Debilitating bicep/arm pain and numbness after squatting
Dear Mark
I've tried to be a good noob and search for this topic already but I've not found a matching solution (though there seem to be a number of people with similar symptoms but no posted resolution).
I'm hoping you can help me to resolve the cause of pain which is stymying my workouts. Here are the full details:
- Age, Gender, current training status
36, M, 95kg (209lb), 6'2", Advanced novice (did about 7 months of SS last year before this pain caused me to have a 'short break' which turned into a 7 month break. I've been back training again for about 2-3 months and have recently reached the level I was at before.
Currently squatting 130kg (287lb) x5 x3.
- Chief Complaint
Primarily bicep pain and numbness AFTER squatting. As the weight has been closing on and beating my PR pain has come back. Initially it's in the right bicep but starts to radiate along the arm as the sessions have got harder. Last time I stopped it affected both arms along their length.
- Narrative describing the mechanism of injury:
The pain gradually starts after finishing the squat set. It's a dull ache that becomes more painful over a few minutes and makes my arms weak. Initially it manifests in my right bicep but last time spread along the arm over a series of workouts and also affected the left arm too. At worst they were so weak and painful a few minutes after that I could barely lift or move them, like I'd been given a 'dead arm'.
My last session before my 7 month break, the pain ran from the inside of my shoulder, down inside my bicep, along the forearm and to my middle finger on each hand. It made the finger go numb for a few hours.
It robs me of all strength, runing further exercises. Last session I got trapped under my last warmup set on bench and couldn't get it off my chest (attempted warmup was 70kg x2, planned workset would have been 78kg x5 x3, I previously lifte 76kg x5 x3 last session). I couldn't even do one pull up after (usually about 7).
- Pain (on a scale of 1-10),
Initially about 2-3 immediately after finishing, rising to about 8 at its worst occurrence.
- Describe the pain
Deep aching, like an extreme dead arm, includes some numbness, especially if it radiates to the fingers.
- What makes it better?
I've been trying different grip widths and albow angles. I'm very flexible and used to use a very narrow grip but have widened it considerably. That seemed to ease it sometimes but other sessions I'll take the same grip and it will hurt after.
- What makes it worse?
It only occurs as I close in on weights near my PR. I can't see what else may be causing it. I've watched the squat bar placement and grip video and thought I was using that technique but it's still happening.
- How do your symptoms behave throughout the day?
The peak of the ache tails off within about 10 minutes and gradually subsides over a few hours. I have had some residual pain the following day, maybe a 1 or 2 out of 10.
I recently posted a few form checks. Of those I was happiest with the bar placement and grip in this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYyp0Nt4VX0
(That's a wide grip compared to what I can do)
This is my standard placement that I try to replicate every workout. That particular session I only got mild pain and it didn't stop me performing the other exercises but the last workout (132kg) I went 4, 0, 3 and then couldn't do any other lifts or pulls.
I didn't video my last set as we were short of time and I didn't expect this issue to come back and bite me so hard. I will video the next ones.
I hope I'm not wasting your time in asking about something which has already been solved somewhere I've not found. Is there anything you can see or suggest that might help? I will record all new attempts so I can show the results.