Had an off a few weeks ago and ended up with an infected olecranon bursitis. Anti biotics kicked the infection into touch but I have been left with a good sized lump on my elbow. My GP aspirated it a week ago and since then it has gone down a bit. I went out on the road this w/e, 2 short rides just to see if it was ok to resume road riding but in the event the answer was a resounding no. It swelled up again and last night was very red and hot to the touch. I took some ibuprufen and this morning it has subsided and is less painful. In general though, I still can't put any pressure on the elbow i.e. leaning on elbows etc and it is a real PITA. My arm still feels quite weak but I can straighten it fully again (couldn't do this yesterday) which is progress.
Obviously, if it continues to give me grief or deteriorates significantly I'll get back to the GP.
What no one seems able to tell me is how long I have to rest it before resuming riding. Is there a rule of thumb on these things or is it simply a case of it will take as long as it takes and be patient? My GP said to rest it but wouldn't be drawn on how long it would take. He didn't seem to understand that I want to get back out riding asap, he said most people just got on with life and it would go away in due course which doesn't help me much.
A cycling oriented medic might be able to give me more of an informed comment - at least that is what I hope!
How long is a piece of string?
Sorry, can't be more specific. Keep taking ibuprofen though!
I feared as much... thanks.
It looks like an early return to the turbo this year then. :0(
leaning on elbows etc and it is a real PITA
Don't you mean PITE?
Sorry not helpful I'll get my coat.
As above though keep with the ibuprofen. What about a wheatbag to try and stop the pain?
From [url] http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Olecranon-Bursitis.htm [/url]
What is the treatment for olecranon bursitis?
•No treatment may be needed. A small painless thickening or swelling is common. It often clears by itself. If a small amount of fluid remains once the inflammation has gone then this can be left alone. However, a large collection of fluid may be unsightly.
•RICE treatment. You may find the swelling improves with (R)est, (I)ce packs, (C)ompression (wearing a bandage) and (E)levation (keeping the elbow in a raised position).
•Anti-inflammatory medication (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, etc) may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and swelling.
•Ultrasound and electrical treatment have helped some people.
•A steroid injection into the bursa may cure the problem. Steroids are good at reducing inflammation.
•Aspiration (draining the fluid) can be done with a needle and syringe if a lot of fluid builds up. However, the fluid tends to build up again after being drained. Therefore, you may be advised to wear a tight pressure bandage for a while after the fluid is drained to prevent it building up again.
•Surgery to remove the bursa is an option if the above do not work.
•Antibiotics are needed if the cause of the bursitis is an infection.
Thanks, I had seen that already. It is not the treatment I'm concerned about but the time... time being of the essence as I am down to solo the D2D again and it is drawing ever closer.
Slowjo.
Put it this way, I've had a bursitis (right elbow) for months now. Sometimes it's a bit bigger than normal (like now) and contains obvious fluid and squashy stuff, sometimes it doesn't (just squashy stuff.
The only thing you can do is to stop doing stuff that causes it to flare up (with me press-ups and weights) until it goes down a bit, and take anti-imflammatories. I used Voltarol gel that seemed to work better than oral brufen.
They try not to drain them these days unless they are really bad because of the increased risk of infection and the fact that it will just come back again. If it makes you feel better, I think mine is caused by damage to the cartilage (given the noise that the joint makes when stretching).
So... more rest is the solution, then MTFU while it sorts itself out long term. Meanwhile, try not to fly off bike onto trail using elbow as point of impact!
I've had this twice!
According to my GP it's because I lean on my elbow while sitting at my desk at work. Both times it took about 4-8 weeks to go down. I took Ibuprofen and the 2nd time had a prescription for anti-inflammatory.
Rest it and keep taking the pills!