Why won't my arm stop twitching???

[Evergrey]

Okay so.

I had a major surgery, and I have been recovering. I'm just now getting to the point where I'm able to get some exercise and do some basic stuff. My muscles have atrophied to a depressing degree.

Anyway, I've started doing Sanchin, Kyokushin style where you tighten up the whole body and use dynamic tension. It's at least something I can do while I wait another 4 months to get the OK to do actual kumite, or hell, anything that involves twisting.

But... my fucking upper arm, on the right side, both the tricep and bicep, will not. Stop. Twitching.

It's like a nervous tic that won't stop. It happens every 10 seconds or so, and lasts 5-10 seconds. twitchtwitchtwitchtwitchitwitch.

At first I didn't care, but after two days it has started to get really fucking annoying.

Is this normal? And will it go away any time soon?

:FullPanel:

[TaeBo_Master]

Without being able to see it further, at first glance I'd say that yes, this is relatively normal.

It's most likely a combination of the atrophy and overall disuse. The brain remembers a certain level of strength that the arm once had, but no longer has. And even though the brain remembers this strength, the nerves that connect to the muscles have probably also lost their efficiency in conducting the signals to the muscles.

The result is that there is a disconnect between what is "expected" of the muscles, and the reality of what the combination of the muscles and the nerves are capable of. This results in confused signals being sent, and the nerves and muscles trying to compensate between what they're being asked to do and what they're actually able to do. Hence the twitching.

My advice is to continue a strengthening program, as intensely as you are able, within your own limitations. If the problems persists after 3-4 weeks, then perhaps re-evaluate.

[CrackFox]

A while after I had surgery on my left clavicle I developed a severe twitch somewhere around my lower right back that got so bad I wasn't able to breath properly and had to go to A&E. Difene got rid of the worst of it, and then once I started moving around a bit it fixed itself up fairly quickly.

YMMV, etc.

[Fish Of Doom]

might be an entrapped or damaged nerve from the surgery.

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciculation

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_motor_neuron_lesion

also try doing some shoulder mobility drill to see if it's a muscle-derived entrapment. i would recommend the tea cup drill from bagua (you can find several how-to videos by steve cotter on youtube, just search for "steve cotter tea cup").

[CrackFox]

might be an entrapped or damaged nerve from the surgery.

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciculation

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_motor_neuron_lesion

Maybe it's boneitis. See http://theinfosphere.org/Boneitis

Seriously though, talk to your surgeon about it at your next appointment. If it gets worse than a simple annoyance and becomes very painful or gets in the way of your daily activities, go see your GP or contact your surgeon directly.

[doofaloofa]

@ Ev The surgery was on your knee wasn't it?

The twitching is in your R upper arm.

Surely these are not directly related?

[Evergrey]

Yeah, the surgery was on my knee.

[Fish Of Doom]

@ Ev The surgery was on your knee wasn't it?

The twitching is in your R upper arm.

Surely these are not directly related?

LOLi just got owned :awyeah:

this being the case, yeah, go talk to your surgeon. i still suggest the possibility of nerve entrapment or something similar. muscles don't move by themselves, they are activated by nerve impulses. if your arm is twitching, it has to do with your nervous system.

[LI GUY 1]

I have read about and experienced muscle twitching from: being exhausted, over training, and dehydration/electrolyte imbalance (sweating too much from training and not replacing the salts and water)
Also, I have had muslce spasms the day after intense lifting sometimes.