Forearm pain from barbell work

[lgllyinsn]

I am new to the sport but lifting 2 solid years. I had a question I was hoping to get some guidance on, I have this unbeleivable pain that goes down my forearms, really sore when doing bi and tri and on some bench days of course. I tried to lay off of preacher curls but they are starting to hamper my gym time. So what is it and how can I get rid of it?

[Rimbaud]

I don't have a clue.

Do you have health insurance? If you do I'd recommend you go to a sports medicine doctor/clinic.

[pumpster]

It's from repetitive movements that cause aggrevation to the forearm tissues based on the angles and grip used on the exercises causing it.

All you can do is take a break from any direct work that causes it, wait until it goes away and then try variations of the same movements, using different angles of grip width and grips. For example different types of bars for curls, e-z curl or hammer for tris, etc.

Also try different exercises that will allow the grip to be at different angles than that currently used. For example incline, seated or standing DB curls, cable curls, etc. Keep the reps in the moderate-high range, no heavy weight with low reps. Rests between sets of no more than a minute, to keep the area warm.

Only after you've tried different exercises to see if it's specific to those exercises will you know if a doc's needed. If you're unable to work around it then you'll have to see a doc.

[lgllyinsn]

Thank you. The advice is greatly appreciated. Yes I do have insurance but most of the quacks are docs in my area so I was trying to get advice before I let some doc tell me to take 800 mg of Ibuprofen. Thank You again I will try.

[Rimbaud]

Thank you. The advice is greatly appreciated. Yes I do have insurance but most of the quacks are docs in my area so I was trying to get advice before I let some doc tell me to take 800 mg of Ibuprofen. Thank You again I will try.

That's why I told you to go somewhere sports medicine oriented.

[John O]

I had that problem once . Got a Cortisone shot and took it easy for a while. I still have to be careful I don't do a lot of forearm work directy, but once in a while in the off season I will do reverse grip curls. far less pain then hammer curls.

[pumpster]

I had that problem once . Got a Cortisone shot and took it easy for a while. I still have to be careful I don't do a lot of forearm work directy, but once in a while in the off season I will do reverse grip curls. far less pain then hammer curls.

Cortisone shots are a last resort that work miracles but shouldn't be used too often as they'll become less and less effective.

Bottom line you have to figure out which exercises and grips are causing the problem and avoid them in future, or the problem will return.

Happened to me recently. For me it's neutral/hammer grip pulldowns/chins. Was able to find out that this grip in particular was causing it and now never use it; any other variations are fine & never cause pain. You have to use trial & error over a few weeks of workouts to isolate what exactly is causing the pain.

[MustangAce]

Great replies.  I wanted to chime in I had this very same pain anytime I did preacher curls with two 25 lb plates or higher.  I found that when I set down the bar down, if I released my grip immediately the pain was significantly worse.  If I held my grip even after the bar touched the stand and slowly let the tension fall out of my arm / hand it was better. 

[thewickedtruth]

When I go heavy on barbell curls, I get this dull ache/pain for the rest of the workout day in my right forearm. Almost feels as if I broke it but I know it's not a break. Is it just underdeveloped tendons from not having done barbell curls for any amount of time? Will it go away eventually after doing them for awhile?

[Princess L]

When I go heavy on barbell curls, I get this dull ache/pain for the rest of the workout day in my right forearm. Almost feels as if I broke it but I know it's not a break. Is it just underdeveloped tendons from not having done barbell curls for any amount of time? Will it go away eventually after doing them for awhile?

Try an EZ bar.  Make sure not to over extend your wrists during the movement.

[HalloweenMan]

Great replies.  I wanted to chime in I had this very same pain anytime I did preacher curls with two 25 lb plates or higher.  I found that when I set down the bar down, if I released my grip immediately the pain was significantly worse.  If I held my grip even after the bar touched the stand and slowly let the tension fall out of my arm / hand it was better. 

ditto for me, but with dumbbell curls.  as soon as i let go, the pain would be 100 times worse.  i lowered the weight and added more reps and the problem went away.  same thing happened with barbell curls, and i lowered the weight and upped the reps for a few weeks, working back up to what i was doing and the problem was gone and hasnt returned since. 

[1 G of E]

simply put, the weight is too heavy. dont use a straight barbell to do curls. This can hurt your forarms for the entire week to come.

supersets with light/medium weights have stretch marks on my bi's and tri's

give em a try.

[kevcat]

Same problem bro.Ive had this problem for a long time.It was only with any bicep movements that i felt terrible pain running through my forearm.I simply had to to stop any direct bicep work and changed my grip to hammer curls very light which gave me no pain at all.Took about 2 months still for the pain to go away completely...BUT i learned a tough lesson.I went back to trying to use heavy barbell curls etc again but it came back within about a month and once again im back to doing no direct bicep work except my wrists being in the hammer curl position! When it heals this time i wont make the same mistake.Just give it time and dont do anyhting that gives you pain ( obvious i know ) and good luck!

