Non-Accidental Motorcycling Injury

[funnythebunny]

I can't believe this issue hasn't been brought up before. I did a search for it here without a direct result.

For many months I've had SEVERE pain in my left elbow and forearm. I've tried every home remedy, over-the-counter med and excercise with no results.

My doctor made several tests, and after a thorough examination, I have been diagnosed with "Lateral Epicondylitis" a severe tendonitis of the left forearm typically found in middle aged patients ranging from ages 35-60.... In other words, I have Tennis Elbow...and I got it from riding my Sportster!!

I was given an anti-inflamatory injection, a script for naproxen and instructions to go home and use a heat pad when it hurts too much and of course, rest.

The thing is, I don't play tennis, at least since H.S. (a looong time ago).

My doctor feels it's from my bike's tight clutch lever. About a year ago I installed an extension on the cluch ramp to minimize the pull effort, but it's still tight, and so I keep injuring myself even further.

I'm in the process of ordering all the necessary parts to install the EZ-Pull from AMP Research http://www.amp-research.com/products/misc/motorcycles.asp It claims to reduce clutch pull tension by up to 40% and up.

I have already done this "upgrade" to my wife's 04 XL883, and when I take her bike for a spin, I seem to have no problem afterwards (I'm estimating at least 60% lighter thn mine), so I'm doing the same for mine.

So, does anyone else suffer from the same problem? How did you overcome this?

http://oporthopedics.com/images/elbow-2b.GIF

[cantolina]

I can't believe this issue hasn't been brought up before. I did a search for it here without a direct result.

For many months I've had SEVERE pain in my left elbow and forearm. I've tried every home remedy, over-the-counter med and excercise with no results.

My doctor made several tests, and after a thorough examination, I have been diagnosed with "Lateral Epicondylitis" a severe tendonitis of the left forearm typically found in middle aged patients ranging from ages 35-60.... In other words, I have Tennis Elbow...and I got it from riding my Sportster!!

I was given an anti-inflamatory injection, a script for naproxen and instructions to go home and use a heat pad when it hurts too much and of course, rest.

The thing is, I don't play tennis, at least since H.S. (a looong time ago).

My doctor feels it's from my bike's tight clutch lever. About a year ago I installed an extension on the cluch ramp to minimize the pull effort, but it's still tight, and so I keep injuring myself even further.

I'm in the process of ordering all the necessary parts to install the EZ-Pull from AMP Research http://www.amp-research.com/products/misc/motorcycles.asp It claims to reduce clutch pull tension by up to 40% and up.

I have already done this "upgrade" to my wife's 04 XL883, and when I take her bike for a spin, I seem to have no problem afterwards (I'm estimating at least 60% lighter thn mine), so I'm doing the same for mine.

So, does anyone else suffer from the same problem? How did you overcome this?

http://oporthopedics.com/images/elbow-2b.GIF

I had a similar problem....it was lower on my arm, tho....much like carpal tunnel syndrome...

After trying to address the physical problem with a doctor, I realized that I had brought it on myself when I changed bars...

Changed again from buckhorns to mini-apes, and it went away!

[Weo]

Sorry to hear about your pains.

I'd like to hear about how the ez clutch works for you.

[tim4hire]

I did some research when I was thinking I had "Tennis Elbow" symptoms and what they say is that the tendon is becoming more brittle and losing elasticity. Soo... support braces and constant massaging are the recommendations.
Hope that helps you out some good luck.
Welcome to old age!

[wandrur]

In regard to cantolina's mention of the solution mini apes provided (as compared to buckhorns), I have a right elbow injury from high school football--hyperextension--that often caused my forearm, wrist, and hand to lose circulation if my elbow remained in the same position for too long. Coincidentally, that position tended to be where my arm needed to be positioned on my stock buckhorn bars. That, coupled with 'double jointed' shoulders began causing some serious issues with my favorite riding--150+ mile stretches of highway. The mini apes helped SO much. I highly recommend them to anyone who has arm, shoulder, or even back fatigue during riding.

[DogBunny]

Yeah, I got it, and it took forever (like 9 months), but it fixed itself on its own.
How old are you? I am 50 and extremely fit and healthy. Beginning a couple of years ago, I noticed that it took forever to recover from injuries like pulls and sprains and things. Just part of the aging process.
The AMP is a great product, but you already know that. It's a lot better than the inside-the-primary cover thing, which I tried, didn't like, and immediately removed.
Changing bars is not a bad suggestion, but I used buckhorns on two bikes for a long time with no trouble. I switched one to mini-apes, took a little getting used to, now they're fine too.
IMO, work through it and be patient. Personally, I am against pain-killers. That pain is there for a reason, if you over-ride it you're just going to injure yourself worse. I'm not crazy about anti-inflammatories either, they treat the symptom, not the cause. Good luck.

