Arm pump is an issue many mountain bikers face, and is often associated with sports that require gripping for long periods of time. Chris Daniels wrote an excellent article offering 11 tips for preventing arm pump, and in it he says, “arm pump is the undesirable, painful, numbing effects of repetitive jolts transmitted from the trail to your arms, rendering them useless. Some riders deal with arm pump from time to time and for some, it’s a chronic problem with potentially hazard outcomes if left unchecked.”
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Knowing that many mountain bikers and even motorsports athletes suffer arm pump, there is a new device called 4-Arm Strong that’s designed to help treat and prevent arm pump. While it almost looks like a torture device, 4-Arm Strong is actually designed to mimic the methods physical therapists use to treat the condition.
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More details can be found in the press release excerpt below and on the 4-Arm Strong website.
Many athletes across a range of sports suffer from issues in their forearms as a result of overuse. Chief among these is chronic exertional compartment syndrome (more commonly known as “arm pump”), a problem that affects grip strength and performance. Additionally, these same athletes can develop repetitive-motion injuries such as elbow tendonitis, forearm flexor strains and carpal tunnel syndrome. Even those with access to consistent, top-of- the-line treatment modalities can struggle with recovery.
Finally, however, there is a product on the market specifically targeted to relieve and even prevent these painful conditions: the patent-pending 4Arm Strong. This simple yet effective aided stretching device—developed by Active Release Techniques ® –certified provider Lee Ramage—uses targeted tension to create a much more effective stretch of the muscles and fascia (connective tissue) in and surrounding the forearm. This allows for more blood to be accepted into the forearm compartment, which translates into less constriction, relieving tightness and numbness and reducing arm pump. Use of the 4Arm Strong also creates an effective lengthening of the muscles below the elbow, which is key to relieving pain from injuries like tennis and golfer’s elbow and allows for quicker healing.
Once the 4Arm Strong is secured to the forearm using a cuff and strap, an adjustable knob sets the appropriate level of resistance and tension and users can continue their traditional therapeutic mobility and flexibility exercises with a boost in their effectiveness.
The device is available for $129.95.
Your turn: Any buyers out there? Have you found an effective method for combatting arm pump?
