# My elbow hurts after doing push-ups. Am I doing something wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274 "2001-07-21T01:32:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/1 "2001-07-21T01:32:34Z")
My apologies for treating this forum as GQ-lite, but I couldn’t bear to put this lame-o inquiry in that weighty forum. I’m trying to tone up my upper body a tad, so I’ve taken to doing 10 push-ups x 3 reps before my morning shower. I tried this routine last year but developed a nagging pain in the tip of my right elbow (which I attributed to a forgotten bruise) so I stopped. The pain went away in a few months. Now that I’ve resumed the exercise routine, I notice that the pain is starting to return. My crackerjack sense of cause-&-effect tells me, Hey genius, maybe it’s the push-ups! Is it? What am I doing wrong? Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/2 "2001-07-21T01:39:00Z")
Hard to say, since I can’t see you doing them, but my guess is that you’re pinching a nerve. Try them with your hands far apart and close together; if you still have pain in both positions, I’d lay off the push ups and see if free weights give me the same effect. If they do, then I don’t know what to tell you. As far as I know, there’s no cure for a pinched nerve. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/3 "2001-07-21T02:18:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stuyguy \* > **I’m trying to tone up my upper body a tad, so I’ve taken to doing 10 push-ups x 3 reps before my morning shower** How about if I bring over a bucket of sand? I could kick it in your face while saying “Look, Skinny, I’d punch you out but you’d probably dry up and blow away!” THAT’D cure those psychosomatic aches and pains of yours. – Doctor Ukulele “I don’t want no DISSENTION/Just…Dynamic…TENSION” Ike ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/4 "2001-07-21T18:31:04Z")
I suggest a strict regimine of exercise avoidance. It will prevent all further injury to your arm and it is simplicity itself to comply with the dictates of this admittedly harsh program. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/5 "2001-07-21T22:19:59Z")
Try doing pushups other ways. Also, are you doing the pushups slowly or quickly or regularly-paced? You might, if you’re strong enough for it, do one-handers. ---
**Author:** ![lightthelight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@lightthelight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightthelight)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/6 "2001-07-21T23:45:05Z")
try pushing off with your palms rather than the tip of your iceberg/elbows ---
**Author:** ![dave316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dave316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dave316)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/7 "2001-07-22T04:12:58Z")
are you locking your elbows on the up position ? ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/8 "2001-07-22T05:07:54Z")
**dave316:** _are you locking your elbows on the up position ?"_ Yes. **lightthelight:** _try pushing off with your palms rather than the tip of your iceberg/elbows_ Huh? What does this mean? “iceberg/elbows”? Is this some joke that poor, ignorant me doesn’t get? **iampunha:** _…slowly or quickly or regularly-paced?_ Regular-paced I think. As for your suggestion of one-handers, **iam** my friend, if I could do those I wouldn’t feel the need to do push-ups at all! **Uke:** _… I could kick it in your face…_ Try as you might, I doubt that a cricket-voiced bookwormy squirt who plays a pituitarily-challenged guitar like you could muster up enough bluster to awaken me from a light mid-day nap. Better save your bucket of sand so you’ll have someplace to bury your head when I come struttin’ by with my watermelon-sized biceps throwing covetous glances at your Mrs. [Insert smilie here.] ---
**Author:** ![dave316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dave316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dave316)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/9 "2001-07-22T17:09:01Z")
do Not lock your elbows in the up position you take the work off the muscle and put it on the joint ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-elbow-hurts-after-doing-push-ups-am-i-doing-something-wrong/73274/10 "2001-07-22T20:24:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dave316 \* > do Not lock your elbows in the up position you take the work off the muscle and put it on the joint Not to mention the fact (unless you said it up there) that you’re in effect giving your muscles a break. Given the number of pushups you’re going (30) and the intervals you’re doing them in, you want to give your muscles as much as you can.