Thread: Bicep clicking/popping while doing curls

Hello all,

I was hoping to get some advice since this has been an ongoing issue and medical professionals have not been able to tell me much.

For the past 1-2 years I've been having a weird clicking/popping in the lower part of my bicep near elbow/forearm. It's not loud nor is it painful, it just feels strange/uncomfortable.
It mostly happens when lowering the weight almost at full stretch. I have checked with various weight from 12lbs dumbbells all the way up to 50lbs and it still does the same thing. I feel like its happening at the distal bicep tendon, but not really sure.

I've had an x ray and an mri but in both the Dr. just said everything looked normal.

Anyone have a similar experience? Has it been solved?

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by EliKoehn

Do you have a history of curling prior to this without the sound having been made, or did you only start performing the exercise when you noticed the sound?

Sorry, should have mentioned I've been lifting for 14 years and never had any clicking before. I'm not into lifting too heavy or anything, I train to perform in the sports and activities I do and aesthetics.

Originally Posted by EliKoehn

Hmm... Impossible to say what exactly it is, but if it's painless and your doctor OK'd it, I'd just ignore it and not worry unless that changes or it gets worse.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing but I recently heard of a few horror stories where people end up tearing a tendon when these "signs" get ignored. I actually had a friend recently tear his Achilles tendon after ignoring similar symptoms. I just hate how doctors see an image that looks ok but ignore what the patient is describing. It's been the same with all my aches and pains lol with several different doctors. I basically just self treat when I can and stretch and massage as much as possible. But nothing seems to help the bicep issue.

Thanks for your responses btw!

It's likely wear and tear, and getting older. Things start to click/pop... you can adjust your exercises, grip, grip width, or ROM to avoid it if it concerns you. It may or may not lead to something else.