Try this exercise to strengthen your elbow
On one occasion while playing basketball, I was knocked off of my feet, and I landed onto my left elbow. Thankfully, my elbow was not fractured, although it did bruise up substantially.
In addition to some swelling, I soon noticed an inability to straighten out my elbow. For many months my elbow remained unable to completely straighten. I ended up consulting an orthopedist and a physical therapist, and their advice was invaluable…
Elbows respond to slow and gentle stretching.
Elbow fractures, elbow surgeries, and general elbow trauma all can have the unfortunate consequence of “contractures,” or lags in range of motion. I have found that the soft tissue of the elbow does not respond favorably to aggressive stretching. Aggressive pushing of the ranges of motion will actually cause the elbow to become more inflamed, and in many cases, the contracture will worsen.
The soft tissue of the elbow tends to agree with a slower, gentler stretch imposed over a longer period of time. If you cannot fully straighten your elbow, try this simple exercise. (See photo above of man lying down)
1. Lie on the floor “face upwards” and place a pillow under your forearm so that your arm may rest with a slight amount of stretch. Make sure that your shoulder does not lift off the floor as you lie in this position. Adjust the amount of support under the forearm if necessary.
2. Allow your elbow to rest into extension over ten to fifteen minutes. Gently press your forearm down into the pillow for ten seconds every minute by contracting your triceps muscles.
3. As your range of motion improves, use less of a support under your forearm.
4. The level of stretch imposed on your shoulder during this exercise should be a “one or two” out of a scale of ten. If you are encountering too much stretch, adjust the pillow under your forearm to allow a more comfortable amount of flexion.
My son did some weight training last week, following months of not going due to a dislocated shoulder. Since then he cannot straighten his lower arms. They are rigid and painful. Any advice would be much appreciated .
It sounds like he over-worked the biceps, perhaps with pull-ups or something of that nature. This is usually something that just needs to heal. To be safe, I would at least talk to the doc about this, as occasionally there can be issues with pressure in extremely over-used muscles.
Thank you so much for your kind and straightforward answers to the questions above! It is so helpful to read and understand more about elbow injuries. I dislocated my elbow roughly seven weeks ago. It can bend and extend just about fully, but that last little bit of bending/straightening is not quite there yet. I have been dismissed by my orthopedic doctor and physical therapist. Will I continue to improve with the exercises and stretching that they taught me? Or, is there a point where recovery stops and one is left with a certain range of motion? Thank you, in advance, for taking my question.
I would continue with the exercises given your improvements. I do think that there is still much potential to improve the ranges of motion, as seven weeks is relatively early in the time process. We do see people here in physical therapy who are 12+ weeks post-injury. It sounds like you are getting there!
I’m !4 and I’m a catcher for my softball team. I’ve never been able to completely straighten either of my arms. As i play softball throughout the summer, pain in my elbow when I throw.. Do you know what it is and how I could be treated?
I can still flex with no tension, but the pain increases when I throw a softball, or football.
If you have never been able to straighten the elbows, this is likely a structural issue that you were born with. I doubt that there would be much that you could do about this, other than get an x-ray and a doc’s opinion. You would also probably be at a bit of a mechanical disadvantage with throwing as well, which might explain your pain.
Hello,
Last Wednesday I was leaning against a wall with my hands behind my back, when I pushed off the wall my left arm remained bent. I cant move my elbow and it feels stiff and achy but not really painful and there is no swelling or bruising. I can’t drive as I can’t lift the handbrake or reach the gears. Can you suggest any exercises to get it moving again? I haven’t seen a GP yet as the only appointment available is 9th of January.
It sounds like something is stuck or partially out of place, I would see a doc sooner rather than later.
Thank you so much!
