Two exercises help pain when elbow is bent or straightened

You might not think too much about it, but your elbows move a lot during a normal day. They bend to lift your morning cup of coffee to your lips. They twist to turn doorknobs. Bending and straightening so many times every day can leave your elbows vulnerable to injury. In fact, one medical article reports that injuries like tennis elbow affect up to 3% of the U.S. population every year. People who are feeling pain when bending or straightening their elbow can find help from a physical therapist. These specialists have many techniques at their disposal, and they can combine them into a personalized plan to reduce your pain. Therapeutic exercises are commonly used to treat elbow pain. There are two exercises in particular that your therapist might prescribe. Wrist extensor stretch Tightness in your forearm muscles is one common cause of tennis elbow, and it can also lead to elbow pain when bending or straightening your arm. Physical therapists can show you how to stretch forearm muscles to reduce tightness. One exercise often used for this purpose is the wrist extensor stretch. How to do the wrist extensor stretch Start by holding the affected arm straight out in front of you with your palm down. You can also rest your forearm on a table or countertop if you have trouble maintaining this position; just make sure your wrist is hanging over the edge of the surface. Grasp the fingers of the affected hand with your other hand. Slowly pull downward toward the floor until you feel a stretch in the outside of your forearm. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Release the stretch and rest your arm for 10 seconds. Repeat these steps until you’ve done three repetitions. Wrist turn Physical therapists can also show you exercises that can strengthen the forearm muscles. Improving strength in these muscles can help decrease pain in your elbow when it’s bent or straightened, and this goal can be accomplished with the wrist turn exercise. How to do the wrist turn exercise Place the affected forearm on a table, countertop or other flat surface; your wrist should be over the edge of the surface, and your palm should be facing up. Slowly turn your hand inward so that your palm is facing down. Concentrate on tightening the forearm muscles during this movement. Hold this position for three to five seconds. Return your hand to the starting position and rest for five seconds. Repeat these steps until you’ve done three sets of five repetitions. You can also use a light hand weight or can of soup to add weight, which will make the exercise more challenging. Elbow pain when bending and straightening your arm can be treated at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy Are you feeling pain every time your elbow is bent and straightened? Excel Sports & Physical Therapy offers treatment options that can help. Our clinics offer free screenings to help you get your treatment started. We also create individualized therapy plans that meet each patient’s specific needs, and our plans often include beneficial therapy methods such as: Therapeutic exercises Joint mobilization Kinesio Taping® Hand therapy Joint mobilization Don’t wait to start getting our help with your elbow pain. Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you or to schedule an initial appointment.
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You might not think too much about it, but your elbows move a lot during a normal day. They bend to lift your morning cup of coffee to your lips. They twist to turn doorknobs. Bending and straightening so many times every day can leave your elbows vulnerable to injury. In fact, one medical article reports that injuries like tennis elbow affect up to 3% of the U.S. population every year. 

People who are feeling pain when bending or straightening their elbow can find help from a physical therapist. These specialists have many techniques at their disposal, and they can combine them into a personalized plan to reduce your pain. Therapeutic exercises are commonly used to treat elbow pain. There are two exercises in particular that your therapist might prescribe. 

1.  Wrist extensor stretch

Tightness in your forearm muscles is one common cause of tennis elbow, and it can also lead to elbow pain when bending or straightening your arm. Physical therapists can show you how to stretch forearm muscles to reduce tightness. One exercise often used for this purpose is the wrist extensor stretch. 

How to do the wrist extensor stretch

  • Start by holding the affected arm straight out in front of you with your palm down. You can also rest your forearm on a table or countertop if you have trouble maintaining this position; just make sure your wrist is hanging over the edge of the surface. 
  • Grasp the fingers of the affected hand with your other hand.
  • Slowly pull downward toward the floor until you feel a stretch in the outside of your forearm. 
  • Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. 
  • Release the stretch and rest your arm for 10 seconds.
  • Repeat these steps until you’ve done three repetitions. 

2.  Wrist turn

Physical therapists can also show you exercises that can strengthen the forearm muscles. Improving strength in these muscles can help decrease pain in your elbow when it’s bent or straightened, and this goal can be accomplished with the wrist turn exercise. 

How to do the wrist turn exercise

  • Place the affected forearm on a table, countertop or other flat surface; your wrist should be over the edge of the surface, and your palm should be facing up. 
  • Slowly turn your hand inward so that your palm is facing down. Concentrate on tightening the forearm muscles during this movement. 
  • Hold this position for three to five seconds.
  • Return your hand to the starting position and rest for five seconds. 
  • Repeat these steps until you’ve done three sets of five repetitions. You can also use a light hand weight or can of soup to add weight, which will make the exercise more challenging. 

Elbow pain when bending and straightening your arm can be treated at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy

Are you feeling pain every time your elbow is bent and straightened? Excel Sports & Physical Therapy offers treatment options that can help. Our clinics offer free screenings to help you get your treatment started. We also create individualized therapy plans that meet each patient’s specific needs, and our plans often include beneficial therapy methods such as: 

Don’t wait to start getting our help with your elbow pain. Request an appointment or call us today at Affton, North O’Fallon,  St. Louis, Creve Coeur, Ellisville, Saint Peters, O’Fallon, Saint Charles, Warrenton & Wentzville, MO centers.

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