Sore/Tight Right Elbow
 

Whenever I ride, my right elbow (and much less frequently, my left) gets extremely tight and sore. I regularly change riding position (drops, hoods, tops), and stretch my right arm, but nothing seems to work.

The bike was originally fit by the LBS, and I've double-checked all my fit measurements based on a variety of references (books, magazine articles, etc.), and have made some modifications myself to test a variety of positions. My reach may be a hair longer than it should be (e.g. 0.5 cm too long by book standards), but that's my most comfortable riding position. I would think that if my fit was wrong (reach-wise, for example) my back would also hurt, but it doesn't.

Anyone have suggestions? Or should I just accept that maybe I have a touch of tendonitis and live with it?

I don't intend this as medical advice in any way. When I first started cycling I did experience joint pains and muscle aches, especially in the upper body. Someone recommended that I do some weight training for upper body strength.

If you don't have tendonitis or something like that, perhaps a pair of dumbells or some pushups would do the trick.

Carl

This is going to sound real dumb. But it really sounds like tennis elbow and I have a suggestion. It's actually a subtle and specific resistance training exercise that may help. Get a big rubber band, the kind that they use at grocery stores to bundle brocolli is perfect. Then extend your fingers and thumb together. Place the rubber band over your fingers and thumb and stretch the rubber band apart. Repeat in sets of 8-12 whenever you think of it.

This has had a very positive effect on my "lateral anterior tendinitis".

If there's a tendon problem, further cycling might just agravate it more. Tendons are made up of bundles of fibres, it only needs one fibre to become detached from the bone its supporting to cause pain.It then needs rest to enable it to reattach itself. Get along to your doctor for some advice. Unless you know what the condition is you can't treat it, you might make matters worse if you give yourself the wrong treatment.

Further to my last post. You could try an elastic support tube until you get to see your doctor. You can buy them at the chemist or sport shops.