At this time of year in central Vermont, the snow season is beginning. Many people heat their homes with wood and hopefully have their piles stacked just the way they like them. Often, we have to move multiple cords of wood multiple times from place to place on our properties until it is neatly stacked in the cellar, garage, or under cover, ready for easy access over the next five months. I find this is when people come in for acupuncture care for pain at the outside aspect of their elbow or upper forearm, also known as tennis elbow.
Watch Out for Tennis Elbow
Repetitive gripping and carrying of pieces of firewood with one hand can easily overuse the forearm extensor muscles. It can be felt near or on the attachment area at the outside aspect of the elbow. This can cause a nagging, aching pain and stiff feeling, and can be sharp at times. If severe, this pain may disrupt sleep, making it difficult to get the arm into a comfortable position. Lateral epicondylitis is the name of this condition, also commonly called tennis elbow. It’s quite common, can happen with various activities, especially with repetitive or sustained gripping, and can persist for months. I advise early treatment to keep it from becoming chronic.
The muscles that extend, or lift, the hand at the wrist can become inflamed. This inflammation near their attachment at the elbow from such overuse is what causes the pain. Carefully stimulating near the local areas of pain with fine acupuncture needles and down the affected channels, as understood by Chinese medical anatomy, can help the body’s natural anti-inflammatory activity. The blood flow will quicken to this area, and the buildup of inflammatory factors can be more effectively managed.
Take Your Time
My suggestion is to ideally avoid this condition by alternating the use of your right and left hands when grabbing for pieces of wood. It’s good to change your positioning rather than doing such a repetitive activity for several hours. This also requires being aware of how your back is feeling. And if you start to feel some pain in your forearm, stop and take a break for a few hours or a few days before returning to the pile. Apply ice to the area to help prevent acute inflammation from becoming excessive. If it does build up, come on in for acupuncture care. We tend to push ourselves to get the job done, but it usually ends up better to take your time and spread out the work. Even if it means that you have to look at that gradually dwindling wood pile by your driveway for weeks.
Happy Coming of Winter!