forearm PAIN!!!

[HappyScrappy]

Okay - so last weekend I moved the big stuff into my new apartment with some help from a guy much bigger than me (thanks!!!) and then the next day noticed my forearms were REALLY sore. then I lifted arms on that Monday and my forarms were dying - I couldn't lift as much weight as usual, not b/c my bis were fatigued, but b/c my forarms were screaming in pain... well, okay, I was the one screaming.
so I went about the week, moved some more boxes this weekend, and then did arms today - the forearms are even fucking worse.

they now hurt all the time - I'm in total pain right now. the only time they don't hurt is if I'm gripping on something extremely hard. and even then, they hurt, but less, so that seems like no pain.

does anyone have any ideas how to fix this (please don't say rest), or what it could be?

it feels like when my calves grew too fast back when I first started running and they split the sheath that surrounds the muscle.

 

[danielson]

is it difficult to move any of your fingers? its obviously not impossible but is it hard to clench your hand etc...?

does ur hand make a funny shape at all when a rest?

 

[HappyScrappy]

I can grip as hard as I normally can - it kills until I grip as hard as I can, then all is fine.

resting now my hands are the same as always - during and right after weights they were all fucked up.

my forearms feel like they are bursting apart right now, like the muscles want to be in a container twice the size of their current one.

one of my friends came down with ALS (lou gherig's disease) and this was the first symptom she had - but I'm not too worried about this being it since I'm pretty sure it was hauling the heavy shit that started it.

 

[danielson]

its unlikely u contracted a disease this quickly that soon after lifting

see, i was thinking maybe u tore a tendon/smashed a bone etc. but then it would be harder for u to make a fist etc...but thts more likely on an injury side.

i have no idea what carpal tunnel is but hav heard it a lot when forearm pains are mention. your carpal muscles are around your wrist/forearm area. i dunno....did u try ice-ing it when the injury occured (rest ice compression elevation)

if it didnt work a doctor is robably the only option/X-ray just to make sure.

 

[TheSalami]

can you still jerk off?

 

[HappyScrappy]

yeah, I need to ice it - I think it feels like a tear (fascia?) more than anything else. certainly didn't break anything.

and I don't think it is CTS - that is more of a numbing of the hands starting at the wrists - and I take precautions for the most part against that.
and there is much discussion how much of that is real and what not.

it might just be good ol tendonitis, but it sure feels worse than any of the tendonitis I've ever had before

 

[HappyScrappy]

can you still jerk off?

that's an excellent point, and yeah, I'm sure I can. but I'd rather not get into the logistics of it all

 

[danielson]

it might be hyperextension of a ligament, im just guessing here,b but by carrying something very heavy,. it mayhave pulled on a ligament very hard which is normally used when your hnd moves to its straight position. if it were hyperextended, clenching it may reduce tension on that ligament.

maybe try some paracetemol as an anti-inflammatory...i had a hyperextended ligament once, it took months to heal im afraid and affected forearm and brachial work im afraid....but i dont know shit yet...go see a doc. he'll know

 

[HappyScrappy]

I hate seeing the doc.
the body is a magical thing, if you just keep taking drugs and allow time to run its course, it will heel itself.

at least, that was how I felt about them herpes.

 

[danielson]

i hate seeing the doc too

but if its a very serious tear, or a break and it doesnt heal right/at all it shall surely suck more

for my hyperextension they said there was nothing to do aside from let it heal. id go see him if it lasts more than a day or 2, but u should probably see him tommorow or something.

 

[madbomber31]

interesting... tell me young man... if you reach your hand out like you were gonna shake someone's hand is the pain located about 3 inches from the elbow joint on the top part of the forearm? where you feel the two muscles overlapping? if so, it kind of sounds like something that happened to me last year... i was unable to train for 4 months... sounds fun huh? to top it off, i couldnt even pick up a mug by its handle with my right arm... good news was, i had no problems beating off.

 

[HappyScrappy]

the pain, if I reach out like I was gonna shake your hand is on the inside of the arm, from just on the underside of the elbow (on the palm side) to the wrist.
it is very swollen like I was flexing it - and it actually looks kinda cool, but hurts like a bitch.

if I press REALLY hard on it with my fingers and thumb, then the pain goes away.

 

[Mdguy]

HS, sounds like you're allergic to hard work!

I wouldn't worry too much about it-it's surprising how many muscles you don't work while lifting that you end up using doing menial tasks. (stress at different angles, etc) ..just give it a few days and the swelling will go down. I wouldn't be worried unless you had loss of sensation in the fingers or something similar..

 

[BackDoc]

Quick test to help determine that it is NOT a fracture....grab your pager....turn it vibrate mode and then place it on the bony aspects of you arm, wrist and fingers. Touch your arm with it while it is buzzing. Be thorough...make sure to put the pager anywhere you can feel bones in your arm and forearm. If at any point you feel twinges of severe pain, go to the ER. If you put the pager all over your arm while buzzing but nothing gives you a deep severe bone pain, then it's likely to be a soft tissue problem.

This test is similar to a tuning fork test the old medical doctors used to use to determine a broken long bone. The sound wave travels down the bone and if there is a cortical break, the broken ends rub together in a chattering fashion. Since bones are loaded with nerve endings on the surface especially, it will cause immediate discomfort as long as the bones are still vibrating (most people yell one or two curse words in cases of a positive test)...which is why it's not used anymore these days...it hurts too badly on a broken bone. But to keep you from being concerned about the value of this test, it would only hurt for a second or two.

If you think it is a soft tissue injury (ligament, muscle, tendon, etc.) then try moving the arm with your other hand (or having someone else move your arm around), while you keep the muscles of THAT arm absolutely still. Passive motion causing pain is an indicator of possible ligament sprain (potentially complicated by muscular strain). Of course, that's based on a negative pager test for fracture. If you have pain ONLY when you actively move THAT arm, but not when it is passively moved, then it is likely to be muscle or tendon strain.

If you can pinpoint which it may be:

ligament sprain--prepare to be out of commission for up to two months. Get evaluated to make sure it is not severe enough to require a surgical consult (I doubt it in this case since you worked out since the initial injury).

Muscle strain--give it a week and then see if you can handle a workout.

fracture--go to ER




***If you try the pager test and don't feel any pain that does not mean you DON'T have a broken bone, just helps to rule it out. The same goes for the passive and active motion tests. If there is any question about what the cause is, I'd have it seen to just in case. If you don't feel any better or if you experience throbbing arm pain or new symptoms go see the docs.

 

[HappyScrappy]

I've broken all the metatarsals (sp?) in by left foot before and I'm 99.999% sure this is not a broken bone.

I've had lots of wear and tear injuries before from running and this feels a lot like a fascia tear.

thanks backDoc for the tests - but I'm pretty sure it will go away eventually. just like that AIDS flare up that I had a few weeks ago (hee hee).

and like I said, as long as I take drugs, it isn't so bad - I'm on G now and no pain - but horny as hell...