Kettlebell S&S + De Quervain

[Marius_Lefter]

Hi.

I’ve made the S&S protocol part of my daily life for over 100 days now and I have no plans to quit anytime soon. I feel that it’s making me stronger physically and mentally. So many times I’ve thought about quitting but in the end I stay on course.

The program has yet to fail me. So why should I fail the program?

But recently I developed some wrist pain on my left hand. I think I overdid it with the CoC grippers by overgreasing the groove. From what I can tell, it seems like a minor case of De Quervain’s syndrome. I’m able to do swings with no pain. TGUs, however, are tricky. When using my left hand for support, I do feel some pain but it’s tolerable. However, when the bell rests on my left wrist/arm, I do feel pain. The heavier the bell, the higher the pain. But it’s never to the point that I can’t get through a set, even when going heavy. Recently I’ve been doing light TGUs with a 16kg.

I’m just concerned that I might be preventing my body from healing. I’ve heard that at times it’s good to work through some pain versus keeping it immobile but I’m not sure if this is one of those times.

Has anyone delt with De Quervain’s syndrome? I’d like to get some feedback on how to approach this situation.

I had the same case recently: minor De Guervain. Here is what I did:
1) went to an orthopedist to have checked out
2) the treatment was: light stretching, massaging & strengthening drills for that area that were prescribed by him
3) wore a splint at night for 3-4 days and was careful how I sleep
4) lay off the texting on phone and paid attention how I wrote while on laptop
5) the grip on comp bells while doing goblet squats and halos changed for a bit

I was healed in less than 2 weeks.

Hope this helps.

 

[SuperGirevik]

@Marius_Lefter - That’s really encouraging news. During those 2 weeks, did you do any training?

the grip on comp bells while doing goblet squats and halos changed for a bit

I have comp bells too. Could you explain how you adjusted your grip?

 

[Marius_Lefter]

@Marius_Lefter - That’s really encouraging news. During those 2 weeks, did you do any training?


I have comp bells too. Could you explain how you adjusted your grip?

Yes, I did trained. I did the following:
Suitcase and farmer carries
Unloaded hip hinge drills
Bodyweight squats, lunges (I actually focused a lot on lower body work and midsection drills)
Jump rope
Stretching various areas (hips, t-spine, pecs, biceps, hams)

As for the grip, I simply turned the bell bottom up and hold it by the bell, not the horns (is actually a very comfortable grip), like a goblet)

 

[Brett Jones]

Please note that Marius confirmed and received a diagnosis from a Dr.

This is my suggestion as well.

 

[SuperGirevik]

Suitcase and farmer carries

Those are great movements. I just got my 40kg and if my doctor clears me, I’d like to use it for farmer carries.

I actually found that tactical pull-ups do not hurt my wrists as well.

I simply turned the bell bottom up and hold it by the bell, not the horns (is actually a very comfortable grip), like a goblet)

Once I heal up, I’m going to try that grip. Do you feel it’s a bit challenging to get to that grip with heavier bells, since you have to essentially flip them over?

 

[Anna C]

Do you it’s a bit challenging to get to that grip with heavier bells, since you have to essentially flip them over?

Related thread, and a link to a video in this post with a flip-clean or "goblet clean": Clean Swing & their relation

I'm also curious to see if you get a confirmed diagnosis on your condition. That was a great catch by @fractal on likely cause, and helpful info from @Marius_Lefter on experience with resolution!

 

[SuperGirevik]

Related thread, and a link to a video in this post with a flip-clean or "goblet clean": Clean Swing & their relation

Thank you Anna! Picking it off the floor seems like a much better idea than trying to flip it in the air and catch it

I'm also curious to see if you get a confirmed diagnosis on your condition. That was a great catch by @fractal on likely cause, and helpful info from @Marius_Lefter on experience with resolution!

I plan to see my doctor soon and will post an update on the diagnosis. As for the great help I received from this community, I'm very grateful. @fractal and @Marius_Lefter definitely offered some key insight and help on my condition (if it is indeed DQ... not to be confused with Dairy Queen).

But I also received great advise from a lot of other users. @Bret S. really helped me rethink my training. Deep down inside I was too focused on keeping the streak alive. I didn't really feel that way before, but yesterday I kept thinking about it. I recalled times that I was very tired but I would sneak in a few swings and TGUs just to say I did my S&S for the day. But training shouldn't be about reaching numbers at all cost... it should be about getting stronger.

Daily S&S took a chubby 228lb man who couldn't do a 24kg TGU and transformed him into a 206lb guy who could do 10 32kg TGUs with moderate effort and 32kg strict-press 5x per arm. The program really changed my life (along with proper nutrition)... so I think I felt emotionally attached to following it to the tee. Never have I followed a program for so long. You could say we bonded

Also, IMHO, I feel daily training wasn't to blame but rather quick progression. I should have taken more time with each weight. I regret going too heavy with the goblet squats and even attempting curls with a 32kg at the bottom.

Either way, I plan to keep S&S part of my training for a long time (it may not be daily, but it will be consistent). Until it stops delivering, I will not receiving

 

[SuperGirevik]

So I finally saw my doctor and he diagnosed my condition as De Quervain's tenosynovitis (confirming my suspicion). He also prescribed anti-inflammatory pills and gel. To be honest, I'm not a fan of taking pills. But what really got me down was that he said I should lay off any training involving my left hand, even if it didn't cause any pain, for 2 weeks and wear a splint during that time.

I'm a bit disappointed. It's hard enough not to continue with my S&S training but now I can't even do pull-ups and deadlifts. I guess I can work on BW squats and walking/jogging.

 

[Anna C]

Good to hear you have the diagnosis and thanks for letting us know. 2 weeks will go by quickly!

 

[offwidth]

So I finally saw my doctor and he diagnosed my condition as De Quervain's tenosynovitis (confirming my suspicion). He also prescribed anti-inflammatory pills and gel. To be honest, I'm not a fan of taking pills. But what really got me down was that he said I should lay off any training involving my left hand, even if it didn't cause any pain, for 2 weeks and wear a splint during that time.

I'm a bit disappointed. It's hard enough not to continue with my S&S training but now I can't even do pull-ups and deadlifts. I guess I can work on BW squats and walking/jogging.

2 weeks is a blink of the eye in the overall scheme of things...

 

[SuperGirevik]

@Anna C, @offwidth - Thanks for the encouragement

 

[Brookes]

I guess I can work on BW squats and walking/jogging.

Thankfully it´s Squatober. Time to have fun and work on your Pistols. I wish you a fast recovery and feel with you! I happened to tweak my shoulder again (old injury) right as I wanted to start A+A plan with snatches. So rehab for me as well... Life happens!

 

[SuperGirevik]

I happened to tweak my shoulder again (old injury) right as I wanted to start A+A plan with snatches

I guess this helps build mental toughness. It’s easy to get discouraged by injuries. But staying focused and positive through them is important. Hope you get better soon too

 

[KB_ATX1032]

New member here....first posting actually!

SuperGirevik,
I was curious as to the progress of your De Quervain's? I have been dealing with the same thing (just confirmed with doc yesterday) and have been down with the limited use of my left hand/wrist (basically no KB at all, since even swings give me a slight pain feeling and I do not want to "push through pain").

Just purchased a wrist brace specifically for DQV and plan on using that as much as life allows me to.

Hearing some other people's improvement is just a bit of optimism!

 

[Steve Freides]

@KB_ATX1032, welcome to the StrongFirst forum.

-S-