pain in forearms

Hey guys.. about 3 weeks ago I started getting a sharp pain in my forearms when doing curls. The first time it happened I stopped witht he bicep workout, and didnt try until the following week.. Well it happened again, so this time instead of stopping, I just went lighter and easier, made sure I was using perfect form. Well it is still happening, 3 1/2 weeks later.. I can get through it, but it is annoying.. Kind of like shin splints on your forearms.. Anyone else get this or know what I get do to get rid of it?

got the same problem...everyone gets it at one point or another it seems. If youre using straight bar try switching to ez bar. If you still want to do straight bar, try using wrist wraps, they make it easier. In the mean time work your forearms hard on a seperate day from back and bi's...it will take time, up to a couple of months, but work through it.

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Originally Posted by GunTotingHipGangster

got the same problem...everyone gets it at one point or another it seems. If youre using straight bar try switching to ez bar. If you still want to do straight bar, try using wrist wraps, they make it easier. In the mean time work your forearms hard on a seperate day from back and bi's...it will take time, up to a couple of months, but work through it.

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yea I was thinkin about workin my forearms.. I did that for that muscle in my shin and the splints went away.. I will try that and let you know, thanks!

no prob

This problem occurs because the elbow joint is not designed to operate under high load when the wrist is in a supinated (palms facing) position. As the elbow flexes, the wrist supinates, and as the elbow extends it naturally pronates. The natural path of elbow motion is not in a straight line and a lot of stress is put on the bones of the forearm when you use a bar.

When using a bar, pressure is put on the forearms. When you use dumbells, the pressure is put onto the biceps muscle and the biceps prevent the wrist from rotating, rather than the bones!!!

That is why I don't ever do bar curls, just db curls, whether that is standing alternating or incline supinating. The main function of the biceps is to rotate the palms towards you, and you can see this because the common tendon attaches on the inner side of your forearm. It is not in the middle, it is on the inner side so that when you contract your biceps it pulls that inner side towards you, rotating your wrist.

To avoid this problem which will only get worse, quit bar curls. Use dumbells, and try other bicep exercises, including compound ones such as underhand grip chins. You can also try the ez-bar like Gun suggests.

Whether this is splints of the forearm or not, it is hard to say. It could be the connective tissue or the bones, not the muscles. It does tend to come and go away, you are right.

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Originally Posted by Flexor

This problem occurs because the elbow joint is not designed to operate under high load when the wrist is in a supinated (palms facing) position. As the elbow flexes, the wrist supinates, and as the elbow extends it naturally pronates. The natural path of elbow motion is not in a straight line and a lot of stress is put on the bones of the forearm when you use a bar.

When using a bar, pressure is put on the forearms. When you use dumbells, the pressure is put onto the biceps muscle and the biceps prevent the wrist from rotating, rather than the bones!!!

That is why I don't ever do bar curls, just db curls, whether that is standing alternating or incline supinating. The main function of the biceps is to rotate the palms towards you, and you can see this because the common tendon attaches on the inner side of your forearm. It is not in the middle, it is on the inner side so that when you contract your biceps it pulls that inner side towards you, rotating your wrist.

To avoid this problem which will only get worse, quit bar curls. Use dumbells, and try other bicep exercises, including compound ones such as underhand grip chins. You can also try the ez-bar like Gun suggests.

Whether this is splints of the forearm or not, it is hard to say. It could be the connective tissue or the bones, not the muscles. It does tend to come and go away, you are right.

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Nice info.. I will try the DB's next time.. previously I have been using the ez bar.. I had wrist surgery a couple years back and doing bar curls puts too much strain... The only time I can feel it when im not working out is if I push a finger into the spot where it hurts, if I get it right I can get a sharp pain.. but it is fairly hard to locate exactly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flexor

This problem occurs because the elbow joint is not designed to operate under high load when the wrist is in a supinated (palms facing) position. As the elbow flexes, the wrist supinates, and as the elbow extends it naturally pronates. The natural path of elbow motion is not in a straight line and a lot of stress is put on the bones of the forearm when you use a bar.

When using a bar, pressure is put on the forearms. When you use dumbells, the pressure is put onto the biceps muscle and the biceps prevent the wrist from rotating, rather than the bones!!!

That is why I don't ever do bar curls, just db curls, whether that is standing alternating or incline supinating. The main function of the biceps is to rotate the palms towards you, and you can see this because the common tendon attaches on the inner side of your forearm. It is not in the middle, it is on the inner side so that when you contract your biceps it pulls that inner side towards you, rotating your wrist.

To avoid this problem which will only get worse, quit bar curls. Use dumbells, and try other bicep exercises, including compound ones such as underhand grip chins. You can also try the ez-bar like Gun suggests.

Whether this is splints of the forearm or not, it is hard to say. It could be the connective tissue or the bones, not the muscles. It does tend to come and go away, you are right.

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i have the same problem. thanks for the info.

Also release your grip slowly from the bar or dumbell, it reduces the tension slower so that it doesn't cause a spasm.

Flexor is giving you a lot of good info... but is this a cramp - or short spasms? I get these pretty easy in abs, calves and forearms if I let myself get too dehydrated... can be quite painful as the muscle forcefully contracts due to an electrolyte inbalance (mostly to do with calcium's role in muscle contractions)... my last forearm contraction was actually while I was holding up my wife (:wg:) and the forearm brachi locked into full contraction leeping my arm at about 90 degrees and I could not release it...

I think its likely it is the spasm type pain, judging by the 'shin splints' description. A cramp in the actual muscle must be horrible!

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Originally Posted by Flexor

I think its likely it is the spasm type pain, judging by the 'shin splints' description. A cramp in the actual muscle must be horrible!

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Yeah man, Calves and Abs are equally painful too... :icon_piss

use forearm straps

I was having the same issue when curling with a curl bar. I started using dumbells for curls and I don't get that pain anymore.

I have the same problem with painful forearms. i layed off working back and bis for months and it only got marginally better. You could try coral calcium, ive heard it works well for some! Good luck bro

i get the same pain when i do straight bar curls....doesnt really hurt tooo bad while im curling but letting go of the bar absolutly kills. i have to release it very slow and almost let my hands slowly curl back down. it sucks cause my bis are starting to slip away from everything else that is growing......duno what to do