Pain in wrists while benching. Advice anyone?

[RottenWillow]

Over the last few weeks I've begun to develop pretty significant pain in my wrists while benching. It's only noticable at lockout, and so far hasnt bothered me at all outside my benching. However, I'm concerned because it's gotten progressively worse over the last 3 chest workouts.

FYI, I dont use wrist wraps, havent changed my bench form, and I havent added any weight lately. I do have pretty small wrists though. I just measured then and they taped at 6.0". I bench 125 for 10.

any suggestions on how to deal with this?

 

[Daisy_Girl]

When you are holding the bar, is your wrist flexed back, or do you try to keep the wrists in a straight line with your arms?

 

[RottenWillow]

When you are holding the bar, is your wrist flexed back, or do you try to keep the wrists in a straight line with your arms?

Flexed back. Yes ma'am I know. But the weight is too heavy for my wimpy assed forearm flexors. If I try to keep my hands inline with my forearms the bar feels like its slipping. I'm flummoxed!

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Work on grip strength and flexor strength to help with that - or use straps.

Sounds like you are developing carpal tunnel or tendonitis.

 

[RottenWillow]

Work on grip strength and flexor strength to help with that - or use straps.

Sounds like you are developing carpal tunnel or tendonitis.

I just observed that the pain is decreased substantially on the second work set. Does that sound more indicative of tendonitas than CTS?

 

[necia]

I'm suffering too RW. I keep my wrists flexed back, and besides the pain it just don't seem right. A few weeks ago it was even painful for me while just walking down the street. Felt just like carpal tunnel. Thank goodness it got better. I wonder if I work on my grip will my wrists get better too. I wish you luck girlie.

Necia

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Don't Flex Your Wrists Back!

 

[RottenWillow]

I'm suffering too RW. I keep my wrists flexed back, and besides the pain it just don't seem right. A few weeks ago it was even painful for me while just walking down the street. Felt just like carpal tunnel. Thank goodness it got better. I wonder if I work on my grip will my wrists get better too. I wish you luck girlie.

Necia

whoa! Ok that's getting severe honey. That definitely does sound like CTS is developing. You might want to immediately lighten up on your bench weight, and slow the bar speed so the weight still feels heavy, then you should be able to keep your hands straighter.

In my case, I'm not certain yet that my discomfort is related to my bent wrists. I workout alone, so I wasnt sure of the relationship of my hands to my forearms, but I just had my fiance come in here and watch me. My hands are not completely inline with my forearms, but they're not bent all the way back either. This, combined with my observation that the discomfort basically disappears on the second workset, makes me think it's tendonitas developing.

 

[musclemom]

Over the last few weeks I've begun to develop pretty significant pain in my wrists while benching. It's only noticable at lockout, and so far hasnt bothered me at all outside my benching. However, I'm concerned because it's gotten progressively worse over the last 3 chest workouts.

any suggestions on how to deal with this?

RW, I'm willing to take a poke at it if you'd like, I'm a neurology transcriptionist so I hear about CTS symptoms all the time ... and I bench and have a friend who is a competitive powerlifter so I might be able to recruit her for ideas ... and I have back and neck problems of my own so nerve pain is sort of a life thing.

That being said, if you're really worried about CTS the big question is are you having problems with any of your fingers? Everything sort of depends on that answer -- yes means potential CTS, no means almost definitely not.

And the other question is where is the pain exactly? Pinky side of the wrist, thumb side of the wrist, dead center, in the back of the hand or in the inside where the veins are? Is it a sharp shooting pain, a dull ache, numbness, weakness ... do you get the same pain using a lower weight or doing a dumbbell bench?

I know, a lot of questions ... sorry.

 

[RottenWillow]

And the other question is where is the pain exactly? Pinky side of the wrist, thumb side of the wrist, dead center, in the back of the hand or in the inside where the veins are? Is it a sharp shooting pain, a dull ache, numbness, weakness ... do you get the same pain using a lower weight or doing a dumbbell bench?

I know, a lot of questions ... sorry.

thank you honey. No, there's no weakness, numbness, or shooting pain. It's centralized discomfort, but a little more intense than a dull ache. I actually had surgery to repair CTS on my left wrist when I was 15 (7 years ago) and I dont recall the pain feeling like this, though I could be recalling it wrong.