Battling With Ailments

Pidge

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
From the age of 18 I've suffered with tendinitis in my elbows. It was brought about by certain exercises at the gym and flares up from time to time. This last time was one of the worst and for the first time hindered my game. The dull throbbing in both elbows has stopped me from playing for almost 2 months. Well, I'm back and playing ridiculously bad, but nothing a couple of weeks table time can't sort.

Anyone else had issues that's stopped them from playing, and if so how did you find getting back into the swing of things?

:-)
 
I know how you feel, I have really bad tennis elbow that flares up from time to time. After a break, I try not to be too serious and just enjoy playing the game, otherwise it just gets frustrating. I find it's also a good time to improve something in my stroke or stance and it gives me something to focus on while I work on getting my game back.

I know you're a solid player so it's really only a matter of time before you're back in stroke! ;)
 
I'm 46. Back in February I started a workout routine of doing an elliptical machine for 30 minutes a day. The machine has handles that swing back and forth that i push and pull on as part of the exercise.

I did that 6-7 days a week for about 2 1/2 months and lost 18 pounds, which was my goal. Right about then I started developing tendinitis. First in my right elbow and two weeks later in my left. I had over trained. I quit exercising and it took two months to heal.

My doctor subscribed an anti inflammatory for a few weeks, which noticeability helped. Mine was not as bad as yours. I could still shoot pool.
 
I don't think other players realize how hard it is to play with pain and stay focused. I can block a lot of it out for short periods of time...but then it gets to me. Johnnyt
 
Glad to hear some youngsters have some aging problems. I am 88 years old and play at least 15 hours of pool over 5 days a week. It used to take me 10 minutes to warm up and another 15 minutes to get into stroke and now it takes me that long just to be able to bend low. I don't have to loosen up, because I don't have enough muscle to tighten up. I don't worry about pain,I only think about what doesn't hurt.Good news is I can still run a rack of nine ball and play fairly well. See, there is hope even when aging. Larry, AKA N.Y. Larry
 
Yup.....since July 10. 2009..........it all started with my workers comp injury..........left shoulder surgery September 20009, right shoulder surgery September 2011, another right shoulder surgery September 2013 and another right shoulder surgery June 3, 2015.

Why's this important? Because I am a right handed pool player and rotator cuff injuries will definitely screw up your lifestyle, let alone your pool game.......there's a statistic that sure holds true.........get this.......67% (2/3)...... of all full thickness rotator cuff tears for males over the age of 55 yrs. that are surgically repaired fail within 2 years of the surgery date...........check out the dates again on my right shoulder surgeries.......Duh!
 
Get help

Find a doctor and therapist you trust and follow their directions. I have had back problems that made playing , especially breaking a pain. The doctor gave me some kind of a steroid shot and it really helped.

I told the guys I was playing I was another steroid taking sports hero!!!!!
 
Just keep shooting...wishing you the best. I'm a mere lad of '71. Wake up with pain.
Hell, if I woke up without pain, I'd wonder if I'd died.

Yeah, it does affect your game...
 
Pidge said:
From the age of 18 I've suffered with tendinitis in my elbows. It was brought about by certain exercises at the gym and flares up from time to time. This last time was one of the worst and for the first time hindered my game. The dull throbbing in both elbows has stopped me from playing for almost 2 months. Well, I'm back and playing ridiculously bad, but nothing a couple of weeks table time can't sort.

Anyone else had issues that's stopped them from playing, and if so how did you find getting back into the swing of things?

:-)
Click to expand...

Your mom said you would go blind. She didn't say anything about tendinitis. Go figure.
 
Back woes

I have a bad back and my surgeon suggested I quit pool (never!!!)...interestingly, I won my first tournament on a day when I could barely walk. I was literally pounding the walls in agony...something about the pain kept me from getting bervous as I got deeper into the tourney. Weird, huh?
 
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I have a Rheumatism in my back and it is bothering me time to time. I stopped playing pool for almost 5 years because pain was so bad. Never taken any "drug" painkillers. Only rheumatism painkillers and medicine. My back was so bad I dropped on my knees at least ten times per day because of sudden pain.

I was really competitive but after I could again shoot pool I was just thankful I got my back again somewhat okay. Also I'm also thankful that I can move at all and sleep with little pain now.

Dunno how you could get it better but I tell something what I've done.