[scottgearman]

I had a simular problem, I tried alot of things, physio therapy, drugs, I tried doing things differently, lifting beer cases with the other hand and sleeping on my other side... it took months but I finally started masterbating with my right hand and the pain went away

[funnythebunny]

Yeah, I got it, and it took forever (like 9 months), but it fixed itself on its own.
How old are you? I am 50 and extremely fit and healthy...

I just turned 40 and a little out of shape, although still very active. Middle age has hit me like a ton of bricks! Does that mean I can begin my midlife crisis?:laugh

[DogBunny]

I just turned 40 and a little out of shape, although still very active. Middle age has hit me like a ton of bricks! Does that mean I can begin my midlife crisis?:laugh
You're already into Sportsters, so you can't do what I did when my mid-life crisis hit -- I got into Sportsters!

[indyrednek]

It is most likely caused by your riding style.
Drugs only mask it.
Change your style.
i.e. white knuckling, tension, etc.
Try relaxing when you ride and not be so aggressive.

[Delzore]

I changed from the stock Custom bars to drag bars to help out with pain I was getting in my right forearm... positioning of the wrist in relation to normal was just way out of whack... the drag bars (I have z-bars on there now, which still kept the same angle as that of the drags, but got me more height off the riser) to keep my wrist in a more normal relaxed position.. within a couple of days with the new bars the pain in my forearm was gone..

For sure the ergonomics of your riding position can have an impact on you over the long run....

[rfranz1952]

I had the same problem--about a year ago along with carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists.

I wore an elbow brace for quite a while, but I think what has slowly fixed the problem was switching out to larger grips--for me they make it easier to have a lighter, less intense grip.

I also discovered that when I drove the car it got worse, and eventually figured out that with the car and bike both I was pushing forward with both hands. I have been working on not doing that, and, coupled with the elbow brace, the problem is almost gone. I also try to flex my arm periodicaly when riding--just to keep it relaxed and to change the position.

[Jackster]

You need to get some of those grips for your hands and strengthen those muscles. It will make squeezing anything easier.

[funnythebunny]

Doesn't anyone think that the clutch on these Sportsters is just too stiff? Am I the only one who thinks so? Maybe I'm just too used to Euro and Jap imports with their adjustable levers!!

[Terp84Alum]

I have an easy clutch on my and I'm not a baby.























You know I'm just kidding. Follow your doc's advice. I had "golfers" elbow many years ago before I even started playing golf. I ended up having surgery-not fun. Good luck.

[funnythebunny]

I have an easy clutch on my and I'm not a baby....

Thank you! I'm not a wimp either, bu man, if it wan't for the EZ-Pull Device, the wife would have made me sell the bike (which I got for her Birthday) and get her an import, which would mean I'd have to get one too! :doh

[bshadbolt]

I've got the same thing in my left elbow, but I'm left handed, play tennis, do archery and ride bikes - all three contribute to it. I've tried slowing down - stopped playing tennis for a few months, went to archery much less, even stopped riding the bikes for a while (lasted 2 weeks before I had to get back on).

It hasn't gone away, I've had it for over a year and I live with it. I can only do about 15 or 16 chin-ups and then my left arm is quite painful and I have to stop.

Cheers,

Brett

[funnythebunny]

I've got the same thing in my left elbow, but I'm left handed, play tennis, do archery and ride bikes - all three contribute to it. I've tried slowing down - stopped playing tennis for a few months, went to archery much less, even stopped riding the bikes for a while (lasted 2 weeks before I had to get back on).

It hasn't gone away, I've had it for over a year and I live with it. I can only do about 15 or 16 chin-ups and then my left arm is quite painful and I have to stop.

Cheers,

Brett

Brett, I feel your pain. But would you give up your lifestyle or the things you love to do, or you be willing to find a way to make it easier to do... you know... have your cake and eat it too!!

[ocezam]

This is a very interesting thread to me. I've been riding for 35 years. Dozens of bikes. Half a dozen Harleys (yes they have stiff clutches). I've never had a problem with them other than to marvel that Willie G. and the rest couldn't engineer a better (easier) clutch.

I was sans-cycle the last three or four years after I sold my big twin custom that I built from scratch. When I put it together I put in a clutch ramp extention that you spoke of. There was some mechanical advantage, but at the time I thought not a significant amount. But it was also invisible to the user, so I left it in. It never caused me pain, nor did the other Harleys or jap bikes I've owned.

When I bought this '98 1200 several months ago, it had an EZ pull attached to the clutch lever. While I did think the clutch was easier to pull than any other Harley I've ridden (including the BT with the ramp extension), I did not like it because it never completely disengaged. After a shift I'd have to push the lever back the last 1/4 inch or so. I took it off very soon (not more than a week) after purchasing.

