Forearm and Elbow Pain and Grip Strength

Theres always a lot of questions with regards this area so can a moderator make this a sticky ( it`ll save people asking all the time ) if any1 has any tips on recovery / excersices please add to this thread


This thread is for anyone with forearm pains, elbow discomfort, weak grip strength.
Firstly, dont train through the pain, it`ll make it worse!
Some pains will need the attention of a doctor or physio, like elbow tendonitis, and some like forearm flexor pains firstly need rest and then training to build them up. 

Forearms - Heres a diagram of the forearm flexors and extensors:
http://www.monsterbars.com/forearm_bar006004.jpg
If you have a weak grip / forearms, scroll straight down to the list of excersises, if you have pain / discomfort, read on.

When they become strained the best thing for it is rest. You can try massaging the area, this often helps by increasing bloodflow, you can also try anti-inflamatories ( although dont take pain killers and train because you will make it worse without feeling it ) i like a hot shower and then deep heat! ( on forearms )

The ez bar seems to be a common factor / agravator so ease off this for a bit. Same goes for any other excesice which affects your forearms. Dont stress out tho, theres still lots you can do, like shoulder width chin-ups, i found that i could do these without any discomfort but if i went for a close grip it hurt like hell! Basically just get in the gym, try excersises with light weights, if it feels fine then progress up thru the weights to normal loads unless it hurts.

Stretching the forearms before and after training will help, to do this best, hold 1 hand out in front of you, use the other to press gently on the fingers bending them back and rotate your thumb in both directions, then swap sides. Also wrist rotations are good.

After you have allowed your forearms to recover ( sometimes it can take quite a while, sometimes just a couple of days off is enough ), try these excersises to help build up strength:


Static holds, load the bar and hold for desired period of time. 


Hang from a bar til failure, when you start finding it easy, try 1 handed and alternate arms ( rock climbers do this )


Plate pinches


Wrist curls ( put arms on a table with bumbells over the edge and slowly raise and lower the wrist keeping forearms on the table ) 


If you have an eagle catcher, that`ll help a lot, some people also use fat gripz ( they make the bar /  dumbell grip width 2 inch, which is harder than gripping the 1 inch bar ) i did a diy version of this with foam pipe lagging for 22mm pipe


Stand in front of a barbell, pick it up and raise it behind your back so your arms are stretched out and then lift wrists upwards keeping arms in the same position.. You wont need heavy weights to start with on this 1


If you have an eagle catcher, that`ll help a lot, some people also use fat gripz ( they make the bar /  dumbell grip width 2 inch, which is harder than gripping the 1 inch bar ) i did a diy version of this with foam pipe lagging for 22mm pipe


or something like this for grip strength? :  http://physiosupplies.c...Hand_Grip_Exerciser.html

* If any1 else has anything to add to the list of excersises or advice on this, feel free!

Elbows
Not all elbow pains are elbow tendonitis but it is very common... This is usually very painful shifting even small weight. 
With elbow pains, i would give it a week off and see if there is any improvement, maybe even take a course of anti-inflamatories ( ibuprofen ), but do not train for the week. After a week if there is no improvement, bite the bullet and make an appointment for the docs as they should be able to diagnose it ( the week off will have done you good no matter how you look at it ). If it is tennis elbow you might be told to rest it and take anti-inflamatories ( see, your already a step ahead ) and then come back in 2 weeks. If the discomfort has continued and is causing you problems then you might be given a cortisone injection. There is a limit on how many you can have on 1 joint in your lifetime , its either 2 or 3, so when they tell you to rest it for 2 weeks after the injection, make sure you do!

