I also find the varied responses in this thread interesting professionally.
The general consensus from studies is that lateral epicondylitis is universal, self limited, and that there is no treatment (stretches, injection, surgery) better than placebo. It gets better on its own over 12-24 months.
All that is still a matter of intense debate amongst upper extremity surgeons who swear this or that treatment works best for their patients of themselves. They just don’t have any good science to support their preference.
I am going to start prescribing Tungsten firearms for my patients who shoot.
Kidding aside, I wonder whether the cause of the pain is lifting a relatively heavy item, or the gripping and response to recoil.
If it is lifting, it seems like a lighter pistol would help, and if it is from gripping and recoil, the heavier gun would help. And, I have no idea whether the Legion frame gives you the benefits of polymer and weight of a steel pistol, or neither.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
" La rose est sans pourquoi, elle fleurit parce qu’elle fleurit ; Elle n’a souci d’elle-même, ne demande pas si on la voit. » Angelus Silesius
"There are problems in this universe for which there are no answers." Paul Muad'dib
I’ve generally had better luck and experiences shooting metal framed guns than I have polymer framed guns. With Glocks in particular I feel more snap and transfer of recoil energy through my hands. I generally have to grip them harder and as a result my hands typically will feel it more from shooting them. Contrast that with a Beretta 92 or P229 that I don’t have to grip as hard and the amount of felt recoil is generally reduced.
In order of how much vibration and recoil I feel in my hands in from most to least.
Glocks >>> Other Polymer pistols >> Aluminum framed pistols > Steel framed pistols
Glock’s polymer is great from a weight savings standpoint. It’s kinda the least good from a pure shooting aspect.
Elbow pain is a problem. I have to use a Tens unit once or twice a week. Sometimes it hurts so much its hard to hold with that arm.
I have less shooters elbow since switching from Sig 320s to CZ Shadow2s three years ago. But since then, I’ve also built grip strength, and improved my recoil management a lot. I am significantly more relaxed when shooting as well.
But I do think you need to lock wrist tendons more with a lighter gun, especially on the support side. When I do a long set of drills with a P-07, my support side forearm is sore.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Personal experience, take it for what it's worth...
Grip angle and operating mechanism have a lot to do with my level of comfort in sustained shooting activities. Much more than polymer versus metal. Neutral grip angles and hammer-fired operating mechanisms give me much more consistent comfort.
I find that I have to raise my elbows laterally when shooting Glocks... not to control recoil, however, but to keep the front sight indexed properly.
A lot of dumb decisions over the past 12 years means this position, while completely doable, aggravates pain in my wrists and elbows. Additionally, because I cannot really relax while shooting, I find that my front sight tracking is less consistent. If I flex too much or too little, I leave the goldilocks zone of pressure and end up with a front sight that needs microcorrections on each shot. I have to be very mindful while shooting Glocks or else I end up in an unnaturally hunched posture.
Shooting hammer-fired guns of comparable weight and with slightly more vertical grip angles allows me to shoot while relaxed, which means my sight tracking and timing are not dependent in active engagement of delts or tris. I can focus on consistent grip strength and eye-trigger coordination without excessive muscle engagement.
With a Commander-length lightweight 1911 (old version with the lightened slide), I get a front sight that returns to my original POA as well as a much slower, softer recoil cycle compared to the Glock (16# recoil spring and 23# mainspring decelerating a lightened slide versus 17# recoil spring and 5.5# striker spring decelerating a heavier slide). Even a steel-framed 10mm (22# recoil spring, 25# mainspring) is less aggravating to shoot long-term than the Glock 19.
Well, you may be a man. You may be a leprechaun. Only one thing’s for sure… you’re in the wrong basement.