So I've been riding for 35 years and never a significant complaint, but the last 8 or 10 weeks I've been having the pain you describe. I haven't seen a doctor yet (too cheap) but have been coming to the same conclusion you and your doctor have. Stiffer clutches on older Harleys have only been an annoyance but this one, combined with middle age, may be more than an annoyance.

I may have the EZ pull here somewhere, I may give it another try.

To the others that have the EZ pull, is mine abnormal? I didn't see any kind of adjustment that could be made.

To Jackster, yes building up grip strength would definitely help, but maybe I should just do the "Karma Dance", what do ya think?

[funnythebunny]

This is a very interesting thread to me. I've been riding for 35 years. Dozens of bikes. Half a dozen Harleys (yes they have stiff clutches). I've never had a problem with them other than to marvel that Willie G. and the rest couldn't engineer a better (easier) clutch....
When I bought this '98 1200 several months ago, it had an EZ pull attached to the clutch lever. ...I did not like it because it never completely disengaged. After a shift I'd have to push the lever back the last 1/4 inch or so. I took it off very soon (not more than a week) after purchasing.

To the others that have the EZ pull, is mine abnormal? I didn't see any kind of adjustment that could be made.

My wife's bike does the same, but I adjusted it for full disengage at the ramp. You can lube it with white lithium grease and it makes it spring back better. The only adjustment at the EZ-Pull is that tiny hex-head screw to bring the lever closer to you, but you'll need to re-adjust your clutch at the ramp.

[rdarr40]

I had a similar problem that would start with severe pain in the soft tissue at the crook of my elbow, run up the back of my arm, and down my spine behind the shoulder blade. It was horrible.

After five years of complaining to doctors only to receive pain pills, therapy, and cortisone shots in my elbow joint, I finally was given an MRI. The diagnosis was a degenerating spinal disk in my neck that was putting pressure on the nerve bundle that exited my spine and traveled down my arm.

I was given several cortisone shots into the area of the disk and the problem has been gone for over a year. I am told it will probably return but, it can be treated again.

[DogBunny]

This thread just keeps getting more and more interesting to me.
Yes, the clutches are too hard. On those rare occasions that I'm in the showroom, I try the clutches and wistfully wish mine was like that. The new ones pull easy, I think they've gone to hydraulic. Which is another option for us:
http://www.hotbikeweb.com/tech/0608_hbkp_maguras_hydraulic_motorcycle_clutch/index.html
This retrofits your cable clutch to a hydraulic clutch. I've seen others. They are not cheap!

I agree that being tense causes problems, and that you need to relax. When I was green I was tense and had lots of aches. But I think all of us are more experienced than that now.

About a year ago, I severely sprained the bird finger on my clutch hand. I would have been a lot better off if the finger had fractured, but instead it screwed up my joint. I had about 40% strength in my hand and about 60% strength in my arm (yes, the sprain was so bad that it affected my whole arm). That's when I bought the AMP units. Nine months later, I cleaned up the bars on one of my Sportsters, and switched to a clutch lever that would not accept the AMP. By then, through daily riding, I had strengthened my hand enough that I no longer needed the AMP. My bird finger is still not 100%, but my overall hand and arm are stronger than before. I can clutch all day long in city traffic.

About the time that I removed that AMP, it began getting a little squirrelly, as described by ocezam. There was no need to mess with it, because I knew I was about to remove it. The AMP on my other bike still works perfectly.

[Krypto]

I vote masking the pain with drugs :smoke

[ocezam]

This thread just keeps getting more and more interesting to me.
http://www.hotbikeweb.com/tech/0608_hbkp_maguras_hydraulic_motorcycle_clutch/index.html


I've never seen a hydraulic clutch for a Sportster. This one is for a BT also.

[DogBunny]

I've never seen a hydraulic clutch for a Sportster. This one is for a BT also.
Here's the one that fits Sportsters, '86 to '07. And, it's only $449.95 !
http://www.hotbikeweb.com/tech/0709_hbkp_sportster_mainstreet_hydraulic_clutch_in stall/index.html
But, still, that's cheaper than surgery...

[Takingabreak]

May I suggest that you try to lube up your cable with Bike aid dry lube.

It is amazing how much this stuff will ease the force needed to pull the clutch.

[wabiker]

My injury was actually work related, but it severly hampered my Clutch Grip, I tried several wraps like this one and found the neoprene version helped the most:

http://www.beckcem.com/images/751.jpg

[funnythebunny]

I took a NightRod on a test drive that was equipped with a hydraulic clutch, and I wasn't impressed. Installing a clutch ramp extension will give the same results, at a reduced price $35 vs. $499.