Very good morning. I am 40 yrs woman. I fell off from bike 7 months back and fractured my elbow. I had 2 plates and 11 screws which had been removed last month due to allergic to metal. Now my hand won’t straighten fully. I had been to PT 3 months back but due to inflammation and allergy I had to hold. Cuz I m a single mother, it’s very challenging for everything.Now that the plates and screws are removed, there are many holes. Doctor advised to be careful and asked to do exercise at home however my ROM is minimal. Please please help. It’s 7 months now.
It might be worth your time to get a “static progressive” brace for the hand. “JAS” is a great company that rents braces to people to help with stretching. I would ask the doctor or the PT about it.
I met with an accident 7 days ago, resulted in elbow dislocation doc’s have put a sling for 3 weeks, is it necessary to be like this for 3 weeks or can i switch to physio.. As i have multiple responsibilities and no help iam feeling it v difficult to manage things with one hand. can i remove the sling, as i do not have much pain and i have been trying to do minimum exercises since day 2 and my X-ray also shows normal outcome. Please suggest
The elbow does need to heal, and some of the ligaments may need to be held still in order to develop some stability. I would protect it with the sling per the doctor’s orders.
hey doc i am a highschool wrestler and over the weekend i had a tournament, during a match i was in a position where my weight was supported on my arms while the where completly stright, my opponent then took his forearm acroos my left elbow very forcefully causing me to feel a sharp pain and collapse. I talked to the on hand trainer she gave me ice and said it would be fine but days latter it still hurts and i cannot straigten it completely. could it be a dislocation.
If it was a dislocation you would probably not be able to move the arm through range of motion. I would have it checked out by a doc to be safe.
Hello there,
10 days ago i broke my humerus, about a third of the way up. Ive had the normal problems associated with a broken arm, but am also struggling to bend my elbow. I assumed it was because of the swelling, but that’s now gone down and i still cant really bend it.
Is this normal? Is it a good idea to slowly stretch it even if it really hurts?
Cheers,
Ben
It might be a good idea to just move the elbow actively (meaning don’t force it with your other hand), but you need the doc’s blessing to do that. You probably traumatized the elbow a bit with your fall. I would wait for the fracture to heal before you get too aggressive with the elbow.
I had fallen out of a Tree 4 years ago and did not seek treatment. Now I still can’t bend or extend my arm fully and sometimes it catches where I can’t move it at all. I can’t put on a seat belt with that arm or brush my hair, etc. If my arm moves too much while walking it hurts.I can’t rest my head on my left hand because it’s too painful on my elbow. Does not hurt when immobile and in an “L” Position. I am 27 years old. I can no longer do push ups on that arm or lift much weight.
I think that it is time to see an orthopedist about this. At the very minimum you probably need an x-ray.
though i am a right fast bowler but last sunday i bowled few quicks with left arm, on next day i got little pain but i cant figure it out first bcs the pain was diverse. After 5 days i hv enough pain that i cant pull otlr extend my arm. whats wrong with my hand plx help.
You probably overused the tendons in the hand or arm. I would let it rest for at least the week, and if the range of motion is restricted I would perhaps talk to your doc about it as well.
Thank you for this thoughtful and clear article. I tried what you explained with the pillow support and small extensions. After only five minutes I can see 50% improvement of my arm straighting. Very grateful to you and the time you take to help people!
Greetings doc. About 1 year ago I fell off a roof and had a “terrible triad” open fracture. I shattered my radial head, which was replaced with a metal one, broke my ulna- which now has a metal plate, and dislocated the elbow. They put me back together, I had 3 surgeries and now I am lacking about 30 degrees on my extension and also lacking some range of motion with flexing. I really want to be able to straighten my arm. Do you think it is possible?? Any advice?
JAS brace (static progressive brace)is a good idea to try. Ask your doc or PT about getting one.
Four days ago I fell hard with hands extended onto the ice. There is lots of bruising and pain, but x-rays revealed there was no fracture. The pain is getting better, but I cannot twist the shower handle and I cannot extend my elbow completely (almost, but not completely). Is there anything I can do on my own for this? Thank you.
