Common Arm Injuries Experienced In The Gym

When you decide to take on a lifestyle that involves regular workouts and a solid physical fitness routine, you may think you are on the road to bodily success.

However, it only takes a small injury to stop you in your tracks. Once sufficiently injured, a limb, elbow, or shoulder might never quite be the same.

This is why we need to identify and appropriately treat the different types of arm injuries you might suffer at the gym. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Arm Injuries Common to the Gym

Common arm injuries can be painful, so we must be aware of the potential risks involved with each piece of gym equipment and every movement we make while using them. 

Bicep Tendonitis

Bicep tendonitis is caused when you make repetitive overhead lifts. Common to weightbodybuildersvenbodybuilderss, when the gym user lifts a heavy weight above their head it will come with tingling, sharp, and sometimes excruciating pains.

These might cause sharp, shooting pains around the biceps when you lift. A bad enough case is like carpal tunnel syndrome, where the pain becomes long-term and constant.

Tennis Elbow

The tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis. This injury is often caused by gripping weights without the right form.

It can be caused by repetitive shock actions, like those you might encounter if you regularly play tennis. Repetitive strain from using a computer too much can also cause this. 

Golfer’s Elbow

Like tennis elbow, the golfer’s elbow has pain on the inside of your elbow, not on the outside. This pain hovers between that of the bicep and that of the outer elbow.

It hurts when you lift and usually forms due to gripping motions. K. Mathew Warnock, MD recommends orthopedic treatment for these types of repetitive strain injuries. If treatments don’t take down the irritation or inflammation, you may even require orthopedic surgery. 

Hyperextension Injuries

Hyperextension is a form of joint which some people have naturally. When you damage a hyperextended arm, you endure torn muscles, problems with the tendons and joints, and countless other small hurts.

Hyperextension can happen unnaturally, too, when you overextend the arm during an exercise and the elbow joint bends out of proportion.

This can happen on the bench machine, when weightlifting, or anywhere else in the gym. Injuries to this area of the arm are exceptionally painful. You should see a doctor.

Fractures and Dislocations

Fracturing your arm can happen all too easily when you are working out. If you slam your foot down hard repetitively, you will eventually splinter bone around your ankle.

It can be the same if you repeatedly slam your arms into things, drop weights too quickly, or use the plate machine the wrong way.

Dislocations happen when your arm is pulled free from the shoulder socket. Do not get someone to pop this back in. See an orthopedic surgeon before you proceed.

Be Careful Out There

You might love a hard workout but prepare yourself with the safety rules before you hit the gym.