When I Flex My Arm to Make a Muscle, I Feel Pain. What Is It?

Erez Fifty · January 8, 2017 · Washington DC · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: twenty

I have been battling pain in my forearms for over 2 years now.

I have seen multiple doctors whom have injected me with cortisone, PRP, dry needling etc. The doctors are not sure what I take.

The pain is closest to the within of my arm most/on the Brachioradialis.

The pain is oftentimes a irksome ache that eventually becomes a precipitous hurting when irritated. I accept tried doing plenty of PT likewise as taking plenty of time off for balance. I take ice massaged, used an Armaid, etc.

The pain began in my left arm simply at present information technology seems like my right arm is following in pursuit. It seems my body likes to replicate the pain to both sides.

Has anyone else on here battled hurting in the inner forearm on the Brachioradialis and had any success doing annihilation?

Circle is where hurting resides

JK- Branin · Jan 8, 2017 · NYC-ish · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 56

Accept yous seen an orthopedic specialist amidst the different doctors? 10-rays or MRIs? Are you in a city big enough to have an Ortho who specializes in elbows (normally shoulders and elbows in my experience...).

Ryanb. · Jan eight, 2017 · Chattanooga · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 5

I bet y'all have already tried rehab for medial epicondylitis? Theraband flexbar?

Erick Valler · Jan 8, 2017 · flat midwest · Joined February 2011 · Points: 20

I've likewise dealt with a strain/tear/result in the brachioradialis on my right arm since last leap. Remember hurting information technology while doing supplementary bicep curls afterward a hangboard conditioning. Don't take much to offer, sounds like you've done even more for rehabilitation than I accept which is discouraging to hear yous're nonetheless having the upshot. Chief reason for commenting is to exist able to follow the thread. I tried taping/using a lawn tennis elbow strap to employ pressure during climbing but I establish it then fabricated the other part of the muscle near the bicep have to exercise more work which scared me almost injuring it so I gave up the strap. Now I try to only climb smart and not repeatedly undercling or practice annihilation that aggravates information technology. Hope to hear some good news from others that volition help us out that doesn't crave the horrendous prospect of not climbing until it heals.

Erez 50 · Jan 8, 2017 · Washington DC · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 20

I have gotten an X-ray, ultra sound, all inconclusive.

Tried a thera band havent tried using the bar nevertheless. I take 2 at dwelling house I'll requite those a shot for a week.

JNE · Jan viii, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined April 2006 · Points: 2,125

I am not a medical medico, nor practise I have any preparation every bit 1. I do even so have years of experience with this specific upshot, and would beloved to try and help you lot out. When I dealt with these issues I could non afford a real specialist, so I too could not observe much worthwhile communication. The things which take worked for me are:

-hammer exercise: hold a hammer straight out in front of you and rotate it slowly to whichever side your body is on, from vertical down to horizontal and back to vertical. So flip the hammer upside downwardly and exercise the same matter, this time rotating it upwards and to the side away from your body. Go for 20-thirty reps (one rep being down then up, or up and so downwards, and fewer if you go really slowly) each way, and 2-3 sets. If this exercise hurts that part of your arm, equally per Esther Smiths advice, try doing 1 set up of five reps at a level where you don't experience whatever hurting 5-10 min after doing the exercise, 5 times interspersed throughout the day, and piece of work this slowly into doing 2-three sets of 20-30 reps post-climbing.

-stretching the forearm

-strengthening the elevation of the forearm. This is I think your best answer. The hammer practice will assistance here only besides check out the forearm roller do. No offense meant, merely based on the picture you have of yourself this is where you accept a muscular imbalance/weakness.

-working out the triceps, specifically the brachii and brachii lateral.

More data on my approach tin can be found hither. In particular check out that podcast that Ted and I both link to. One thing I am not sure I call back Esther mentioning in that is the importance of the front delt for overall shoulder stability, then maybe the answer lies in there as well.

Erez L · Jan eight, 2017 · Washington DC · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 20

Interesting workout. I have never tried turning the hammer upside down. Seems like that focuses more on the lateral side of the forearm, unfortunately that doesn't bother me (yet) simply its skillful for preventative.

