Wrist pain after heavy weights

[DHKWriter]

I'm in my last week of STS, and I'm thrilled with the strength gains that I've made. But after last work out (Chest/Back, Week 3, Meso 3), I have pain in my right wrist, and I think it's from handling all those heavy weights, weights I've never used before. Are there certain exercises that are harder on the wrists? Is there anything that can be done for this kind of pain other than laying off the weights? It sucks that I'll probably never be able to lift as heavy as I can go without damaging something else! On the plus side, I used to never be able to lift heavy for biceps without getting elbow tendonitis, and now I'm doing 45 lbs barbell and 20s for concentration curls with no tendonitis!

Donna

[JackieB]

I have been thinking about this. I developed quite a bit of joint pain and irritated my back (which has issues) doing CLX. I took a break with barre and Classical Stretch and have been slowly adding back in some weights--starting to hurt again with elbows and wrists.

Hoping someone will chime in with some thoughts or suggestions!

Jackie

[Artist of Eyes]

I get wrist pain but my worst is elbow pain. Heavy weight lifting is considered a High Impact activity for the joints. I have been to a Physiologist, Rheumatologist, and several Orthopedists in the last 2 yrs to figure out some of my joint and pain issues. Along the way I discovered that heavy weights are not so good for the body when it comes to your joints and this is one of the causes of the pain. I have some other issues as well, but have since laid off the heavy weight work and use light to moderate weights with moderate to high reps. However not Jari Love-style of high reps bc that too will flare the joints (for me).

I've thrown in the towel for workouts like STS. I think the concept is fun but to me bodt preservation is more important than breaking my lifting records of my younger years. That kind of training isn't required for health or muscle maintenance or growth. Once I realized the negative impact that heavy weights could cause for the future, I backed off. It hurt my pride and ego more than anything else, but that was short lived.

[Castella]

I have backed away from heavy lifting because of joint issues, especially shoulder, elbow and wrist. Nowadays I try to focus on movements that strengthen the supporting muscles as well as the big workhorse muscles. I agree that it is very frustrating and disheartening, especially after you make an investment in heavy weight equipment.

You might try wearing elastic braces or strengthening the muscles that support your joints. You might also work on increasing your grip strength. If you are working with a bar, you might switch to dumbbells which give you more options on positioning your hands and wrists.

[cherimac]

What a timely post. I ended up with a case of tennis elbow two years ago and it took a full year to fully recover, including three months with no weights at all. I was told that once you get it, flare ups will occur if you're not careful. I've been lifting heavier lately (and honestly, not anywhere NEAR as heavy as you are) and I find it feeling tweaky again. I guess it's a good thing there are high rep/low weight workouts out there for me!

[KathAL79]

Like anything I think you need to work up to holding heavier weights, and for some people grip strength rather than the strength, endurance, etc., of the targeted muscle may be the limiting factor in how heavy one can go. I don't think many programs at all address this sort of thing.

[RASCalif]

There is a weight lifing program called MAX-OT that is based on lifting very heavy weights. I followed it last year and got severe tendonitis in my left elbow, which still flares up today. I use a Band-It ( http://www.amazon.com/%60Band-IT-Elb.../dp/B000LUBKYY ) and take Glucousamine/Chondroitin supplements now, and I can never go back to heavy weights. So yes, take it easy especially if you're not in your 20's anymore!

[gmfreund]

I have finally decided that wrist, hand and forearm strength are part and parcel of overall strength and I've backed down on the weights if they give me trouble in any of those areas. It's got to be just as important (if not more so) to have strong hands and forearms as it is chest and biceps.

Were you using a barbell or dumbbells? I will often have wrist trouble with a barbell because of the angle of my wrists. It's mostly on barbell curls and reverse grip rows -- I have to use dumbbells for both of those. I can see that chest press might do the same thing.

Gwynn

[patrice]

Nothing to add about your pain, but wanted to say congratulations on sticking with your rotation!

Patrice

[Jane P.]

I have wrist problems as well. I just do the best I can and back off when I have to. Also, do specific wrist strengthening exercises. Cathe does them in some of her other videos. Basically you use smaller weights and just move at the wrists. Do them in both directions.