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

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graysmom2005
graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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??
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Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    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
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    Thanks. No sharp pain. Just tight from the swelling and hardness, and extreme DOM feeling. Did I just over do it?
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    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
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    I workout a lot, but pull ups are new to the routine, yes. Haven't done them in YEARS.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    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
    bubsyh Posts: 57 Member
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    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
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    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
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
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    T Rex arms

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTBMX-nZmDP7S1gQUAz56vONfTpX5K5qlkoG2ssBlRtQDHCdWFT9A

    A warm bath and some ibuprofen helps mine :)
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    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
    steadk Posts: 334 Member
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    epsom salts do help if you're able to soak your arms in a bath. and then lots of water :)
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    T Rex arms

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTBMX-nZmDP7S1gQUAz56vONfTpX5K5qlkoG2ssBlRtQDHCdWFT9A

    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
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
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    It's perfectly normal. I felt the same way when I started doing pullups :smile: It gets better when your body gets used to that exercise.
  • MessyLittlePanda
    MessyLittlePanda Posts: 213 Member
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    alternate an ice pack with a heat pack and take some ibuprofen, usually works!
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
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    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
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
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    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
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    get some ice on those guns.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    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
    DaveRCF Posts: 266
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    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
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    The weird thing is that pullups are really a tricep, not bicep exercise.

    what?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    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.

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