How to Get Rid of and Prevent Arm Pump (With Exercise Tools and Health)

Getting rid of arm pump isn’t as easy as you’d think. It usually happens after periods of exercise or strain… like when you’re hanging onto your hand grips tearing up the trails or pounding whoops.

The pain is caused by a build-up of pressure in the forearm. So if you are putting your muscles under pressure, the blood can’t leave your forearms quick enough to allow the new oxygen-rich blood to circulate into your forearms in time. This creates a lactic acid build-up, which then causes pressure to build up in your forearms. The pressure is what compresses the muscles and nerves, resulting in them losing the ability to function correctly… and creates infamous arm pump.

Dirt biker riders that have unfortunately experienced arm pump have described it as a cramp in your forearms, wrists, and hands. They have said you lose strength, and your forearm feels like it could pop. Sound familiar?

How to Get Rid of Arm Pump

Arm pump isn’t fun. It distracts you from the trail or track you’re on, and makes riding harder. If the natural at-home procedure fail to get rid of your arm pump, surgery is a route you could highly consider. Just make sure to try to warmup, stretch, and stay hydrated first.

There is a surgical procedure that will relieve arm pump, which releases the fascia of the muscle (the fascia is the connective covering of the tissue).

The procedure is usually done while under general anesthetic, so you won’t feel any pain while undergoing the operation.

Surgeons will split the tissue or remove it altogether; both outcomes of the procedures are thought to be the same. Doing this will relieve the forearm of pressure, letting the blood flow through as it should, stopping any pain to the rider,

The success rate of the operation is 80-90%, the majority of riders who undergo the procedure have found it has worked and are satisfied with it…

But ya… try the natural stuff first!

Exercise Tool

So this was new to me… it’s called “4Arm Strong” and it’s been gaining a TON of traction. If you’re looking for an arm pump exercise tool, this is definitely worth a look.

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4Arm Strong is designed to relieve arm pump pain, as well as to improve flexibility and function of the forearm. A good thing about this, in addition to improving performance, is that this also reduces the risk of injury. Any way, check it out – pretty cool stuff.

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How to Prevent Arm Pump

There are many ways to prevent arm pump, however, they may not work or might only prevent it for a short period. This is why surgery is an option in for some. However, some of the main ways to prevent arm pump include nutrition and exercise.

Nutritional Health

• Keeping hydrated: this is important to do regardless, you should always ensure you are drinking enough water while exercising; it is super important. Electrolytes are essential for allowing your cells to gain enough energy and to function properly. So if you aren’t keeping well hydrated, you can expect more injuries and weaker performance. Drinking water helps muscles to relax and work properly.
• Nutrition: again, a good diet is essential for all aspects of life, especially when it comes to exercising, performing at your best, and keeping fit. To help with arm pump, you should try to cut out (or eat in moderation) fatty foods, high dairy foods, and generally unhealthy food. It is good to eat foods to help with naturally thinning blood, such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, and salmon, as well as plenty more to relieve the pressure in the fascia.

Physical Health

• Stretching and warming up before riding: everyone knows it is essential to warm up before exercise, it is just as crucial for bikers to warm up and stretch their forearms, wrists, and hands before riding. Warming up the muscle will increase oxygen flow and will help to stop pressure build-up
• Regularly stretching: even if you aren’t going riding, you should practice warming up and stretching your forearm muscles daily to help prevent arm pump when riding. It will increase strength and can help with oxygen flow.
• Riding regularly/keeping active: if you rarely ride or rarely do any form of exercise, you are more likely to suffer from arm pump. This is because if you are barely using the muscles, they will weaken, so when you do go riding, the pressure build-up is more likely as the muscle isn’t strong enough to function as it should. This is because the particular muscle isn’t exercised sufficiently.

Supplemental Health

• Massages: having regular forearm massages will help to relieve the pressure of the muscles. If you have forearm massage often, it will help to prevent arm pump as it increases blood flow and loosens tight, or pressured muscles.
• Cold compress: applying a cold compress to your forearm after riding for 5 minutes is a great way to relieve any pressure that may have built up when riding, which could cause arm pump.
• Medical creams: using medicated creams after riding is also a good idea, creams or gels such as deep heat, or any ibuprofen cream is suitable to relax the muscle and release any built-up pressure.

If none of these natural remedies work, then surgery to relieve arm pump is the best option for you… although that seems a bit extreme for the average Joe.