I take been doing the hammer direct upwardly one for a few weeks, too much weight and it irritates information technology. I'one thousand likewise doing, wrist curls, rice saucepan, finger flexing.

Did you overcome your injury?

JNE · Jan viii, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: two,125

Erez Fifty wrote:Interesting workout. I have never tried turning the hammer upside downward. Seems similar that focuses more than on the lateral side of the forearm, unfortunately that doesn't bother me (yet) but its proficient for preventative.

Yes. Without it somewhen your arm and wrist will get out of whack.

Erez L wrote:I have been doing the hammer straight upwardly one for a few weeks, too much weight and it irritates it.

You can choke up on the hammer to reduce the strain. Also, bank check out that Esther Smith podcast, as she gives some very overnice and very specific advice for your specific status.

Erez Fifty wrote:I'grand also doing, wrist curls, rice bucket, finger flexing. Did you overcome your injury?

I don't take any experience with a rice bucket so I can't comment there. Wrist curls are a less-muscle-growth-inducing version of that roller-rope-weight exercise in my experience. Also, yes, I take gotten this tendonitis and gotten over information technology, several times, one well-nigh as badly as you have it at present and for me when that happened it was a weak triceps so I had to workout the triceps. Your triceps in dissimilarity wait fine. Mine responded to this, albeit slowly, but I could still feel a response within a few sessions, and it was notwithstanding mostly/entirely gone within 6-viii weeks.

Where you lot are feeling hurting is less relevant than where your muscles are relatively weak, every bit where you lot feel hurting will take as much to do with the actual muscle imbalance as it has to practise with your specific grip technique, pulling technique, the range of most of your motion, injury history, and general sports and training history. That is why this is non a simple upshot with a uncomplicated fix.

Y'all might too try some lemongrass essential oil to help reduce the inflammation. My experience with that is information technology does little when y'all put it on, only I could tell a Large difference the next day.

JNE · Jan 13, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,125

Erez and anyone else with this problem, FWIW, my about recent feel with this 'injury' is the last few training days upwards until last nighttime when information technology was gone.

I had the pain in the outside of my bicep right across the elbow from the brachioradialis, all the way upward the bicep, and the thing which reasonably quickly stock-still this was calculation some mass onto my triceps brachii and triceps brachii lateral. This in turn shifted the hurting onto the brachioradialis, which I in turn was able to address in 2 sessions by holding a hammer straight out in front of me (actually an adaptable barbell with weight on just one side) with the weight pointed at the ground, and lifting the weight up and out through a 90 degree arc, and so from vertical to horizontal and back down to vertical, for 30 quicker reps. I could feel relief immediately post-exercise. If those muscles are weak on your arm, and you lot have Erez's aforementioned injury, this might be the ticket. In contrast, the hammer held vertical version aggravated this for me.

Some other affair to add is that forearm stretches are very important for me with this detail practise I retrieve because of the under-structure of the forearm with respect to muscular length when the top muscles are underdeveloped. For this I suggest squatting down and putting your palms on the flooring with your fingers both pointing straight in front of yous as well as directly behind y'all, and gently lean toward your finger tips in either case, and hold for 30 sec to i min, breathing securely and relaxing and thus gently easing into the stretch the whole time.

Erez L · Jan 18, 2017 · Washington DC · Joined October 2012 · Points: 20

JNE wrote:Erez and anyone else with this problem, FWIW, my most recent experience with this 'injury' is the last few training days up until last night when it was gone. I had the pain in the outside of my bicep right across the elbow from the brachioradialis, all the way up the bicep, and the matter which reasonably speedily stock-still this was adding some mass onto my triceps brachii and triceps brachii lateral. This in plow shifted the hurting onto the brachioradialis, which I in turn was able to address in ii sessions past holding a hammer directly out in front of me (actually an adaptable barbell with weight on only i side) with the weight pointed at the ground, and lifting the weight up and out through a xc degree arc, so from vertical to horizontal and back downward to vertical, for 30 quicker reps. I could feel relief immediately post-practice. If those muscles are weak on your arm, and you lot have Erez's same injury, this might exist the ticket. In dissimilarity, the hammer held vertical version aggravated this for me. Another affair to add is that forearm stretches are very important for me with this detail practice I think because of the under-construction of the forearm with respect to muscular length when the top muscles are underdeveloped. For this I suggest squatting down and putting your palms on the floor with your fingers both pointing straight in front of you likewise as straight behind yous, and gently lean toward your finger tips in either case, and agree for thirty sec to 1 min, animate deeply and relaxing and thus gently easing into the stretch the whole time.