Beyond that i dont know much about elbows so any other comments / advice are very welcome

Stickied. If any member wishes to share their experiences, offer advice or ask for advice on this topic, please contribute below

Wow! Yes I would..
If anyone is experiencing any type of forearm, elbow or shoulder pain with no specific trauma as a cause, it is highly likely to be related to their biomechanics.
A very common cause is a tethered nervous system. For example the main nerve in the arm is the Median nerve which runs form the side of the neck, down the front of the arm, across the inside of the elbow and dowm the the fingers. It can, if tethered, cause pain at any point along the nervous system.
The tethering can be caused by a varieyt of things from a dysfunctional twisted pelvis, a tight shoulder in sub clinical tension or several other mechanical issues. 
It is potentially a very simple problem to address with some nerve mobilisatin work of 15 reps x 2 sets twice a day.
If anyone wishes to know more please feel free to ask.

I posted this recently in different thread but think that it may help others so here goes!
 
I have pain in my wrists (little finger side) when curling or doing dips, particulary when letting go of the bar. I have read that this has been described as the forearm equivilant shin splints, but I believe this is due to the wrist over-rotating (ie my wrists are inflexible) and that I have very slender wrists that naturally do not have much strength. 

I have only been trying to improve this area recently and have had some success, I would suggest that you try the following.

1) Don't use grips that cause pain (Duh).
2) I find that a narrow grip barbell curl to work best, keep it very strict and keep the elbows tucked as when they flair out the wrists over rotate.
3) Strengthen the wrists and forearms, so far the best two exercises I have found have been leverage bar and a wrist roller, but there are loads that I have yet to have a go with.  Look at http://www.gripfaq.com/Wrist_Strength_Exercises/ for more ideas.
4) Try not to use wrist supports, I only use these when heaving DB benching, and only because my wrists are usually sore from working them out.
 
If the above doesnt work in solving your problem (this will take some time) then you will have to ditch the ez bar/barbell all together and do concentration curls and close grip chin ups.

i always get pain in forearms when doing curls

my fix is to use a curl machine thing which means i dont have to grip i can keep hands open and pull

fixes the problem

see my Q&A for how to release the Median nerve
;)

Regaurding elbow pain,  have had 4 cortisone injections in my right elbow
and 5 in my left elbow over thew last 2 1/2 years and they are still
both f**ckd.

The best thing i have found for elbow pain is anadrol and decca. Not advocating this to anyone but it is the only way i can train once the cortisone wears off

rachfit where is your q and a? i would be interested in reading it! thanks

Its the thread directly below this one mate, the biomechanics Q and A

Thanks Sheilds :)

i have problems with both shoulders both elbows and wrists....I am a truck driver but I unload to supermarkets,,,The roll cages I pull push and tug are over 55kgms each and I have 44 a day to deliver..I am 5ft 3 and  13.11 in weight and 52 years of age...Im in agony.can Rachel help me ?

have problems with both shoulders both elbows and wrists....I am a truck driver but I unload to supermarkets,,,The roll cages I pull push and tug are over 55kgms each and I have 44 a day to deliver..I am 5ft 3 and  13.11 in weight and 52 years of age...Im in agony.can Rachel help me ?

Ladybird51


i have problems with both shoulders both elbows and wrists....I am a truck driver but I unload to supermarkets,,,The roll cages I pull push and tug are over 55kgms each and I have 44 a day to deliver..I am 5ft 3 and  13.11 in weight and 52 years of age...Im in agony.can Rachel help me ?

HI Ladybird
PLease take a look through the thread of the Biomechanics Q&A as there are some great tips in there. If however you want to ask somemore specific questions please do so in the Q&A as my response maybe beneficial to others..see you there!
:)

Hello all,

Has anyone of you had this? Swollen wrist due to usage of straps over years? It's very painful and I've had it for almost 3 weeks. I can still do push exercises etc but training back using straps is damn painful. I got myself some padded straps, these are less painful. I though the wrist was torn apart by heavy dead lifts but the doc said it was tendinitis and should subside in several weeks. As you all know, it's hard to take a break!! Guess I'll take it a little easier for the coming weeks and see what happens...

stokie


Regaurding elbow pain,  have had 4 cortisone injections in my right elbow
and 5 in my left elbow over thew last 2 1/2 years and they are still
both f**ckd.

