Elbow pain...from being a dad

beltsman

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
I am playing less tennis than ever thanks to COVID and being a new dad, but I am having worse chronic elbow pain than ever! I used to not have elbow issues, and that included playing lots of tennis. Now I'm picking up and carrying the baby all the time and my right elbow is hurting. It also hurts now when I hit tennis balls (not the case pre-baby). I'm not quite sure if it's tennis or golfers elbow. It's not a super sharp pain yet, just an ache during certain movements.

I try to lift with my legs and hold the baby close to my body, but alas my elbow still hurts. Does anyone have any recommendations or similar experience?
 
I have the same experience. One thing I do is to try to switch arms often, when holding my kid. After 3 kids my biceps look much more impressive. Kids grow and provide gradually increasing workout ...especially after they learn to play tennis :).
 
More than likely the pain is from keeping your elbow at roughly 90 degrees flexion for prolonged periods with a heavy baby in it. Like poster above said, switch arms often and make sure you stretch your right put regularly so as to prevent that stuff tension building up.
 
Holding the baby on the front makes you arch over somewhat, creating tension in the neck. Probably referred nerve pain from your neck, which I've had before. When the baby can hold their head up you can carry them over your shoulder more which will help.
 
beltsman said:
I am playing less tennis than ever thanks to COVID and being a new dad, but I am having worse chronic elbow pain than ever! I used to not have elbow issues, and that included playing lots of tennis. Now I'm picking up and carrying the baby all the time and my right elbow is hurting. It also hurts now when I hit tennis balls (not the case pre-baby). I'm not quite sure if it's tennis or golfers elbow. It's not a super sharp pain yet, just an ache during certain movements.

I try to lift with my legs and hold the baby close to my body, but alas my elbow still hurts. Does anyone have any recommendations or similar experience?
Click to expand...
Tennis elbow is on the outside or lateral side while golfers is on the inside part called the medial. I would get some manual work done by a great Physio therapist twice a week and do the strengthen, stretching and ice treatment daily. You could wear a brace and focus on correct baby lifting technique, Also if you are not playing as much it might be time to invest in a Pro Kennex Q Tour or Black Ace with gut strings. All the best and congrats.
 
I’ve noticed that I always feel like I’m near the ultimate strength threshold for busting a ligament in my elbow when I hoist up my heavy tennis backpack to get out of an uber.
 
beltsman said:
I am playing less tennis than ever thanks to COVID and being a new dad, but I am having worse chronic elbow pain than ever! I used to not have elbow issues, and that included playing lots of tennis. Now I'm picking up and carrying the baby all the time and my right elbow is hurting. It also hurts now when I hit tennis balls (not the case pre-baby). I'm not quite sure if it's tennis or golfers elbow. It's not a super sharp pain yet, just an ache during certain movements.

I try to lift with my legs and hold the baby close to my body, but alas my elbow still hurts. Does anyone have any recommendations or similar experience?
Click to expand...

Hey congrats! Can't help much here I just had my first 7mo ago and it did an absolute number on my back and wrist. I found alternating the sides I held her helped, or altering the position as others have mentioned. Hope you find a remedy and enjoy those first few months! Grab a flexbar if you don't already have one and start working that into your training.
 
I'm in the same boat : new baby, but I already had a starting tennis elbow. Now I'm with a very painful tenis elbow + golf elbow on my right arm (but improving, thanks to kinesitherapy twice a week), and I had a time where I was having tennis elbow ...... on my 2 arms. Now left arm is "just" feeling about to give up while I'm trying to heal the right arm ...

I had 3 cortizone shots, but that did not help due to the baby moving everywhere and wanting to be "facing the road"... I'm waiting for it to walk (which should happen soon), and we are now talking about MRI and surgical treatment possibility (that's already 1 year and a half that I'm fighting this pain, with 0 tennis session)

flexbar, exercices, cold, stretching, ... etc, but healing is very very slow for me.
 
Perhaps your baby is too stiff. Consider switching to a softer one.
Alternatively, you can head to the gym where you will spend the rest of your life if you want to continue playing sports.
 
Never had any problems picking up the kids. It's been so long ago - I don't remember how I picked them up.
 
movdqa said:
Never had any problems picking up the kids. It's been so long ago - I don't remember how I picked them up.
Click to expand...
Hopefully, you are not picking them up by their ears. This is no longer considered one of the preferred methods. This method is still #1:

flatten;scale;jpeg_quality=70
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
elbow pain
Replies
13
Views
2K
Enkitec
Enkitec
YonexDude
strange elbow pain. what is it?
Replies
4
Views
1K
nasastevo
N
tennismate29
help!is this tennis elbow?
Replies
19
Views
6K
SystemicAnomaly
SystemicAnomaly
C
Sleeping with elbow bent = elbow pain/wrist pain
Replies
10
Views
43K
larry10s
L
K
elbow pain
Replies
3
Views
949
danno123
D
Back
Top