Tendonitis, or inflammation in the tendons, can cause forearm pain when curling due to overuse from lifting weights that are excessively heavy or repetitive. The chances of a complete recovery and return to strength increase the quicker you identify and treat tendonitis. This article will answer all questions regarding forearm pain when curling.
Why may doing a bicep curl cause you to feel discomfort in your forearms?
Reasons for forearm pain when curling:
Tight and constricted forearm muscles
Our forearms often experience pain from tight, stiff muscles when we curl. Curling can cause our biceps are tense up even more.
Our brain then experiences pain as a result of this tension. Our bodies are trying to inform us that limbs are too tight and that we need to loosen them up.
Occasionally, this stiffness and strain might compress forearm nerves, which can cause a scorching or blasting feeling when curling.
Not prepared:
Working out in the absence of preparation commonly affects your muscles.
A warm-up enables muscles to get blood flow to prepare for the workout. Warming up has many advantages, including lowering your chance of injury, warming up your muscles, raising body and muscle temperature, lowering muscle tension, and raising blood and oxygen flow.
The weights are excessive:
When curling, we desire to exert a little bit more effort. The weights you’re attempting to carry could be too heavy for you, which could cause some of the forearm pain you experience when curling.
Even though it’s fun to push ourselves, we shouldn’t curl weights that are too high for us, especially if it hurts! Let go of your ego; take a break and assess your lifting weights; if required, reduce the weights.
Muscular Structures of the Forearm about the Curl:
Forearm flexor muscles are specifically stimulated on an anatomical scale, while forearm muscles & other surrounding groups of muscles are activated. This is physically apparent as the wrist bends inwards when the exerciser completes a repetition, placing stress on the joints of the wrist and muscle tissues because they are positioned in an unfavorable position while facing a heavy response.
Kinetics and Mechanics of the Bicep Curl:
When performing a bicep curl or another curl exercise, the entire forearm and elbow joint is fully extended before the elbow is started to bend beneath resistance. This causes the biceps brachii to be activated, which adducts the forearm & stabilizes the joint of the elbow. The pronation of the hand, which is a terrible curling form and one of the primary reasons for persistent forearm discomfort, is an important point in the treatment of forearm discomfort. When performed correctly, the entire movement does not link with any contraction of active motion of the wrist, as it remains in a neutral position throughout the entire repetition.
How to reduce your forearm pain when curling?
Curls can be irritating and crippling when one experiences forearm pain. The good news is that it is usually both treated and prevented. To prevent forearm soreness in the first place, use less weight, curl with perfect form, and perform fewer straight bar curls.
If you already have lower arm aches and pains, you should use rest, ice, compression, and elevation to treat your forearm pain.
Although training for a bodybuilder might be difficult, it’s essential to understand the distinction between good and bad pain. Exercises that will help your muscles expand will inevitably cause lactic acid pain and fatigue.
On the other hand, injury-related pain is distinct, and paying attention to it is essential. Instead, pay attention to your body and learn to distinguish between the pain from a good workout and the pain that indicates something is wrong!
Difference between Bicep Pain, Forearm Pain & Elbow Pain from Curling :
Exercisers must correctly determine that their forearm aches are an injury to the forearms & not an injury to an adjacent body part before treating it and stopping it from worsening. This is important because injuries to adjacent body parts will need procedures and changes that differ from forearm aches treatment. Most frequently, tendinopathy or similar long-term damage to the forearm will cause discomfort and swelling in the mid of the forearm.
Tips to avoid forearm pain while curling:
Here are different ways to avoid forearm pain while curling. Curling with a straight bar puts your wrists or elbows in a highly vulnerable posture. What is situated between these two joints precisely? Of course, those are your forearms! So, refrain from performing straight bar curls using a free-weight barbell or on a cable machine to give your forearms a break.
Consult with a professional trainer before adopting any exercise. Mainly people assume an activity that is not suitable for them, and they feel aches. The forearm soreness you are experiencing may result from your practice of cheating during biceps curls, even while the occasional cheat rep generally won’t create too many issues.
To avoid having to cheat to lift the weight, you must utilize less weight, as was already indicated. You can lessen your chance of cheating by performing rigorous curls with your back resting on a wall or pillar and using less weight.
Do you always use a grip that is shoulder-width apart for biceps curls?
You may be experiencing forearm discomfort as a result. Try employing a broader and narrower grip to strike your biceps from various angles and give your forearms some variation. While a more comprehensive grip hits your outside biceps, wide-grip curls often target your inner biceps.
Therefore, to get more muscular biceps to exercise AND spare your forearms, why not do one wide, medium, and narrow set of curls instead of three sets with a medium grip? Exercises focusing on strengthening the grip can result in adaptive shortening, which causes your hands to shut when you rest instinctively. Stretching your forearms is a must if this occurs to you.
Exercising with heavy weights and a few repetitions is ideal for increasing strength, but it may be harsh on your joints and connective tissue. Light weights and high repetitions, often kinder on joints and soft tissues, can still increase muscle growth.
Conclusion:
Pain in the forearms while performing the bicep curl is one of the many injuries that exercisers may have over the course of their training career. Fortunately, it is also one of the most readily curable.
Following these guidelines will enhance an exerciser’s training outcomes, increasing muscle mass, increasing the weight they can lift, and improving their general health, except for acute injuries brought on by negligence or unforeseeable events. I hope so this guide has helped you a lot.
Medical Disclaimer: All the content available on the website is just for informational purposes. It’s not a substitute for any Professional advice. Don’t take it personally. As a medical student, I’m just trying to use my information through my content, and please keep in mind it’s not written by a professional doctor. Use the data just for educational purposes.
Dr. Kelly Han is a seasoned medical professional with a passion for holistic wellness and integrative health. Based in San Francisco, her expertise spans across various domains of health, from fitness and skincare to oral health and weight management.
Understanding the intricate connections between different aspects of health, Dr. Han believes in a comprehensive approach. Whether it’s the latest skincare regimen, effective weight loss strategies, or understanding hormonal imbalances, she’s dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based advice and actionable insights on a wide array of health topics.
Through her articles, Dr. Han aims to empower individuals to take charge of their well-being, offering them the knowledge and tools they need to lead healthier, more vibrant lives. Join her in exploring the multifaceted world of health, beauty, and wellness.
