Sore wrist? (no, not from 'that')

[Redwolf]

Has anyone ever strained their wrists doing barbell forearm curls?

I've always gone kind of heavy with that exercise - 100 pounds or so for 6 reps - in seated position, but a month ago my form must have suffered and soon after I noticed a persitant pain in my left wrist.
The pain has minimized, but still bothers me when my hand is bent back with pressure ( sit-up position).

I'm itching to get back to forearm curls! That's one of my most satisfying exercises.

Should I hold off, or drop the weight and go for high reps.

What I really want to hear is that this has happened to someone else and eventually healed completely.

Thanx

 

[scullz]

I don't know much about it but ICE should help. See a doc bro

 

[bludevil]

Sounds like a sprain that you haven't let heal properly. Give it a couple of more weeks. If you want to go back to heavy training then I would rest a few more weeks until the pain eases or go see a doc.

 

[Mudge]

Dont go all the way down, dont bounce the weight, and dont curl your fingers.

I also have to find the right spot on my knees to rest my wrists, and I generally stay semi-light and use slower reps.

 

[DanK]

What do you mean by don't curl your fingers? Don't close your grip around the bar/dumbbell?

 

[Mudge]

Dont curl/uncurl your fingers, I see people doing that when doing wrist curls, when there is no need.

 

[Redwolf]

Thanx. I've wondered about that , Mudge, I've heard old school lifters advocate letting the bar roll down your fingers at the bottom of the negative, and I've done it often! With a heavy weight I guess that's too dangerous on the wrists.

 

[Mudge]

Redwolf, I started out using the same method in high school. The thing is though, the muscles used when curling with the fingers are the same as curling with the wrist, so its redundant and hard on the finger joints. So its not so much a wrist thing, just an overall watch the form.

Make sure your not going down all the way and dont bounce the weight, this is one lift that I'm not afraid to go lighter on and just slow the reps down, because enlarged (inflamed) tendons from friction in the carpel tunnel area = CTS and I dont want that. I have already had some kind of freakish wrist issues awhile back when I used to do email based tech support, thankfully that is no more.

 

[Redwolf]

I've done that exercise once (yesterday) since noticing the pain, and my instincts told me your exact words : don't go all the way down, and slow the motion (upping the intensity) of course the weight was cut down too.
I recently read a mag where a pro (forget who) said he wished every bodybuilder could go through a minor injury, just to realize the incredible gains that he attained through being forced into using absolute perfect form.

 

[Mudge]

For me at least, as I get older, slowing things down makes injury doggon near impossible it seems. You can think of your muscles and tendons as rubber bands if you like, they can become overly stressed if yanked on to hard to quickly. As for the wrist thing, and even bicep movements, some people dont go down all the way due to it bothering them.