Thanks! Will give this a shot today.

Can you clarify your suggestion though? You lot say the hammer version of the practice irritates information technology but the ninety caste arc does not. I don't follow the difference between the 90 caste arc and the hammer? How is the exercise that works washed?

Nick Votto · Jan 18, 2017 · CO, CT, It · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

Commenting to follow this thread, I just recently adult this same issue after my first mean solar day back on the water ice this flavor. Thanks all

DRusso · Jan 18, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2014 · Points: 876

My feel with this is that people follow these exercises until the afflicted area stops hurting then the stop doing them.

This is something you should add to your regular preparation conditioning and practice on a weekly footing for the rest of the fourth dimension you want to exist a climber.

Think of it as preventative muscle balance, not a cure for something that is broken.

JNE · Jan eighteen, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,125

Thanks DRusso, and I concord completely. The only difference should exist the strain yous are working with: upwards the strain equally y'all heal, but never to the point of causing any discomfort. You lot can kickoff out as light equally you need to, simply if your arm hurts no matter what I would recommend resting a calendar week or two before starting this.

• *These are more than detailed instructions for the right hand. The left hand exercises will plainly simply be mirror images.**

For the kickoff two exercises beginning holding the hammer straight out in front of you with your right hand, and with your arm straight. Go along your shoulder dorsum and in the socket and stand up with straight posture.

(one)With the hammer caput pointed direct at the heaven, rotate the hammer head to your left (toward your body) down through a ninety degree arc (then down to horizontal), and then back up to vertical. This is a unmarried rep. I similar to do twenty-xxx quicker (most 1 to one.5 seconds) reps with this practise. You can also drop the weight and upwards the reps (while keeping the time well-nigh the same) if you feel you need to reduce the strain.

(two)For the second hammer practise, get-go with the hammer head pointed direct at the ground, and rotate the hammer head to your right (away from your body) upwards through a 90 caste arc (so up to horizontal), and then back down to vertical. Same communication in terms of reps.

This side by side practice volition use a dissimilar starting arm position. I did not recommend it before because doing information technology with the arm straight out in front pushes the range of motion of the arm and so causes extra strain in the within of the elbow and exterior of the wrist. This strain is reduced to a manageable level by changing arm position as described below.

(3)For the 3rd hammer do, hold the hammer with your elbow to your hip, or place your arm on a tabular array or other rest so that you lot can twist your arm without any problems with range of motility. Starting with the hammer head pointed straight at the sky, rotate the hammer to your right (away from your body) through a 90 degree arc (so down to horizontal), and and then dorsum upwards to vertical. Same advice in terms of reps.

Only do whichever of the three practise non aggravate the injury (plus the forearm roller if information technology also does not hurt, and with the same strict posture equally exercises (one) and (2)), delight don't forget to choke up on the hammer to customize the strain, please don't forget to include stretching, acceptable rest, and inflammation reduction, and good luck :)

