[pct-l] bone problems from trekking pole use?

[reith@ucsub.colorado.edu (Emily Reith)]

Hi Folks-

Just a quick question from a usually silent reader (although I admit that
I had to purposefully not read lots of digests in the last month so that I
wouldn't drop out of school and take a bus to Campo!).

Has anybody either experienced or heard of anybody who has developed a
"stress reaction" in any of their arm bones after prolonged trekking pole
use?  I am really grasping to straws now, but desparate for answers.

A short summary of the root of my question:  About 6 months after my AT
thru hike I started to experience intermittant aching in my left radius
(I'm right handed).  The aching gradually became more persistant despite
not using the arm for anything (not even carying groceries).  After being
told that I had tendonitis and being sent to physical therapy without any
pain relief they checked my nerves and did a plain x-ray and still found
nothing.

I then hiked the first 950 miles of the PCT last spring during which time
I used my trusty poles again and my arm actually started feeling some
better.  After leaving the trail the ache came back again, only this time
much worse.  I pitched a few fits in doctors offices and they finally
ordered a bone scan, MRI and CT scan.  All were abnormal but inconclusive.
There was some concern that there was a tumor so 2 weeks ago the tumor
specialist in Colorado operated to do a biopsy and found no tumor, but did
find significant thinning of the bone wall and inflamation in the marrow.
His conclusion is that it is some type of stress reaction (the stage
before a stress fracture).  I can't for the life of me figure out what I
could be doing to casue this.  The only thing that seems possible is the
3000 miles of pounding with trekking poles in the last three years, but
interestingly the pain is not assiciated with this activity.

So in hopes of resolving the cause of my nearly 2 year arm pain, I
thought I'd try my favorite group of long distance hikers and see if
anybody has ever heard of this.

Thanks for your time and help!  Happy hiking!  Emily