FPSDavid

After I ride, my left (and ONLY left) arm hurts for DAYS after I've ridden. The pain is in my upper inside arm and can sometimes extend into my shoulder. Nothing I do to my arm, no matter how much I move, stretch, poke, and prod it makes the pain better or worse. The pain is constant.

Where it hurts:

Has anyone had this happen to them before? I can't figure out what's causing it, I don't lock my arms when riding, nor do I know why it's only my left arm. It's really bothersome, as it effects almost everything (sitting at a desk/chair, driving, and makes me not want to ride!). I've been to the doctor, who didn't have any idea, since he couldn't make it hurt from stressing my arm, had an xray on it which showed nothing.

My bike is a 2012 CAAD10, if it matters.

colombo357

Hmm, maybe try the 2013 CAAD10? Or possibly a 2010 CAAD9?

cocar

What type of a doctor did you see? The reason I ask is because the left upper arm is a common location for referred pain--meaning that area hurts, but the pain is actually coming from somewhere else. Things that can cause that spot to hurt--cardiac disease, acid reflux, spinal disc disease. If you went to an orthopedist, they might not have thought of those things right off the bat. And they wouldn't have shown up on an x-ray either. You probably need to get back to a different doctor.

ColinL

did you raise your bars back up, or are they still slammed?

FPSDavid

I put them back all the way up, never rode more than around the block with them slammed.

ColinL

in that case, cocar's reply is starting to sound a bit realistic. I have some doubt this is a cycling issue.

FPSDavid

Oddly enough, it started shortly BEFORE I got my new bike, which seems kind of odd to me. But if I don't ride for 3-4 days, my arm is just fine. Hop back on the bike, arm hurts for a few days again. It's been going on for weeks now, at first I didn't associate it with cycling, but I've realized there's a definite connection.

gregf83 

How much do you ride? Perhaps you just need more time in the saddle and for your arms to adapt to riding. If you're right handed it's possible your right arm is a little stronger and hence has less or no pain.

If you can't ride more frequently you might try some strength exercises starting with light weights.

You could also have a bike fit issue where you have too much weight on your hands. Can you lift your hands off the bars while riding while keeping your back fixed? i.e. without sitting up how much pressure is on your hands?

What % of time do you spend in the drops/hoods/tops?

FPSDavid

I'm riding 40-60 miles a week. I'd like to be riding more, but dealing with the arm pain makes me want to ride way less.

Not sure about lifting my hands off the bars...

I mostly ride on the hoods, sometimes on the tops, and rarely in the drops.

Nachoman

Personally, I would try some light weights, a bit of stretching and maybe changing up my position on the bike, before going to a doctor.

FPSDavid

The odd thing is, it happened on my old bike shortly before I got my new bike. I've been having this problem for at least 2 months now...

Commodus

If it's only your left arm, I don't really think it has anything to do with your bike/fit. You need to see another doctor. Maybe try a physiotherapist, they can give you some exercises and stretches and stuff.

HokuLoa

Spit-balling, purely:

I'd look for similarities in how you weight yourself on the bars and what angles you have working in your arm, shoulder, and neck. First thought was perhaps referred pain from the neck and shoulders (something pinching perhaps).

Tingly pain?

FPSDavid

Nope, its constant pain, not tingly at all. Kind of feels like its originating at my elbow and shooting outwards towards my shoulder.

ColinL

could be tendonitis. but it's definitely time for another doc visit.

ursle

Lert arm, heart
I'd get to a good dr and make sure there's not a heart blockage, no matter your age, no matter your condition, right arm, muscle cramp.

HokuLoa

Could easily be some tendinopathy (tricep seems obvious). Do you lift weights too? Fall or crash on the forearms? I'm with the rest in suggesting another doc round. Ortho reasons are likely but it is a real good idea to rule out all the possibilities and address the root cause head on.

Chickenstrip

Go see a Dr. I had 3 crushed vertebrae in my neck, and this is exactly the pain began. No matter how I stretched, or what area I massaged the pain never subsided. I put up with the pain for a few years as it would not hurt all the time, until I woke up one morning and could not feel my hand at all.

My surgeon said I had been very lucky as a simple fender bender or slip and fall could have killed me. They pulled chunks of bone out of my neck ranging from tiny, to silver dollar sized. The surgery cost $68,000.00 thankfully I had insurance to cover all but $2000.00.

When I woke up from surgery instantly the arm pain was gone, all feeling had been restored to the hand and I had a nice scar on my neck. The pain has not since returned.

FPSDavid

Seems unlikely it'd be heart-related, since it only happens after I cycle. Guess it could be from the higher HR from exercising, dunno. I rode 20 miles yesterday morning, and my arm is still killing me. Advil only slightly calms it.

Nope, cycling is really all the exercise I get. Haven't fallen hard ever (only once or twice when I was new to clipless like 2+ years ago, and from very low speed)

Interesting, how did they figure out the vertebrae were crushed? My arm x-rays showed nothing.

Ghost Ryder

I had pain during, & after in the same area(Triceps muscle). It's fine now, but I found myself shaking it out every now & then today.
My Defy is probably my only bike where i can ride with a flat back, I don't notice this on my other bikes as much.
For me it could be a slight fit issue, but I wouldn't put off seeing another doctor for another opinion.
I saw my doc today, but I didn't ask about it, since it wasn't bothering me @ the time, this visit was for my knees.

milkbaby

That's eerie, my best friend's brother had an arm problem to the point where it became atrophied, and the cause was traced back to a neck problem he originally sustained in a slip and fall... If he had taken another impact the wrong way he could have died too. Luckily he saw a doctor about it before that happened too...

Chickenstrip

MRI of the spine was the only way it showed up. My arm X-rays never showed anything either because the problem was not in the arm, that's just where the perceived pain was. The crushed discs were pinching the main nerve that runs down the arm and wraps around the elbow.

Chickenstrip

I should include that my Dr. did not order an MRI until I complained about numbness in the hand.