Sore elbows

[tailingloop]

Anyone have any thoughts on minimizing sore elbows during a ride? I did a bike fit some time ago by a highly acclaimed local physical therapist, so I'm wondering what's going on. I don't think I put excessive weight on my hands, and I try not to ride with locked elbows, yet after 15 or so minutes, when I take my hands off the bar, my elbows ache. I extend them in the air to alleviate some of the ache, but it's getting tiresome to punch my hand in the air and do an arm shake every 15-20 minutes. Do I need wider bars? Narrower? Reposition the ergos? Suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

[velotrack]

New bike, new position, new cockpit? How long have you had these issues? Did it happen right after the fitting you had? Seems odd that you develop it after such short periods... a little more info would be useful.

[Dead Man]

My elbows hurt off and on. No explanation, no idea what makes it hurt, no idea what makes it stop hurting.

I know this is useless to you... but misery loves company, and you have some.

:banana:

[bewheels]

This is one of those "I am no doctor but I am going to reply anyway..." replies.

Elbow pain can be a result of hand issues. I stopped riding for 10 years because of tendinitis and arthritis in my hands. Part of the symptoms when I would ride was pain in the elbows...the tendons in your hands have attachments in your elbow area.

If the pain started immediately after the position change it seems like you might want to go back to your old position and see if that helps.
Changed position too quickly?
Regardless of the persons reputation it might be the fitter for you?
Or it may have nothing to do with your fit ...

[shovelhd]

Go back to the fitter.

[FlashUNC]

Go back to the fitter.

This.

As someone who rides with a surgically rebuilt elbow -- tons of plates, screws, scar tissue, the whole nine -- for hours on end without pain, there's something wrong with the fit.

[dawgie]

I had started developing sore elbows the past few years, which I initially -- and incorrectly -- attributed to kayaking. When the problem didn't go away in winter, when I don't paddle, I realized it was due to cycling. Initially I discovered that the reach was much longer on one of my bikes, which I typically used for longer rides, due to the saddle being farther back from the crank than my other bikes. Moving my saddle forward solved the problem.

However, I started getting elbow pains again last fall that I couldn't attribute to the reach being too far on my bikes. My doctor diagnosed the problem as tennis elbow, which apparently is not restricted to tennis players. In researching remedies, it seemed that arm exercise was important. So I joined a cheap gym (Planet Fitness) and started doing a regime of upper body exercises, including my arms of course. That seems to have solved the problem, and my elbow pains gradually diminished and went away after 2-3 months of working out with weights 1-2 days a week. I absolutely hate lifting weights but I can put up with it if the benefits are obvious. Unfortunately, weight lifting also seems to have caused me to gain about 5 lbs.

[tailingloop]

Yes, I was fit to a new bike. I have relatively long femurs, so in the past, I slid my saddle way back, but the fitter noticed that my femur/lower leg angle wasn't optimal, so he slid the saddle forward and adjusted the cleat position. I think a bit of weight shifted forward, causing extra burden on my hands and arms. I'm not 100% convinced that this is the reason though. I'll go back and get an assessment.

The "tennis" elbow theory has merit. I may have to go visit the doc to get checked out. Interesting observation about the hands. I tilt up my bars slightly, so that may have some effect.

Or...maybe I just need to strengthen my arms as suggested.

Thanks all!