Bicep Pain

A couple of weeks ago whilst doing a relatively light warm-up set of Lat Pulldowns, I got a very tight feeling in my lower bicep, by the elbow joint. I continued for a little while as I assumed it might just be some sort of muscle cramp but it got very tight and painful so I had to stop. I got a cold compress from the gym instructor and applied it to the affected area and for a week afterwards I took ibuprofen and iced my arm as often as I could.
Although I no longer get any pain per see from my bicep it just doesn’t feel right and I get lots of little twinges as if to remind me it’s not quite right yet. At the moment I am only managing to do one Judo class a week although I am still doing light weights but no Bicep or Back exercises for obvious reasons.
From what I’ve read it sounds to me like to could be some form of Bicep tendinitis so wondered if strapping the arm would help or should I just go see a physio. Yes I could see my GP who will likely advise me to rest the area for a couple of weeks and do no exercise at all, before then deciding to refer me to a physio in 6 months’ time, assuming the waiting list is small, but in the UK that’s a long slow route to take.
Any suggestions?

Before CK comes along with a long explanation, the short answer is to see a Doc that has knowledge of these things. He may do a MRI etc and would then know the best way forward.

Bottom line, its either rest, maybe with meds (conservative) and physio or worse.

See the Doc... no one here can tell exactly

Good luck, hope it heals quickly mate

JudoStu wrote:A couple of weeks ago whilst doing a relatively light warm-up set of Lat Pulldowns, I got a very tight feeling in my lower bicep, by the elbow joint. I continued for a little while as I assumed it might just be some sort of muscle cramp but it got very tight and painful so I had to stop. I got a cold compress from the gym instructor and applied it to the affected area and for a week afterwards I took ibuprofen and iced my arm as often as I could.
Although I no longer get any pain per see from my bicep it just doesn’t feel right and I get lots of little twinges as if to remind me it’s not quite right yet. At the moment I am only managing to do one Judo class a week although I am still doing light weights but no Bicep or Back exercises for obvious reasons.
From what I’ve read it sounds to me like to could be some form of Bicep tendinitis so wondered if strapping the arm would help or should I just go see a physio. Yes I could see my GP who will likely advise me to rest the area for a couple of weeks and do no exercise at all, before then deciding to refer me to a physio in 6 months’ time, assuming the waiting list is small, but in the UK that’s a long slow route to take.
Any suggestions?

'Biceps', not 'bicep'. The term is both plural and singular. The difference lies in the preceding word, namely the complete term, but the preceding term is usually muted:

- 2 musculi biceps
- 1 musculus biceps

The ibuprofen won't do much at a location so remote and small. The icing might have the opposite effect if it isn't tendinitis. Tendinitis would involve the tendon, not the muscle. So where does it hurt, is it REALLY the tendon (attachment) of the biceps or is it the muscle belly ? If instead you actually pulled the muscle, application of heat is going to do more than application of ice. The choice between both can be difficult if the diagnosis cannot be easily made. Even as a physician one cannot always make the correct diagnosis. So, really it is going to be try and error. Stop the ice for some time and instead apply heat and see if if gets worse or better. If it does get worse, then cease and go back to ice. Make sure you exaggerate in your warm-up of specifically this structure. Also include stretching at home, daily, multiple times a day. Do not use weights, but use your own body weight, by putting more or less pressure on it.

Cichorei Kano wrote:

JudoStu wrote:A couple of weeks ago whilst doing a relatively light warm-up set of Lat Pulldowns, I got a very tight feeling in my lower bicep, by the elbow joint. I continued for a little while as I assumed it might just be some sort of muscle cramp but it got very tight and painful so I had to stop. I got a cold compress from the gym instructor and applied it to the affected area and for a week afterwards I took ibuprofen and iced my arm as often as I could.
Although I no longer get any pain per see from my bicep it just doesn’t feel right and I get lots of little twinges as if to remind me it’s not quite right yet. At the moment I am only managing to do one Judo class a week although I am still doing light weights but no Bicep or Back exercises for obvious reasons.
From what I’ve read it sounds to me like to could be some form of Bicep tendinitis so wondered if strapping the arm would help or should I just go see a physio. Yes I could see my GP who will likely advise me to rest the area for a couple of weeks and do no exercise at all, before then deciding to refer me to a physio in 6 months’ time, assuming the waiting list is small, but in the UK that’s a long slow route to take.
Any suggestions?

'Biceps', not 'bicep'. The term is both plural and singular. The difference lies in the preceding word, namely the complete term, but the preceding term is usually muted:

- 2 musculi biceps
- 1 musculus biceps

The ibuprofen won't do much at a location so remote and small. The icing might have the opposite effect if it isn't tendinitis. Tendinitis would involve the tendon, not the muscle. So where does it hurt, is it REALLY the tendon (attachment) of the biceps or is it the muscle belly ?  If instead you actually pulled the muscle, application of heat is going to do more than application of ice. The choice between both can be difficult if the diagnosis cannot be easily made. Even as a physician one cannot always make the correct diagnosis. So, really it is going to be try and error. Stop the ice for some time and instead apply heat and see if if gets worse or better. If it does get worse, then cease and go back to ice. Make sure you exaggerate in your warm-up of specifically this structure. Also include stretching at home, daily, multiple times a day. Do not use weights, but use your own body weight, by putting more or less pressure on it.

The initial pain certainly felt like it was in the muscle and I was unable to straighten my arm for a couple of days afterwards. Now it feels like it is more in the tendon, if that makes sense.
I'll try heat for a while and see how it goes.
Thanks

Guy walks into a doctors office and says "Doc, it hurt when I go like this."







Doc says ...













"if you don't lose the self-abuse habit that bicep will never heal."