Painful swollen biceps? Can't straighten arms. HELP!

graysmom2005

I did pullups with my trainer on Monday. I had a springboard type thing under me to help give me a little boost as we did 3 sets of 12. I was fine that day, but It's now day 3 after the workout and I'm in a lot of discomfort. I can't totally straighten my arms, and I noticed today that my biceps are quite swollen and feel rock hard. Is this just extreme DOMS? Have I hurt myself? I have an advanced instructor module this Sunday for Bodypump, so I'm under a time crunch.

Anyone else experience this??

Dave198lbs

the pain to be worried about is sharp pain. sharp stabbing pain is bad. give it another day, drink alot of water. you should be fine.

graysmom2005

Thanks. No sharp pain. Just tight from the swelling and hardness, and extreme DOM feeling. Did I just over do it?

Dave198lbs

Thanks. No sharp pain. Just tight from the swelling and hardness, and extreme DOM feeling. Did I just over do it?

perhaps....but probably not...was it the first time you did that many pull ups?

graysmom2005

I workout a lot, but pull ups are new to the routine, yes. Haven't done them in YEARS.

Dave198lbs

I workout a lot, but pull ups are new to the routine, yes. Haven't done them in YEARS.

ok then...drink the water...give it a day...if really needed, take an ibuprofen or an aleve

bubsyh

Sounds strange but have a warm to hot bath. Soak until it gets cold. It helps me when I have martial arts strains (mainly on my thighs)

Hezzietiger1

Totally experiencing the same thing right now.. I was sore yesterday, still sore today. Also sore from 4 sets of squats. Last night I took a hot bath with Epsom salts and that seemed to help a lot. Also drink lots and lots of water. Ibuprofen will reduce the inflammation. Happy training!!!!!!!

nikinyx6

T Rex arms



A warm bath and some ibuprofen helps mine

laddyboy

remember, you are tearing your muscles when you workout out. Being that you haven't done pull up in quite some time they were probably like...WHAT *%&$@* !!! 24 hrs later is about when the pain appears...at least it is for me. Sometimes when I get a real deep burn it can last a few days. I love it when that happens. :huh: LOL

steadk

epsom salts do help if you're able to soak your arms in a bath. and then lots of water

graysmom2005

T Rex arms



A warm bath and some ibuprofen helps mine

This made me nearly snort coffee out of my nose. Hahahahahaha!!!!!! Thanks guys. I will give them a soak. Advil hasn't helped at all, so I'll keep drinking water and take some more. :-)

MrsLVF

It's perfectly normal. I felt the same way when I started doing pullups It gets better when your body gets used to that exercise.

MessyLittlePanda

alternate an ice pack with a heat pack and take some ibuprofen, usually works!

rprussell2004

alternate an ice pack with a heat pack and take some ibuprofen, usually works!

That was my thought - take some ice cubes into a hot shower and alternate rubbing them down with ice, then running them under the hot water. I do that with my cranky pissy legs after a good run from time to time and it works wonders.

escloflowneCHANGED

I did pullups with my trainer on Monday. I had a springboard type thing under me to help give me a little boost as we did 3 sets of 12. I was fine that day, but It's now day 3 after the workout and I'm in a lot of discomfort. I can't totally straighten my arms, and I noticed today that my biceps are quite swollen and feel rock hard. Is this just extreme DOMS? Have I hurt myself? I have an advanced instructor module this Sunday for Bodypump, so I'm under a time crunch.

Anyone else experience this??

This happened to me in January, I could not bend my arm. I think I pulled my tricep, the only thing that worked was a very hot bath with epsom salts for a few nights. It did take awhile though to go back to 100%

wellbert

get some ice on those guns.

graysmom2005

Nothing is helping yet...and it needs to. STAT. I have my Advanced Instructor Module for Bodypump on Sunday and there will be a lot of iron pumping! EEK!

DaveRCF

The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise. Are you sure the pain was from pullups or were you maybe doing something else that could have caused it?

I would just lay off of anything other than cardio and the situation will probably correct itself before Sunday. No biggee.

Dave198lbs

The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise.

what?

AnvilHead

The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise....

Huh??? Pull ups primarily work the lats, but the biceps are strongly involved in the movement. I've never heard of pull ups being considered a tricep exercise.

JNick77

The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise.

what?

:noway: :noway: :huh: :huh:

Unless you have some crazy alien joints, Triceps are pushing muscles and biceps are pulling or holding muscles.