I went guy who is local(Finnish champs hockey team health advisor) 'limb fixer' and also massager(40 years experience). He pulled my angles and straightened my spine(traditional fix).
After that I got somewhat relieved and could do again some exercise. So I do pushups and various moves what strengthen middle body. Not too much, just enough to get muscles keeping shape. Have to listen your body after all. I also take massages from Chinese treatment guy and visit that limb fixer if I think I need help from him.

I just wanted to point out that there is treatments that could help also beside western medicinal. If you can/try find alternative treatments do a lot research beforehand.

Those treatments gave me new life with little or moderate pain instead of thinking should I put bullet in my head if I want sleep.
 
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I'm 42, but just in the last year I've noticed (not during play) but for days afterwards my knees ache. I've improved my game by leaps and bounds lately, which I've attributed to more practice and getting down on the shot more. I wonder if the new stance is reaking havoc on my knees?
 
Hajidub said:
I'm 42, but just in the last year I've noticed (not during play) but for days afterwards my knees ache. I've improved my game by leaps and bounds lately, which I've attributed to more practice and getting down on the shot more. I wonder if the new stance is reaking havoc on my knees?
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Make sure you're not tensed-up in the new stance. Try to have your knees ad such relaxed. This could help. Johnnyt
 
My best advice is to strive to play as good as you possibly can BEFORE something debilitating happens. It is much easier to regain some proficiency at pool if good play is imprinted in your mind, as well as being able to use your muscle memory.

When I found it difficult and painful to follow my normal shooting protocol, I naturally found myself using a shorter bridge as well as what Tor Lowry refers to, in his video, as 'automatic aiming".

The shorter bridge and stroke helped my accuracy and the automatic aiming minimized my (painful) time at the table, which in turn, allowed me to lengthen my sessions.
 
KK9 racked his wrist & knee playing tennis 2 yrs ago. i know this sounds crazy, but it worked for him:

fill a small styrofoam cup 1/2 with water & sit in the freezer. once frozen, cut the excess styrofoam to 1 inch below the ice cube & remove. use this as a 3" diameter ice cube & the styrofoam base will insulate your hand. (keep a towel handy for runoff.)

rub it very slowly over the inflammed area for 5 minutes. or for as long as you can stand it.... it'll hurt & it'll burn. take a break & then continue. do this at least 4/day, for 1-2 weeks.

i swear it works. i do it when my tendonitis starts to flare & it's back in-check in 2 days.
 
Pidge said:
From the age of 18 I've suffered with tendinitis in my elbows. It was brought about by certain exercises at the gym and flares up from time to time. This last time was one of the worst and for the first time hindered my game. The dull throbbing in both elbows has stopped me from playing for almost 2 months. Well, I'm back and playing ridiculously bad, but nothing a couple of weeks table time can't sort.

Anyone else had issues that's stopped them from playing, and if so how did you find getting back into the swing of things?

:-)
Click to expand...

I have just come back from two months out with back / shoulder problems. It still hurts when I am play, but getting slowly better. The killer was that the problems started 2 days before I got my custom made Tascarella that I had waited a couple of years for, gutted is not the word!! 7 weeks on, I managed 2 hours last two days in a row of table time. Just played with a house stick. as I wasn't sure if I would manage or not after a day at work. Saturday is the day though, get the new stick out, and finally take it on a proper test drive. As for time to get my game back, I think maybe once I have played 2 or 3 sessions pain free i'll be back. (I wasn't that good before I got injured though heheh)
 
PINKLADY said:
KK9 racked his wrist & knee playing tennis 2 yrs ago. i know this sounds crazy, but it worked for him:

fill a small styrofoam cup 1/2 with water & sit in the freezer. once frozen, cut the excess styrofoam to 1 inch below the ice cube & remove. use this as a 3" diameter ice cube & the styrofoam base will insulate your hand. (keep a towel handy for runoff.)

rub it very slowly over the inflammed area for 5 minutes. or for as long as you can stand it.... it'll hurt & it'll burn. take a break & then continue. do this at least 4/day, for 1-2 weeks.

i swear it works. i do it when my tendonitis starts to flare & it's back in-check in 2 days.
Click to expand...

I like it!! Will give this a go on my shoulder!! Have been using frozen peas (still in their bag obviously :D)
 
Thanks for all the advice and pms :-)

It's getting better, slowly. I managed 3 hours of snooker this morning before it started aching so it's a definite improvement. I'll just have to get used to not playing for 5 hours a day until it's sorted. I just have to figure out what to do with all this free time.! Cheers :-)
 
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