Possible injury

[mjh]

I have been unable to extend my arms their full length for several years, and it never really bothers me, but I was curious if anyone had experience with a similar problem. I've been to several doctors who seemed interested but said since it happens in both arms, it doesn't appear to be an injury, or something I need to be concerned about in the future.

Since it doesn't cause any major discomfort or pain, this post is general curiosity more than anything else.

 

[Shujaa]

I have heard of people who abuse bicep curls and ignore their triceps to the point that this happens to them :shocked:

But you'd already know if that was the problem!

You say you've had it for several years, so what were you like before that? And what changed? Surely it didn't just happen overnight.

 

[mjh]

It's been like this so long that I honestly don't remember when it first occurred!

The only thing I can say for sure is that it happened before I started lifting weights.

 

[skace]

While you can't extend your arms manually to full length, what happens if you lie on them? Can you eventually straighten them out? Or is it hitting something that even with an outside force they still don't straighten?

 

[mjh]

They can extend all the way out when I am dealing with weights, or when I am getting put in an arm bar.

 

[GenHoth]

Sounds like you need to stretch, tendons are getting a little short.

 

[mjh]

Originally posted by: GenHoth
Sounds like you need to stretch, tendons are getting a little short.

Any stretch recommendations?

 

[JAG87]

yea, just hang like a monkey from the chin up bar. that'll stretch your arms.

 

[GenHoth]

Anything that causes the tendons in your arms to get stretched, like putting your hand on a door frame and leaning past it. It isn't a serious thing if you take some precautions. Problem is if you let them get too tight then they can snap easier than normally.

 

[mjh]

Following your advice, I found that my arms actually feel great when I stretch them like that!

Let's hope the tendons begin to stretch out normally again.