T Nation

Forearm Splints

Bodybuilding
#1

I’m gonna regurgitate something that has been discussed here before (according to the Search too).

I am experiencing some severe Forearm Splints, mostly in pushing movements. However, the pain doesn’t really subside. I’m on a MAG-10 cycle right now and my strength gains have been rather awesome; however, the pain is strong enough to stop me in my tracks in some lifts (like bench press). Also, this may be completely unrelated, but I have been having a lot of knuckle pain lately. Mostly a deep soreness in between the knuckles. Am I just getting old?

In reading through old posts, I see that cryo-therapy, stretching, and massage have helped others, but I’m wondering if anyone has discovered other methods to relieve this kind of pain and foster overall healing.

I thank you in advance for any feedback.

~ Jack

#2

My training partner has the exact same problem, he is always describing it as Forearm Splints as well. I’d be glad to hear some feedback as well so that I can help him out!

#3

I used to get these a lot too, mostly during upright rows, but I would get them while doing curls and military presses, also. Turns out the problem was likely related to the use of EZ Curl bars for these lifts. One of the football coaches at my high school reccomended I use straight bars and since then the problems have gone away. If you use EZ Curl bars, try using stright bars for a while and see if the problem goes away.

#4

I had the same problem with curls with the ez- curl bar. No one could tell me what caused the problem. I switched to dumbells and since then I have not experienced any pain whatsoever.

#5

[quote]dgeyman wrote:
I had the same problem with curls with the ez- curl bar. No one could tell me what caused the problem. I switched to dumbells and since then I have not experienced any pain whatsoever.[/quote]

I was the oposite, I had problems with the straight bar curl (especially preacher curls) causing forearm pain. Switched to the EZ bar and all was good, but gave up preachers.

The reason curling can hurt the wrists is due to the relative position of the wrists to the elbows and their rotation (palm posiiton). So (to the original poster) you may want to look into how you hold the bar and the way it loads onto your forearms. Maybe you rotate your hands around at an angle to the bar (or at 90 degrees) or something of the sort that causes you problems.

#6

Great feedback so far!

I don’t own a ez bar, and I use a straight bar for just about everything.

Given what has been said here, I think I understand what is going on (slapping forehead). I have been using the straight bar for all of my bicep lifts for the last five weeks. I have only been doing a standing curl (heavy up to 155 lbs. w/low reps) and preacher curls with a straight bar (lighter doing 1 and 1/2 contractions). My hand position on the heavy standing curls is elbows in with hands at shoulder width, and elbows a bit further out and hands closer in on the preacher.

The most direct pain came from bench pressing, but I don’t think that has anything to do with it. I think the twisting on my arms during the bicep curls AND the twisting on the wrists with the upright rows (as mentioned by an earlier poster) is what is contributing to the splints.

I think I’ll buy an ez bar attachment for my cable equipment and work with that to see if there is an improvement.

Thanks T-Family. Great info!

#7

Follow-up: Doing lots of stretching and applying arnica massage oild to my forearms, and I’ve discovered that the arnica massage oil is incredible!

We bought this stuff for my wife during pregnancy and would apply it to her low back for muscle pain. I used the stuff last night on my arms and the pain is nearly gone. I will apply again tonight to my forearms and elbows and see how my arms feel.

Arnica Massage oil rules. Learn more at http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Arnicach.html

~ Jack