A WARNING TO ALL

[cymry]

I have recently found out that my past karate training has caused severe damage to my right elbow joint. Even with slow relaxed extension there is a loud, almost crunching sound. My Wing Chun sifu is currently trying to find traditional treatment for my problem, and I am going to have it checked out by a speacialist doctor.

 

The warning is - make sure your teacher knows of the dangers inherent in studying martial arts and recognises problems when they start. Incompetent teachers will get you hurt. If worst comes to worst, I will have bad arthritis in my elbow for the rest of my life. I'm only fourteen years old as it is!

[Rich67]

I agree, a poor instructor can cause problems down the road. However, in your case, I think that your problem lies in the execution of your technique. Now, I'm not well-versed in your style, but it seems like your injury is due to repetitive hyper-extension of the elbow joint. It may also be due to calcium spurs in the joint. I'm also curious, does your elbow hurt? If all you hear and feel is the grinding or popping and there is no pain, then some other minor problem may be amiss (not permanent). The sound you are describing sounds more like calcim deposits or bone spurs in your elbow. The only person who can make a good diagnosis is a good sports-medicine doctor. Watch the elbows and knees. Hyperextension can cause serious problems... both repetitive and single use damage can be rough on the joints. Good luck, and sorry to hear about it.

[sano]

sounds like you need to pay Dr. youngblood a visit. he patch up all the wrestlers broken necks.

[cymry]

Does anyone know what an "intra-articular pathology" is?

[ninjanurse]

That means there is something "not normal" inside the joint such as calcium deposits, scar tissue, chips of bone, arthritis, etc.

 

[PhilM1]

haha yeah i got the same crunchy noise on both my elbows. My teacher was really good but i still got it. Oh well i dont train karate anymore so its all good.

[Bretty101]

So as a warning to all...what exactly were you doing to cause this to your elbows? Hyper extending? hitting hard objects?

 

At the age of fourteen you should be able to recuperate fully from this injury? Go see a specialist! the great thing about being in the UK is all the health care is free!! Take it easy and look after yourself!

 

Bretty

[Natural]

I caused that to my reg leg too!!!

[Reklats]

That can't be normal.

[monkeygirl]

Sometimes genetics have something to do with it. For example, I have a problem with practically all of my joints: subluxation. (I put the following section in italics because it's kind of gross. If you're particularly sensitive to that kind of thing, skip past the italics.)

 

Basically, my joints temporarily dislocate and pop back in. It's not very painful in itself, but it causes grinding and such. It's caused because the ligaments holding my joints together are extremely loose. This is also what makes me so flexible. In my case, flexibility comes at a price! In my sleep, my hips fall out of place and I pop them back in when I wake up. I sound like human popcorn when I twist my spine first thing in the morning. I can literally tilt my head to the side and my neck will pop. Knees, elbows, knuckles, toes, wrists, ankles...you name it, it pops.

 

Now that I've grossed you out, I'll get to my point: I have a problem that caused me pain, but had nothing to do with my training methods. My instructor didn't cause it. I think it's important to know, so you can identify the true cause of the problem and be better equipped to fix it.