ExRx.net

Ok... so I'm quite literally in the middle of a 40 day workout that focuses on doing only 5 lifts for 40 days. But you do all 5 lifts every time you go to the gym (and you can go 40 days in a row if you so choose). I have just started having some forearm pain in the last week or so and it will definitely interfere with the 40 day plan if it keeps up or gets worse.

The pain is, I think, tendon related, perhaps the medial epicondyle tendon. Inside of the elbow descending toward the wrist when the forearm is completely supinated. Pain flares there when I have to grip hard... Which almost all 5 of the lifts I'm using require. No swelling that I can tell, doesn't hurt during normal activities. Feel it most on Chin ups and Ab rollouts (not coincidentally the most grip intensive lifts).

So... solutions? I have cut back on any additional stress to the forearm (was doing farmers walks as well on days that I had time for them, really scorched my forearms) and have even cut out the rollouts, moving to planks and reverse crunches for the ab work.

Is this something I can ice and take ibuprofen for? or is that just stupid and I should cut out all grip intensive work until it feels normal?

Hate to scrap the whole experiment because of this...

Sounds like medial epicondylitis, commonly called "golfer's elbow".

Using ice and ibuprophen are fine as long as you are not continuing to do whatever is triggering the problem. If you go on doing what you've been doing, covering up the pain is just a recipe for increasing damage. You need to lay off whatever lifts are hurting. There's a lot of stuff on line on this. Stretching may or may not help. Rest and gradual retraining are the keys.

Sorry.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Try using a lacrosse ball to release some of the extensors and flexors in your forearm. You can also self-release with pin & stretch.


You can also try adding a reverse tyler twist (you can use a towel) to your warm up and cool down.


I find most people respond really well to these two treatments and are able to continue with little or no break in their lifting routine.

_________________
don't you know there ain't no devil
that's just god when he's drunk

(I'd go more in depth but I'm between clients, sorry for the post and run)

_________________
don't you know there ain't no devil
that's just god when he's drunk