Posted: 11/25/2005 4:02:53 PM EDT
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Hey all. Ok, i've been back in the gym for a good few weeks now and i think i may have a problem. Here's the deal. When i do bench presses, military press, and basically anything else i get some dull pain in my joints. I rarely feel pain in the muscles that are being worked, instead its in the joints and it limits how many reps i can do. It also limits the weight i can use. I really have no idea whats causing it, but it hurts like hell until i stop the exercise. Any ideas? |
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Which joints? Is it more than one? You mentioned the bench press/military presses, is it in the elbows or shoulders? Are you warming up good before lifting? If you are coming back from a break or layoff, might be tendonitis, or bursitis. From what you describe, with the pain being dull, and stopping when you stop the excercise, to me it doesn't sound like damage or an injury, sounds more like a case of tendonitis/bursitis depending on the joint. Elbows can be bursitis or 'tennis elbow', shoulders can be tendonitis or rotator cuff injury, I had tendonitis in the shoulder one time that sounds a lot like you described. You might try an anti-inflammatory for the time being, maybe get it checked out by a Dr. |
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It sounds like the pain has more to do with your tendons and muscles. This is fairly typical in folks that haven't worked out for a while and then want to get back into it. And it becomes more noticeable as you get older. Most people want to start back up again at or close to the weight they were lifting when they quit. You may still be able to do it, but the supporting tendons and muscles may not be up for it yet. You should slowly stretch out and warm up for 30 minutes or so before you begin lifting weights. Then for the first couple weeks don't worry about how much you are lifting. It takes time for your body to get back into 'weight lifting' shape. Just because you can press 150 pounds 10 times, doesn't mean you should. At least, not right out ot the gate. Have a routine of lighter weights and higher reps(15 per set). Slow down on the speed of your reps. Slow up and slow down. This will do 2 things. First it will get all the supporting muscles and tendons strengthened for more weight in the future. This prevents injuries. Secondly, you will be more inclined to go and work out again if you don't beat yourself up right from the start. After a week or two of regular workouts, if you're feeling good or the reps are too easy, add 5 or 10 pounds and work on that for a while. |
| Until very recently I was a poor college kid. Now I am just poor. At the time I was having some pain in my elbows, and it was most certainly a direct result of lifting. It got to the point where they hurt pretty much all the time. I evaluated my diet, and I was getting virtually no fat due to my restricted income. I purchased a huge bottle of olive oil at work, and that really helped. I eat about 4-5 tbs./ day. I have also started taking fish oil. about 4g./day. It has made all the difference, and so long as I keep up with the fat intake there is no longer any pain in my elbows. If I am slacking on my fat intake, the pain comes right back. |