Pain in the ulna, the bone on the pinky-finger side of your forearm, during bicep curls indicates stress or irritation in your elbow or forearm. Understanding the causes helps address this discomfort.
Understanding Your Elbow and Ulna
The ulna is one of two long bones in your forearm, located on the pinky-finger side. It forms a hinge-like joint with the humerus, the upper arm bone. This connection allows for the bending and straightening motions of your arm.
The ulna also connects with the radius near the elbow and at the wrist, enabling forearm rotation. Soft tissues surround this joint, providing movement and stability. Ligaments connect bones, while tendons attach muscles like the biceps and brachialis to bones, facilitating curling. Nerves, including the ulnar nerve, transmit signals for sensation and muscle control through this area.
Primary Reasons for Ulna Pain During Curls
Medial epicondylitis, known as Golfer’s Elbow, is a common cause of ulna pain during bicep curls. This condition involves irritation and inflammation of the tendons on the inside of your elbow, where forearm flexor muscles attach. Improper wrist position or excessive weight can overload these tendons, causing pain that may extend down your forearm.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is another potential cause, involving compression or irritation of the ulnar nerve as it passes through a narrow tunnel on the inside of your elbow. Repetitive elbow bending during curls can pressure this nerve, causing pain, numbness, or tingling in the inner elbow, forearm, and sometimes extending to the ring and pinky fingers.
Less common causes include stress reactions or minor stress fractures of the ulna. These result from repeated, excessive stress, such as rapidly increasing training intensity or volume. A stress reaction involves microscopic damage, while a stress fracture is a slight crack. These injuries can cause chronic forearm pain, especially during activities that load the ulna.
Forearm muscle strains or tendonitis can also cause ulna pain. This involves inflammation or overuse of forearm muscles and their tendons, which stabilize the wrist and assist the biceps during curls. If these muscles are tight, weak, or overloaded, they can become strained, leading to localized pain near the ulna.
Factors That Increase Pain Risk
Several factors increase the risk of ulna pain during bicep curls. Improper lifting form is a common contributor; excessive wrist flexion or extension can stress forearm tendons. Allowing elbows to flare out, instead of keeping them tucked, shifts focus from biceps and can strain shoulder joints. Using momentum or swinging the weight also reduces exercise effectiveness and may strain other body areas.
Overuse or rapidly increasing curl weight or volume can overwhelm muscles and tendons around your ulna. Tendons adapt slower than muscles, making them vulnerable to inflammation and microtears if progressed too quickly. An insufficient warm-up leaves tissues less pliable, increasing injury susceptibility.
Lack of adequate rest and recovery between training sessions can prevent damaged tissues from healing, leading to chronic irritation. Muscle imbalances, such as disproportionate strength between forearm flexors and extensors or between biceps and triceps, can alter elbow joint mechanics and place uneven stress on the ulna and its surrounding structures.
Managing and Preventing Ulna Pain
When ulna pain arises during curls, immediate steps can help manage discomfort. The RICE method—Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation—is a common initial approach. Rest the affected arm by avoiding pain-triggering activities, apply ice for 15-20 minutes several times daily, use a compression bandage to reduce swelling, and elevate the arm for relief. While rest helps acute pain, gentle movement can promote healing for tendon issues once initial pain subsides.
Seek professional medical attention if pain persists despite home care, if it is severe, or if there is noticeable bruising, swelling, or inability to move your elbow normally. A healthcare provider can accurately diagnose the cause and recommend appropriate treatment, such as physical therapy.
Preventing ulna pain involves several proactive strategies. Maintaining proper bicep curl form is important; keep wrists neutral, tuck elbows close to your body, and avoid swinging movements. Gradual training progression is also important; increase weight, repetitions, or intensity slowly, typically by no more than 5-10% per week, allowing tissues to adapt without overload.
Consistently incorporate a thorough warm-up before workouts and a cool-down afterward to prepare muscles and joints and aid recovery. Strengthening supporting muscles in your forearms and around your elbow enhances joint stability and resilience. Listening to your body’s signals is essential; differentiate between muscle fatigue and actual pain, adjusting activity to avoid pushing through discomfort that could lead to injury.