The best thing i have found for elbow pain is anadrol and decca. Not advocating this to anyone but it is the only way i can train once the cortisone wears off

Have you tried Nutrawound.  It was originally made to fix knackered horses with bad limbs but they also make it in human version.
It fixes old injuries through the nitric oxide path. I bought it when two bones in my neck felt like they were stuck together and my shoulder was stuck to my ear as if I was on a phone call. I thought it was something serious as I couldn't get my shoulder to come down. This stuff started to work within a few days and worked wonders. It's not one of those miracle pills, it really works. I still have a neck problem but no pain from it and it feels almost normal and stopped me needing to go to the hospital. The main ingredient is horsechestnut extract. It makes your body repair itself fast as if you have just been injured. Normally you get a few months after an injury to recover then it stops. This jumpstarts the process again. It works best if you don't do hard work outs for a few days and you have to take it as stated or it won't work (if you are very large - take extra capsules - it's not going to hurt you). It also won't work with certain painkillers and you need to take it on an empty stomach ( they say 1 hour but it's better if you haven't eaten for two hours).

Thought I would ask about the elbow pain I get.  I only seem to get whilst benching or any kind of heavy weights "push" when my right elbow is at about 90 degrees, anywhere other than that angle and I don't feel any pain. 

 I can do bicep curls and feel nothing, I can dead lift and feel nothing but when I bench after a few reps I feel the pain in my right elbow - quite a deep, sharp pain that feels as if it is right in the middle of the joint.  I can do dumbbell flys and not feel the pain - occasionally I might feel a twinge.  It means I cannot bench to weights that I should be and probably the reason my chest is lagging.

Have been to the doctors before who never really diagnosed anything except to try anti-inflammatory tablets.  It is still here after months and months so I guess I need to go back.

Any advice from anyone? 

New2Lifting


Thought I would ask about the elbow pain I get.  I only seem to get whilst benching or any kind of heavy weights "push" when my right elbow is at about 90 degrees, anywhere other than that angle and I don't feel any pain. 

I can do bicep curls and feel nothing, I can dead lift and feel nothing but when I bench after a few reps I feel the pain in my right elbow - quite a deep, sharp pain that feels as if it is right in the middle of the joint.  I can do dumbbell flys and not feel the pain - occasionally I might feel a twinge.  It means I cannot bench to weights that I should be and probably the reason my chest is lagging.

Have been to the doctors before who never really diagnosed anything except to try anti-inflammatory tablets.  It is still here after months and months so I guess I need to go back.

Any advice from anyone? 

Hi there
I strongly recommend a full biomechanical screen. This will show you what biomechanical dysfunctions could be contributing to issues like the one you have described.
We will be adding a register to our website very soon.
:)

I have a problem with my forearms when i come to the end of my bicep workout. its not a pain as such though, its like a tingle and numbness of my forearms???

every night i wake up due to numbness in my arms, i know this is common with everyone, but its both arms and its nearly every night? i do sleep with my arms under the pillow so its probably due to lack of blood supply, but its annoying me now because its happening at the gym

briankelly1986


I have a problem with my forearms when i come to the end of my bicep workout. its not a pain as such though, its like a tingle and numbness of my forearms???

every night i wake up due to numbness in my arms, i know this is common with everyone, but its both arms and its nearly every night? i do sleep with my arms under the pillow so its probably due to lack of blood supply, but its annoying me now because its happening at the gym

Check the Median nerve release technique in Biomechanics Q&A mate. It is very common and potentially linked to tethered nerves which can be very easy to release.

I have problem with my left elbow it cracks quite often espcially after doin push movements ie-chest or shoulders,no ammount of rest cures it,people have said they think its artharittus(spelling)so going to try cod liver to see if that helps,only 31 cant have artharittus at my age   :s