Now, since my bike is a 2005, and the AMP EZ-Clutch was designed for up to 2003, I have to change my left hand levers, brackets and pivot pins down to a 2003 model. (Thanks to the new re-design of the rummbermounted EVO's handlebar "reduced effort levers")

I've been gathering the needed parts for the conversion from http://www.zanottimotor.com, XLF members and my local stealership.

Once all the parts are gathered, I'll take detailed pictures and post a "how to convert" slideshow.

[milmat1]

I just turned 40 and a little out of shape, although still very active. Middle age has hit me like a ton of bricks! Does that mean I can begin my midlife crisis?:laugh

Just Wait !!
I'm 45 and I feel all those stupid things I did when I was young every morning now !!
Sound like a Popcorn Popper when I get up and walk first thing in the morning.LOL

I have traded the smoke and 90 proof for VICODIN !!..............:shhhh

[jpenney]

I'm going through a tennis elbow injury at the moment. I use ice, and a pressure strap. I play type and use screwdrivers a lot at work, then I ride, then I play guitar, bass, and drums some each day. I finally went to the doctor when I couldn't use my right arm to pull a pint glass to my lips.

I had been feeling a lot better but yesterday I forgot my pressure strap and I am paying for it now. I'll hit the ibuprofen and ice and make sure I keep the strap with me.

[wandrur]

You know, the funny thing is that, when I first read the title to this thread, I was thinking about *intentional* injuries. How strange is that?? Ha.

[funnythebunny]

You know, the funny thing is that, when I first read the title to this thread, I was thinking about *intentional* injuries. How strange is that?? Ha.

You mean like an Evel Knievel wanna-be type of riding?:tour:wonderlan

[wandrur]

You mean like an Evel Knievel wanna-be type of riding?:tour:wonderlan

Oooo, someone's gonna roast you for that one! :gun

[funnythebunny]

Well, it's been over a week since I got injections for the pain in the ebow area, and I must say, the pain is 90% gone with full elbow and hand motion returning; I still have a little bit of pain, but it's manageable and I'm able to continue at work.

For those of you that got this treatment, how did this work for you? How long should this relief work for?

[wandrur]

Good to hear things are improving!

[OldTymeCowboy]

Epicondylitis?
Suggestions:
- see a good orthopedic physical therapist (check credentials)
- he/she may try iontophoresis
- ice pack and/or ice massage
- slightly larger and/or tacky grips
- counter-force brace just below your elbow
- stretching your forearm muscles

g'luck

[Likemlouder]

i have the same problem in my right elbow. when it get"s too bad i go in for an injection. but most of the time i wear a little cuff with an air bladder. it velcros on put the air pouch about an inch below your elbow topside of arm and tighten it up. if i wear it 3 or 4 days a week it really help"s me. about 15 bucks at the drug store. i am 56 so i need all the help i can get. i ride with mini apes helps my back and elbow more than any thing . i have tried em all.

[Nobby]

Ive had "tennis elbow" in both arms for years now, never really thought it could be down to riding, I always thought it was my job (lots of heavy lifting and twisting).

The injections never did a thing for me apart from hurt like hell at first and the elbow strap just seems to make the pain worse.

Im on 3 Naproxen a day, which is the only thing that actually relieves the constant ache and shooting pains. If I forget to take 1 it starts coming back.

The real bummer is after about an hour on the bike my fingers go numb and I have to pull over and rest for a while.

I aint giving up, I would rather find a different job and pump meself full of drugs, I plan to have my sporties for a very long time :tour

Nobby:)

[funnythebunny]

Well, it's been close to six months since I got the injections and the pain was almost all gone. For the most part, I'm able to ride (weather, work schedule & wife permitting) and work without problems. When I'm in a lot of pain, Naproxen takes care of it. I got the parts needed to soften my clutch with an EZ Pull device from AMP Research. This part was the deal breaker. If this clutch wasn't going to get any softer, the bike would need to go. If you have the same problems I had, consider it, well worth the investment!!

[funnythebunny]

Yesterday I received my second set of cortizone injections. Man, they hurt like hell. Anyways, 24 hours later, and the pain is slowly going away. I was sent for therapy to strenghten the forearms and grip. Hopefully I'll be able to ride pain free in a couple more months (wife and weather permitting).

[loki03xlh]

You know I'm just kidding. Follow your doc's advice. I had "golfers" elbow many years ago before I even started playing golf. I ended up having surgery-not fun. Good luck.

I have golfers elbow too. Been bugging me for the past two years. I have to get a cortisone shot every 6 months or so. How bad was the surgery? How did the rehab process go?

[milmat1]

One Word : VICODIN

[funnythebunny]

One Word : VICODIN

Three letters: DUI