Forearm Pain After Chinups

I just recently started doing chinups (palms facing out) for the first time. My grip is pretty narrow, around shoulder width. Last week, I finally got to the point where I could do a single rep with no assistance. I did 10 singles with about a minute rest in between. This morning, I did 6 sets of 2. After about 3 sets, I started to notice that my right elbow was flaring up. I finished all 6 sets and had just minor elbow pain, not really enough to even worry about. Then I went to do hammer curls. After about 4 reps, the outer part of my upper forearm starting hurting pretty bad. I had to stop the set and immediately put the dumbbell down. Ever since then, I’ve been having pain in my outer, upper forearm. But it’s really only when I fully extend my arm and turn the palm up. With the palm down, it’s fine but as soon as I start to rotate the wrist, I get shooting pain. However, I can rotate my palm up with zero pain if my elbow is even slightly bent.

Sorry for the long explanation, I just wanted to make sure I covered all the details. My initial impression was that my body is just not used to doing pullups. I also weigh 260 so that may cause some additional strain. I had surgery to repair a completely torn bicep in January 09 so I’m worried about damaging my repaired tendon. The surgeon drilled a hole in the bone to reattach it with a button and it can sometimes ache depending on the weather or strain. No pain in the actual tendon though.

Any ideas? I really want to keep doing chinups since it’s a goal of mine, but it’s definitely not worth reinjuring my bicep reattachment. Should I be worried about popping the button or is this just something that will go away once I adapt to the strain of chinups?

Um, neither. Sounds like a brachioradialis injury based on the movements described. It will probably not go away if you keep straining it. Google a bit for some rehab and stretching exercises, switch to palms facing you chin-ups for the time being, and lay off the hammer curls and probably reverse curls as well.

Also, do not read the T-Nation thread ( Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness ) about this injury, as the people posting there can’t seem to tell the difference between the brachioradialis in your forearm and the brachialis in your upper arm.

Also, I am not a doctor. This post is not professional advice. See an orthopedist or a hand surgeon if you have insurance.

Sounds like tennis elbow. I just got a cortisone shot for that today and caused mine almost the same way. Doing too many pullups while my elbow hurt and just gutting through it, and having a mishap while benching in a shirt. Look at this pic and see if this is where yours hurts, http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/elbow/elbow_lateral_epicondylitis/elbow_latepi_symptoms01.jpg

You can get a strap, EliteFTS sells a heavy duty one for lifters that I picked up after the CVS ones just pop off when training. It helps. There is also a twisting exercise that helps quite a bit, PRIME® Continuing Medical Education

Things I did that helped, wear a elbow sleeve, use liniment to heat it up, fat bar for benching, lots of rehab stuff. Mine was still bothering me enough I got the shot, but I also want to compete in about 6 weeks and couldnt keep waiting around.

I agree with seeing an ortho if you can.

Lateral Epicondylitis. Most of my clients have this problem at some point.

Simply put, it’s tennis elbow. Start gripping false grip (thumbs around the outside) for a few weeks and try not to grip small things like pens, or coffee mugs with that hand. (The bigger the better) It wont flare up if you let it rest. If you can find a good physio around, they can tape it and inhibit the muscle so it can have time to relax.

As far as exercises, stick to prone chins (palms in) or, if that hurts, the lat pulldown is fine until it is healed. No front raises, or hammer curls.

Edit: Don’t go to full extension on most exercises either.

Thanks for everyone’s input. I guess it’s tennis elbow. It’s frustrating because I’ve literally been doing chins for only 2 weeks and I already get tennis elbow? The pain has reduced signicantly since my original post. I think I will try to do them again next week with my thumbs over the bar and see if that helps.

Palms facing in are out after my bicep surgery. If it flares up again, I’ll just drop chins altogether.

Just try the pulldowns first before you drop that movement.

Pulldowns are an open chain exercise, shouldn’t be a problem.

[quote] Matt wrote:
Sounds like tennis elbow. I just got a cortisone shot for that today and caused mine almost the same way. Doing too many pullups while my elbow hurt and just gutting through it, and having a mishap while benching in a shirt. Look at this pic and see if this is where yours hurts, http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/elbow/elbow_lateral_epicondylitis/elbow_latepi_symptoms01.jpg

You can get a strap, EliteFTS sells a heavy duty one for lifters that I picked up after the CVS ones just pop off when training. It helps. There is also a twisting exercise that helps quite a bit, PRIME® Continuing Medical Education

Things I did that helped, wear a elbow sleeve, use liniment to heat it up, fat bar for benching, lots of rehab stuff. Mine was still bothering me enough I got the shot, but I also want to compete in about 6 weeks and couldnt keep waiting around.

I agree with seeing an ortho if you can.

[/quote]
I can’t find the strap you’re talking about on Elite. Can you give me a link?

Rest and soft tissue work will help, ensure you warm-up with less than BW first.