[Zach Trowbridge]

For biceps and triceps, avoid anything that has your wrist completely supinated (bb curls) or completely pronated (pressdowns with a straight bar).  And make sure that your wrist stays fixed in position - a lot of people let their wrists fall backwards with heavier weight and that just puts extra stress on the joints and ligaments.

And if you want, you can try some direct forearm work using an ez bar for wrist curls and reverse wrist curls instead of a straight bar.  Works pretty well that way - I'm surprised more people don't try it.

[kevcat]

G of E its not the weights too heavy........I cudnt go over maybe 40lbs on BB curls becos of the pain, and that used to be my warmup, so u suggest i lower it and do 50 rep sets?? Cos thats what id be able to do if i lightened the weight so much as to curl pain free....

[koolie1]

Is this in 1 forearm or both? If its in one forearm, it could be a partial biceps tear. I would get that checked out and just cause it mught not urt so much while doing other excercises thats DOES NOT mean you are not damaging it more.

[Swedish Viking]

i often get this and i think it happens to a lot of people.  Try kneeding your extensors with your knuckles and see if you have any knots in there-most weightlifters do. 

[pumpster]

My own experience is that something in the ROM from doing BB curls is aggrevating the arm. You can try to work through it but that can be rough and cause more pain.

Instead, i'd find alternatives, then come back to BB curls later. It's tedious to have to go to other things but sometimes the alternatives are actually better, trigger some new growth. Try standing cable curls, DB curls, incline curls, preachers, etc. The standing cable curls are completely under-rated, one of the best for size and while the movement's very similar to BB curls i find that it doesn't aggrevate the arms as much, in part by trying different grip widths.

E-Z curl i wouldn't suggest for standing curls, only for preachers. On standing curls it takes too much tension off the bis, IMO.

[Swedish Viking]

i mentioned this in the other thread...it could just be 'knots' or adhesians...weightlifter s get them in their forearms all the time-extensors specifically, and they'll definitely give you pain during Bi work or back work.  Try kneading out your extensors and then doing some forearm work directly after.  Then keep it up!

[koolie1]

Never EVER rule out a biceps teAR OF THE DISTAL TENDON. If you keep lifting with a tear your in for some trouble. Pain is your bodys way of saying something is not right. This whole thing of no pain no gain is bullshit. If you have pain for weeks at a time you should see a doctor. Getbig poeple ARE NOT DOCTORS.

[pumpster]

If you have pain for weeks at a time you should see a doctor. Getbig poeple ARE NOT DOCTORS.

Agreed, but what's being discussed in general might be considered not yet extremely serious, pain that's manageable that might or might not have the potential to get worse.

You'd be right in cases in which the situation's bad and doesn't get better though.

[pumpster]

Is this in 1 forearm or both? If its in one forearm, it could be a partial biceps tear. I would get that checked out and just cause it mught not urt so much while doing other excercises thats DOES NOT mean you are not damaging it more.

This is one possibility; the best thing would be to gently try to work around it if it doesn't seem too serious, if the pain starts to diminish. A worst-case scenario would generally involve an injury that would get worse or stay the same over time.

[Monster81]

When I go heavy on barbell curls, I get this dull ache/pain for the rest of the workout day in my right forearm. Almost feels as if I broke it but I know it's not a break. Is it just underdeveloped tendons from not having done barbell curls for any amount of time? Will it go away eventually after doing them for awhile?

i know nothing beats a basic barbell curls for mass biceps building
i have experienced that kind of pain before,  imo u should do a bit lighter weight for more reps till ur arms get used to it, it takes time, and then gradually increase the weight, and also work ur forearms after biceps to strengthen em up, that can help a lot.
a good alternative is the ez bar, but still cant beat that barbrll curl

[Monster81]

I am new to the sport but lifting 2 solid years. I had a question I was hoping to get some guidance on, I have this unbeleivable pain that goes down my forearms, really sore when doing bi and tri and on some bench days of course. I tried to lay off of preacher curls but they are starting to hamper my gym time. So what is it and how can I get rid of it?

apply 'pain relieving cream or gel' to ur forearms and message it before ur workout , and also wear long sleve t-shirt or have them wrapped ,that can help keep ur forearms warmed properly and avoid injuries, imo this pain will fade a way after a while when ur forearms muscles get used to the exercises and get  stronger

[bigjoex]

im getting a horrible pain in my forearms and its ruining my workouts.. i dont get it with back or shoulders or legs. i get it when im doing bis and some times tris and some times chest. but not with dumbell curls for bis but the majority of oither curls it hurts.. it feels like someone is sticking a fucking knife down my forearm and poking at my elbow. it hurts even after workouts now. I have been told by friends that it can be from my body growing to fast because my forearms grow like crazy; and i hear that it could be that i tore/ sprained something.. i dont know what to believe because they never got it lol.. hereis a pic of were it hurts. the place that is circled is where i feel the pain.



any1 have any news? a trainer told me its because i do alot of upper body and its just stress and i should take time off and let it heal. any1 have any suggestions or had this before?