I did bicep/hammer curls 2 days ago, and since yesterday fully extending my left arm has been very painful.?

Question

Could I have strained the muscle or is this a symptom of simple over-exertion.

I want to know if I should lay off the weights, and if so, for how long?

I just started working out a week or so ago and have pretty weak muscles so I'm trying to get going again ASAP.

I just don't want to risk injuring my arm if waiting a couple more days could be beneficial.

My right bicep is sore but I do not have pain with arm extension as I do with the left.

Is this just a really sore muscle or a more serious problem?

I realize the difficulty of diagnosing something over the internet, but if anyone has had a similar problem or is knowledgeable on the subject I would greatly appreciate their input.

Ice, Tiger Balm, and Aleve have had very limited results.

Answer 1

I have had the exact same problem. Do not fear - it is completely normal to feel that pain when you just start working out. Your muscle is just not used to exercise. It will take a while but the pain will disappear eventually.

At this point it is unadvisable to completely stop working out. Just go on with it. The pain should go away while exercising.

My advice is stay away from the heavy weights for the moment. Start with light weights and increment slowly each week or 2 weeks.

For more information on workouts check out www.exrx.net

If the pain persists (at the *same* intensity) even after working out for another few sessions, then it may be a more serious problem and you should consult a doctor.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hey...it sounds like you did pull something in your arm. I'm not sure where the pain is but you say it happens with your left arm extened out. So if the pain you are talking about only hurts when you extend it out then it sounds like you pulled a muscle..nothing serious. What you need to do is Ice it. 3-5 times a day for 20 minutes. The more you ice your arm the faster it will heal. But be sure not to leave ice on longer then 20 minutes at a time. Also I would take a break from lifting you should be fine in about 3 days. But you don't want to start back to soon or you will re-injury your arm and you don't want that.

I'm not sure how big you are and how many reps you did with each set. But since your a girl your going to want to do higher reps. Make sure when you do your hammer curls (or any exercise) to do 3 sets (times) of 12-15 even 20..but 15 is probably the best. So make sure the weight your using for hammer curls is light enough to do 3 sets of 15. But not so light where you could do 3 sets of like 30. I'm 5'2" 115lbs. personal trainer and when I curl hammer curls I can only do 8lbs. Sometimes 10lbs if I want to max out. But 8lbs is the most I can do. My biceps aren't very strong though. So just play around with the weight. If you have any Questions feel free to email me

[e-mail]   My name is Marcie by the way. Take Care and Good Luck!

Answer 3

You should lay off the weights until it feels better. If it continues then maybe you should see a physiotherapist. The fact that the other arm doesn't have the same sort of pain could mean that it's more than just over-exertion.

Harriet

Answer 4

you are just sore, let it rest.

Answer 5

Feel the burn! it's normal. Try some amino acids to speed up recovery and take your multivitamins. I have trouble getting sore :(, but if you aren't used to a hard workout, the soreness period is longer and a little painful. It's just your bodys response to the workout, keep it up and your muscles will eventually get used to it.  

Answer 6

its so normal...you just worked your muscles.