Erez L · Jan 18, 2017 · Washington DC · Joined October 2012 · Points: 20

JNE wrote:Thank you DRusso, and I agree completely. The only difference should exist the strain y'all are working with: up the strain every bit you heal, but never to the bespeak of causing any discomfort. You tin can starting time out as light every bit y'all demand to, but if your arm hurts no affair what I would recommend resting a calendar week or 2 before starting this. **These are more than detailed instructions for the right manus. The left hand exercises will obviously just be mirror images.** For the starting time two exercises offset property the hammer straight out in front end of you with your right paw, and with your arm straight. Go on your shoulder back and in the socket and stand up with straight posture. (1)With the hammer caput pointed straight at the heaven, rotate the hammer head to your left (toward your body) down through a 90 degree arc (so down to horizontal), and then back up to vertical. This is a unmarried rep. I like to exercise 20-thirty quicker (about 1 to 1.5 seconds) reps with this do. You can likewise drop the weight and up the reps (while keeping the time about the same) if you experience you need to reduce the strain. (2)For the second hammer do, start with the hammer head pointed straight at the ground, and rotate the hammer head to your right (away from your body) upwards through a 90 degree arc (so upwards to horizontal), and and so back down to vertical. Same advice in terms of reps. This next practise volition use a dissimilar starting arm position. I did not recommend information technology before because doing it with the arm direct out in front pushes the range of motion of the arm and so causes extra strain in the within of the elbow and outside of the wrist. This strain is reduced to a manageable level by changing arm position as described below. (3)For the tertiary hammer do, hold the hammer with your elbow to your hip, or place your arm on a table or other rest so that y'all can twist your arm without any issues with range of motion. Starting with the hammer caput pointed straight at the sky, rotate the hammer to your right (abroad from your trunk) through a ninety caste arc (so downward to horizontal), so back upward to vertical. Aforementioned advice in terms of reps. Only do whichever of the three practise not aggravate the injury (plus the forearm roller if it as well does not hurt, and with the same strict posture as exercises (1) and (2)), please don't forget to asphyxiate upwards on the hammer to customize the strain, please don't forget to include stretching, acceptable residual, and inflammation reduction, and good luck :)

This is perfect. Thank you for the detailed instructions!

Erick Valler · Jan nineteen, 2017 · apartment midwest · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: xx

Cheers JNE for your thoughtful and thorough responses! I'm going to attempt all of these rehab techniques and hope to be close to 100% before long. Not sure where you're from or where you climb but if all of your communication and endeavor to give information technology provide whatsoever path towards recovery (seeing as this is the most thorough explanation I've found online) I'd love to buy you a beer (or 2). Thanks once more and if you come to the Midwest (RRG or DL) permit me know so we tin can crush some beers after crushing the rocks!

JNE · Jan xix, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,125

Erick Valler wrote:Thanks JNE for your thoughtful and thorough responses! I'one thousand going to try all of these rehab techniques and hope to be close to 100% soon. Non certain where you're from or where you climb but if all of your communication and effort to give it provide any path towards recovery (seeing as this is the almost thorough explanation I've constitute online) I'd beloved to buy you a beer (or 2). Thanks again and if yous come to the Midwest (RRG or DL) permit me know then nosotros tin crush some beers after crushing the rocks!

Absurd Erick, and I volition hopefully have that offering up sometime soon. I'k not sure when I will go out there but those places, especially the RRG, are on my "must visit before as well long" list.

I'grand glad to hear people want to endeavor this routine. It has been wonderful for me through the years. A few more pointers are for (ii), it is more ergonomic and therefore recommended to practise this with a slightly bent arm and the wrist notwithstanding held straight. Also when I say "shoulders back" I specifically hateful shoulders in proper alignment, which for most climbers will involve pinching their shoulder blades together and and then dropping their shoulder and letting their arm and shoulder come a trivial forward in the socket in order to get full or near full range of movement. This will take a niggling practice then only piece of work slowly at doing it the best y'all tin can.

Also, for (1) and (2), the weight that yous are using tin can exist increased while chocking down on the handle to the point that your hand is touching the weight/hammer caput in order to do more weight and therefore work the front delt more if that is what one wants, and information technology is worth pointing out this routine will striking most or all of the relevant rotator cuff muscles and their associated structures.

Lastly here are two more exercises for the wrist to actually round out the routine:

(4) With the arm resting on a table or chair armrest, hold the hammer with the head pointing straight up, and so swing the hammer slowly down and frontwards through your total range of movement every bit if trying to hammer in a boom, then bring the hammer back to vertical. This is one rep. I similar to do these slowly and with more than weight and so fewer reps, then I work in the viii-xvi rep range. I am likewise extra cautious not to use the weight to push the range of movement of the wrist.

