About 3 weeks ago I started shooting and dry firing every night at home in preparation for an upcoming Michigan State IDPA shooting competition. As time went by, I started developing pain in the elbow of my support hand when firmly gripping the gun. As the State match approached, my grip ability to grip the gun firmly diminished to the point that I had to completely abandon my normal shooting index/grip and I shot poorly in the State Meet (23 out of 40 in my class).
I am pretty well convinced I have developed "tennis elbow". I have read many articles that tell how to rehab with stretching and exercise, but it seems that will only work after resting the arm a considerable amount of time. I have 2 more months of matches ahead of me and I am trying to decide whether I should continue occasional practice loaded up on Ibuprofen or whether I should simply stop shooting. I am really torn as I want to continue shooting until the season ends this fall.
Any advice from docs here on diet or rehab to help me finish out the season?
I shoot with a thumbs forward, wrist rotated, thumbs forward firm squeeze which now causes pain with the slightest hint of squeeze pressure from my fingers.
My support hand grip (no pain until I squeeze with my fingers)
Picking up any large object even if it is very light in this position causes significant pain the instant I start applying grip pressure with my fingers.
