problem and advised me to fight for an MRI.  I had to travel two hours to each appointment but it was well worth the time and money.  Research has linked many nerve impingements in the elbows to back and cervical spine (neck) issues so I wouldn't give up hope of finding a non-surgical solution.

Good luck