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Suffered Blunt Trauma In Forearm. Experiencing Pain After Lifting Weight. Long-term Ideas For Prognosis?

Posted on Mon, 21 Oct 2013

Question: I suffered blunt trauma to my right forearm in early January 2013. An 80 pound dumbbell fell on my forearm from a weight rack. My forearm instantly bruised. Over the course of the following month swelling went down and my arm turned purple, as I expected. By late February my arm appeared healed. I remained inactive for the next several months due to a move and other family issues, but recently started back. Three days later after lifting weights for the first time since January I am experiencing intense throbbing pain in my forearm. Not a sharp pain, but throbbing. No discoloration or swelling. A physician friend suggested that it may be the breaking up of scar tissue that formed around the location of the trauma. Please let me know your thoughts on what this might be, as well as any pain reduction suggestions and long-term ideas for prognosis. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Arun (2 hours later)

Hi
Thanks for writing to healthcare magic.
From your given history I can presume the following possibilities
1) breaking of scar tissue is very well possible if the scar has been subjected to excess stress.
2) fresh injury to muscle or ligaments which could cause throbbing pain.
Its better to avoid weight lifts and do give the limb rest.
You can try painkillers like diclofenac topically as spray for few days. Also try mild stretching of the limb and slowly increase the workload.
Good physiotherapy and avoiding weight lifting would be the ideal way to go.
Wishing you speedy recovery.
Regards
Dr Arun

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar