I can not extend my arms more than 90 Degrees without severe pain

[Tibiamuffin]

I know I've looked this up on google and saw a couple of threads on this topic. But none of them seem to be the exact problem I am having. People say it could be DOMS. People say it can be a tendon problem.

So I just started Working out after a 4 month break. I guess I might have went a little too hard on my muscles, even though I wasn't trying to max out or lift heavy. I am doing the same workout plan I did before which had great results. I'm no personal trainer, so it may be possible I was doing something wrong or have a bad workout plan. My first week of working out, I go 3 times a week. Day 1 I do Chest and triceps. Multiple chest workouts and multiple triceps. I also did squats and calf raises. I do leg and ab workouts every day in the 3 days. DAY 2 I do shoulders and biceps... and deadlifts. The third day I do all back. I know for back you also use ur biceps. For all the workouts I would lift not so heavy weight and do it until I couldn't for 3 sets.

So I was extremely soar all over specially because I never use to do squats. After Day 2 before my 3rd workout my biceps were a little soar, But i thought i can handle The back workouts. So after I did my back workouts on day 3 everything was fine until late at night after sitting in one spot watching netflix. I tried to extend my left arm and it just wasn't gonna happen. My right arm was soar but i was still able to function with it and work the next day. It was very had tho on my left arm.

So it has been my second day of not working out but still have this pain in my left arm when i try to extend. It didn't get worse since yesterday but it is still pretty bad. I Wouldn't be so worried and posting this if the pain was in my muscle but i have a feeling it is in my tendon on my elbow. If i put my hands out in front of me with my palm facing the sky the pain is on the left side on my left arm. I am worried maybe i tore my tendon a little bit or something bad happened to it. I know tendons are something you REALLY don't want to F up. I'm sure it will go away but Idk how i feel about going back to the same workout.... I know i have to warm them up and maybe go a little easier till i get in shape but idk if this makes my tendon more susceptible to a rip in the future... I don't want to cause perminant damage on my arm because idk what i'm doing.. I'm just really worried and don't know what to do about it.. I am hoping someone with experience can inform me on what i should do.

Sorry if this was hard to read. I'm not an english major >.< Help will be very much appreciated

[Tibiamuffin]

it is day 3 and i can almost extend my arm all the way but the pain is still present. I think the problem was working out my brachioradialis and brachialis too hard.. it is pretty close to the center of the inner elbow tho, which is why i thought it was my tendon. i am still hoping it isn't my tendon. Since none of u had anything to say!!!!!!! i'll have to talk to a pt next time i hit the y. "A** holes" haaaaaahaa #wizlaugh

[cagliostro]

You discovered brachialis DOMS.

If you want even bigger soreness next time try hammer grip pullups...

[Tibiamuffin]

Ay thanks Caglio. is this normal? and do you think the tendon is messed up?. I'm sure lots of people wonder about this but can't get the answer. I was lifting only a 25 pound plate by itself gripping the top. Tryin to work out that muscle on the other side of the 4arm. Some guy at the gym said that is good for that muscle. I'm hoping i can get back to my regular routine without worrying about babying it. I think the mistake i made was not extending my arms all the way down while lifting, and i did it until i couldn't do it anymore for 3 sets.

[cagliostro]

DOMS are normal when you're unconditioned, I can't be sure if it's an injury, just wait a few days and see if it goes away.
At the moment I have very sore inner forearm from using a "rock climber" grip on the lat pulldown, two days ago. And I love it!

[Tibiamuffin]

Ok so i waited about a week and a half and the pain was gone. I did my chest and tris. Then i did bicep and shoulders the next day the pain came back. Now it's been a week since i tried to start working out again and it still is soar.. I tell myself i will go to the doctor if it gets worse but it keeps getting better... i am thinking i screwed up my tendon and i should probably wait 2 weeks or a month to workout again and start off really light on my left arm.. Extremely pissed btw

[Tibiamuffin]

So it is now december 5th and my are is still F'd up. The doc said I injured my brachialis and it shoulda been healed 2 weeks ago. So now I am going back for an MRI.
Conclusion
So if you ever have the problem where your arm can't extend more than 90 degrees I'd recommend not working out your arms for 2-3 weeks and going a little lighter and less reps

[bhsxc07]

I took about a 2 month break from the gym and must have gone too hard on both biceps... I can't extend either arm beyond 90 degrees and it is very painful. Any resolution from the guy who originally posted to see what happened some time later?

Thanks so much for this original post. It's been really useful information.

[Cre8ed]

Super bummed,
Same situation. 3 months off training, first day back planned to take it easy but didn’t feel like I lost too much strength so Jumped into normal routine at about 70%
Focused mostly on Chest but also pumped a cheeky little arm sesh out.
I expected doms and I even smiled with joy when I got them the next day...
But lying in bed middle of the night out of no where I wake up with splitting pain in my forearm in the same spot you described.
It feels like a problem, I’ve had similar level of pain in my gluts before but it always seemed to subside briefly with light stretching. This forearm pain isn’t going anywhere.
I usually wouldn’t be worried to much as I know doms usually subside but I don’t think I’m going to be able to work tomorrow?

Thanks for the follow up about your following week workout and subsequent trip to the physio, if the pain in still this bad tomorrow through work I’m going to see the physio straight away!

All the best.
How is it now?

[jajansjsjsm]

I'm facing the exact same issue right now with both of my arms extremely sore and cannot extend my arms past 90°. Its been 2 days since my workout and it's getting worse as the days pass. How long did It take you to recover? Do you have any suggestions for me to take?

A reply would be very helpful.

Btw I am not 51, I'm not sure why it says this but to clear up I am 18 years old.

[aspirex]

theres not much u can do except to rest it, usually its down to 4 issues, muscle, ligaments, tendon, bone.
definitely not bone if not u will be unable to move at all.
you can self assess by slowly finding out the site of pain, then assess if its a ligament/tendon. usually tendon, look it up in the body anatomy.
same with any injury, its good to do slow rehab by doing light with minimal pain, apply hot ointment (tiger balm oil), and basically good rest.

blood flow to the site of injury and heal it. dont stay inactive or use ice that minimize blood flow.

assess site of injury -> light rehab -> apply hot ointment -> have good rest -> should be fully recovered in 1 - 2 weeks time. -> SLOW PROGRESSION IF NOT REINJURED