DaveRCF

The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise.

what?

:noway: :noway: :huh: :huh:

Unless you have some crazy alien joints, Triceps are pushing muscles and biceps are pulling or holding muscles.

Yah, you are right. Brain fart. I was thinking chins were going to work biceps more than pullups but it is wrong for me to say pullups are a tricep exercise.

jwoot42

I am in the same boat. Met with trainer on Sat morning. Here i sit with T-Rex arms at 1pm on monday. Ice, hot Epsom salt baths, Aleve, none of its working. I was told to read this ( http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Lactic-Acid-Build-up-in-Muscles ) and just drink lots and lots of water. I also found this: "Lactic acid isn't the only culprit in DOMS. In fact, lactic acid is removed from muscle anywhere from just a few hours to less than a day after a workout, and so it doesn't explain the soreness experienced days after a workout. What is it then that causes DOMS for days after exercise? The answer is swelling in the muscle compartment that results from an influx of white blood cells, prostaglandins (which are antiinflammatory), and other nutrients and fluids that flow to the muscles to repair the "damage" after a tough workout. The type of muscle damage I am referring to is microscopic (it occurs in small protein contractile units of the muscle called myofibrils) and is part of the normal process of growth in the body called anabolism. It is not the type of damage or injury that you see your doctor about. The swelling and inflammation can build up for days after a workout, and that's why muscle soreness may be worse two, three, or even four days after a workout (it can take up to five days for muscles to heal completely depending on the intensity of the workout). any way T-Rex arms suck and im the laughing stock of the office right now, even been told im walking like C3PO from Star Wars LOL

Acg67

I am in the same boat. Met with trainer on Sat morning. Here i sit with T-Rex arms at 1pm on monday. Ice, hot Epsom salt baths, Aleve, none of its working. I was told to read this ( http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Lactic-Acid-Build-up-in-Muscles ) and just drink lots and lots of water. I also found this: "Lactic acid isn't the only culprit in DOMS. In fact, lactic acid is removed from muscle anywhere from just a few hours to less than a day after a workout, and so it doesn't explain the soreness experienced days after a workout. What is it then that causes DOMS for days after exercise? The answer is swelling in the muscle compartment that results from an influx of white blood cells, prostaglandins (which are antiinflammatory), and other nutrients and fluids that flow to the muscles to repair the "damage" after a tough workout. The type of muscle damage I am referring to is microscopic (it occurs in small protein contractile units of the muscle called myofibrils) and is part of the normal process of growth in the body called anabolism. It is not the type of damage or injury that you see your doctor about. The swelling and inflammation can build up for days after a workout, and that's why muscle soreness may be worse two, three, or even four days after a workout (it can take up to five days for muscles to heal completely depending on the intensity of the workout). any way T-Rex arms suck and im the laughing stock of the office right now, even been told im walking like C3PO from Star Wars LOL

epic bump, try less synthol

thedeadhooker

I did a search on Google to figure out what was wrong with my arms. I did 100 pull-ups and 100 push-ups on Monday and today, my arms are throbbing, so swollen, and I'm walking around like a robot because my arms can't straighten out. Sleeping is rough!

nolatwiggy

I am exactly the same! I had a really tough first workout back in the gym after only doing yoga and cardio for years. Sleeping is terrible! My arms look twice as big as they normally are. You can even see the swelling by my elbow. I have taken Advil and taken it easy. I HATE this feeling of not being able to use my arms. This workout was Monday morning. It is now Friday morning and it seems barely better. How much longer can this go on?

Roseygirl1

All you folks who are getting swollen muscles please educate yourself about exercise induced rhabdomyolysis. It is potentially life-threatening.

I'm not saying any of you have it, but know that high-rep pullups are NOTORIOUS for being the culprit.

Rosey

giggitygoo

My go to is a potassium supplement, a boat load of water,an epsom bath soak, and a light "hair of the dog" workout.

Hope you feel better

**spelling

cw106

a cautionary tale indeed.
had similar probs on 1st and only arm workout.stopped me swimming for 2 days, which is an unacceptable treade off for me.
may return to strength training under better guidance when i am fitter!

Roseygirl1

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/rhabdomyolysis-symptoms-causes-treatments

Link to information about rhabdo....

....if you do develop it, taking potassium and NSAIDS (like ibuprofen) can make it worse!

Rosey