I have had on off forearm elbow pain since I started rball, I have had my swing analyzed by a top pro (2 different guys), to make sure its correct.

the issue is I deal with this pain, usually goes away with one or two days off, meaning I can play 3-4 days a wk but only 3-4 games. (4 days and 4 games is pushing it)

I have tried ice...
I have tried rest...once for 7 wks

I do work out 5 days a wk and no pain from that.

go to a sports doctor and have it assessed. They can probably do range of motion exams to tell you what the problem is most likely, and what kind of program you need to take on to let it heal. Improper applications of heat, inadequate understanding of rest and stretching rehab can lead to long term damage.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, I hurt myself two years ago and tried to heal it on my own without medical advice. I now have permanent damage in my hip and without surgery to deal with what appears to be scar tissue, it doesn't look like I will ever be able to play racquetball without a lot of pain.

It's that thing where you invest a little in the front end to avoid the long term cost. If you have enough money and common sense to use a gym and try and stay active and keep good health, you have enough common sense and money to see a sports doctor.

Finding the right doctor was the biggest barrier for me. Start asking the guys for a recommendation. Don't ask them to tell you what's wrong, if they've had it, and how to fix it. Find a good recommendation for a doctor, if he doesn't make sense, get a second opinion.

Just my opinion.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor will I pretend to be one.

Have you had a doctor check out your forearm/elbow?

Based on your text, it sounds like tendinitis. Working out 5x/wk. may not allow you enough rest when combined with racquetball.

I have always been a fan of physical therapy over chiro's. Nothing against chiro's, I just don't think they attack the root of the problem.

A good physical therapy program done FAITHFULLY and to the FULLEST extent will take a weak area of the body and make it beyond strong when completed. Some health insurance allow a certain number of sessions per year to be covered.

Once again, not a doctor, but I hope this helps.

I don't know how you train, but working out 5 days a week training sounds to me like overtraining. 4 times a week with 3-4 games - how long is that on the court? Just an hour? If its more then again you are just probably stressing something that will eventually wear out.

I was getting similar aches and pains in weird spots and when I took off time to heal and then train a little less after (I do from 1 to 3 times a week) everything was right in the world.

how old are you, how tall are you, and how much do you weigh?

Sounds like tendonitis to me. I work out quite abit myself and that doesn't bother my elbow/forearm at all. But after 60 min of r-ball, it can get sore and be sore for a day or two. Its been a year since I had "acute" medial epicondylitis. I took 5 weeks off and that helped. I noticed that the muscles in my forearm in my swinging arm are much less flexible than those in my left arm (hold arm straight out in front of you, wrist bent upward and then pull fingers gently towards your body using your other hand to flex the forearm muscles). Excercises to improve flexibility of the affected muscles helped me alot. I was told my mechanics were fine as well, but I did tend to have an overly tight grip on the racquet and would rarely relax my grip throughout a match. Changing those tendencies helped as well. Thats just my experience...

Definiteley have a doc make sure its not something more serious though.

If possible, have someone video tape you from above, focusing on you only. This needs to be done during normal play, not practice. A few minutes of forehands and a few minutes of backhands, plus a few minutes of drive serves and ceiling shots. Upload the video so we can view here.

Yes, you said you had two pros look at your swing, but were they watching a real game, or you with them on the court hitting a few shots? Were these pros “Teaching Pros”, like Jason? Not all professional athletes are good instructors (all sports).

There are too many possible reasons for the pain, and without seeing you play, or being a professional medical doctor, could be difficult or impossible to diagnose. As an instructor and not a doctor, the first thing I would ask is your prior medical history-related to that part of your body, or another part that you have been compensating for (do you have prior injuries?). And what other physical activities you do (work, home, sports, training etc.).

As a non-doctor, the obvious is if it hurts, stop until it doesn't hurt. If it still hurts, two possibilities: You have injured it to the point it needs lots more time to heel (you over did it, too much weekly play)- AND/OR you need to stop asking non-doctors (like me) and seek professional medical attention.

NOTE:

As an instructor, one of the most common “Tennis Elbow” injuries occur when the elbow is slightly bent during ball contact on the racquet. Vibration and stress is absorbed in the elbow, instead of passing through elbow. Weight transfer, racquet preparation, swing and follow through are also very important, especially if you play very often. Perhaps you have a perfect swing, but just over did it and you caused a injury that requires longer healing time? I am a racquetball instructor, not a doctor. All I have is a magnifying glass and “reading glasses”. I couldn't even distinguish my spine from my male organ on a cat scan picture :)

While “we” non-doctors “may” be able to explain “how” you injured your arm, only a professional doctor can help with your pain and recovery.

Thanks everyone. I will see a sports doctor.
@ cf I am 28, 5'9 164. ( I am in very good shape physically)

Sounds sensible. I recommend an MD, and try and document the visit, and then research any terminology on the internet to get a better handle on your own treatment. I went to a chiropractor before a doctor, and they diagnosed me with needing a hip replacement. Since it was impractical, they offered to sell me a stretching protocol to help deal with some compensatory problems they said I had developed.

This was a completely bizarre diagnosis, so I got a second opinion, and the hip replacement diagnosis was wrong. But in addition to the stress of the diagnosis, since I had a severe case of bursitis in my hip, which is an inflammation condition, the stretching exercises were completely inappropriate at that stage of my rehab, and had I continued, would have increased the problem and my pain.

I'm not suggesting that chiropractors and other alternative medicines lack integrity, I just feel like my medical doctor had access to MRI's, and he had a good understanding of how all the different systems, (soft tissue, bone, etc.) relate to each other. I feel this broader base in his perspective was helpful in how he looked at my injury, plus he is a sports doctor, so he understood things from my point of view, versus regular doctors that tend to isolate the problem from the lifestyle and the cause.

I hope my point of view sounds fair and makes sense. I don't want to offend any particular discipline, I just think a sports doctor is appropriate for an injury that flares during sports. lol.

Agree with the point of seeing an M.D., especially a sports M.D., and +1 on NOT relying on just a chiropractor. I think some chiros can be very good (like BackDoc on this forum seems to be) but there are too many chiros out there who take the wrong road. That is, if your only tool is a hammer, then every problem seems to be a nail...