(5) Standing with your arm held straight downwardly at your side and the hammer head pointed straight dorsum abroad from y'all, lift the caput of the hammer up toward the back of your forearm through the total range of motion of the wrist, and then lower information technology back to horizontal. This is i rep, and I do the same matter as (four).

I recommend starting out with 2 sets of each exercise you are doing, and working upwards from there. I like to practice iii to four sets under the thought that I need to become a comparable amount of work washed with these muscles every bit my climbing muscles in order to have them keep up in terms of strength and growth. I also never plan on making this a forcefulness routine but instead plan on always keeping it in the hypertrophy range and limiting growth to the desired level by not increasing the weight past a sure point except when I add muscle to the belly of my forearms. Also, if all you take is a simple hammer, doing all these exercises until you get a deep and called-for pump has worked all-time for me.

Jon Frisby · Jan 19, 2017 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 249

Huge thanks JNE! I'grand doing 1 and 3 but will definitely try at least 2 and 5 and probably 4 every bit well.

Immature Finn the Climber · January 20, 2017 · Pueblo, Colorado · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 65

Climbers elbow, AKA golfers elbow. From what I understand it is the most common climbing over use injury. Lots of exercises for information technology just plug it into the google box.

Adam H · Sep thirty, 2020 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2020 · Points: 0

Young Finn the Climber wrote: Climbers elbow, AKA golfers elbow. From what I understand information technology is the nearly common climbing over utilize injury. Lots of exercises for it only plug it into the google box.

Pretty late to the party hither, simply a quick Google search will demonstrate that this is non Golfer's Elbow, equally the hurting is in a completely dissimilar location, i.e. at the brachioradialis, rather than the 'inside' of the within, so to speak. Pictures will speak more conspicuously.

Morty Gwin · Oct one, 2020 · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 0

JNE thanks for taking the time to mail those explicit directions.  This will help a lot of people every bit the injury is so common in the sport.

Kristian Solem · Oct 1, 2020 · Monrovia, CA · Joined April 2004 · Points: 505

JNE wrote: I am not a medical doctor, nor practice I have whatever training as one. I do however have years of experience with this specific outcome, and would love to try and help you out. When I dealt with these issues I could not afford a real specialist, so I likewise could not detect much worthwhile advice. The things which take worked for me are: -hammer practise: concur a hammer straight out in front of you and rotate it slowly to whichever side your body is on, from vertical down to horizontal and back to vertical. Then flip the hammer upside downwardly and do the same thing, this time rotating information technology upwardly and to the side abroad from your body. Become for 20-30 reps (1 rep being downward then up, or up then downwardly, and fewer if you get really slowly) each mode, and two-three sets. If this exercise hurts that part of your arm, as per Esther Smiths advice, attempt doing 1 set of 5 reps at a level where you lot don't feel any pain v-ten min after doing the exercise, 5 times interspersed throughout the twenty-four hour period, and piece of work this slowly into doing 2-iii sets of twenty-30 reps postal service-climbing. -stretching the forearm -strengthening the superlative of the forearm. This is I remember your best answer. The hammer exercise will assist here only besides check out the forearm roller do. No offense meant, but based on the picture yous have of yourself this is where you have a muscular imbalance/weakness. -working out the triceps, specifically the brachii and brachii lateral. More information on my arroyo can exist found here. In particular check out that podcast that Ted and I both link to. One thing I am not sure I recollect Esther mentioning in that is the importance of the forepart delt for overall shoulder stability, and so maybe the respond lies in there also.

This easy to make setup does what the hammer does with more back up, and linear weight. Reverse the wind of the cord to reverse the movement.

PVC pipe big plenty to go your hand in, the cross handle yous can clearly run into, a PVC cap on the back end with a centered hole simply big enough to fit over the pipage nipple screwed to the wall.

Since you're rehabbing, don't go crazy well-nigh the weight.

danielsvirinarlecou.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112432693/pain-in-crease-of-arm-between-bicep-and-forearm-closest-to-forearm

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