This is going to take some time to heal. You can gently work the elbow from flexion into extension, but I would not push it aggressively.
Thank you. Happy holidays.
i went to the gym 2 days ago nd now my arms hurt and im not able to straighten my arm without pain
Hi Mr Dan. When I was a kid around 4, I fell off the stairs and landed on my left arm. It was rough surface where my arm can’t bend or anything at the moment. Anyway after that, I had some surgery but then fell once again with cast on. So basically after that I’ve always had bent left arm, but the hand was working great other than the dislocation. Over the years in my teenage age 13-17 I even lifted weight in gym fine. So now I’m 18. Now I just went for surgery to fix the bone etc. Now I am 10 weeks after surgery. My left hand is indeed seems good and straight but I just couldn’t straighten my arm to 90°. Basically the doc cut some of my elbow bone and relocate them, and now I have metal plates around my elbow area with 8 screws. To be honest, the range does improved since the day the cast was taken off ( 8 weeks). Before this I can only go 45° but now to 70. If I slowly and forcefully holding the arm then slowly extend it can go to 80°. Thing is, after that I can feel some pain from my elbow when I try to force beyond that. Other than that, I get some sting at elbow when I try to flex my arm. Also as for my wrist, it can move in every direction except going up. Also accompanied with fingers weakness. If I put my wrist downward, fingers can close and open just fine. If I put wrist straight, fingers somehow get weaker and can’t close and open easily. As for numbness, I have it around index and my thumb area.
Wow. That sounds like it was quite the involved surgery. I would highly recommend that you see a PT or an OT to get some guidance in regard to making sure that you are moving the elbow, wrist, and hand correctly. It also sounds like one or more of the nerves are involved, so it my be a good idea to do some gentle nerve glides.
Hello, I suffer from Acute Hypermobility Syndrome, as a result I can overextend my joints, well I was at work and I ended up stepping down from a stepladder and my knee rolled (the knee cap moves left and right resulting in the inability to support any weight on it and mild bruising. I have had that issue since my arthroscopic knee surgery back in high school after I landed on my leg while my knee cap was out of place resulting in a small piece chipping off. Anyway, as I was falling I instinctively went to protect my face and landed on my elbow hard and flat. I ended up having muscle spasms in my arm that hurt so bad I went to the ER and they told me I sprained my elbow. Well I went thru the treatment of having my arm in a sling and immobile for 3 weeks and my arm’s range of motion improved and I can pretty much use it as normal now (I work construction and I carry and move stuff all day)
But the issue is I can not bend my arm inward past 90 degrees as in if I had my arm extended and started bringing it to my shoulder it stops completely at the 90 degree angle and I feel tension but no pain attempting to move it further towards my shoulder as for extending my arm currently hovers around 160 and 170 degree as in near straight but does not lock. Of course my other normal elbow with hypermobility actually bends to 190-200 degrees when locked
Any information on rehabbing or fixing this would be grateful. I should also note I had strep a few weeks ago and when I was on steroids my range of motion was near normal only while they were in effect I am presuming either scar tissue or inflammation that is preventing me from using my entire range of motion.
It does sound like the inflammation is still an issue, this will need time to heal. Slow, consistent active ranges of motion during the day are generally a good idea (do not force it aggressively). I would also ask your doc if seeing a PT for a visit to get a home routine is a good idea.
About 4 yrs ago I fell backwards and extended my arm back to catch myself and instantly had pain in my elbow. I went to the ER where they did an X-ray and found no breaks. They said I probably just overextended it slightly. So they sent me home. But ever since then I have been unable to fully extend my arm. I can extend it about 90% of the way before I feel pain in my elbow/inner arm. The pain is slightly worse if I extend my arm and have palms facing up. It always feels like im over extending it even though I’m not even fully extending it. My question is since no PT or anything was ever done, do I have a chance of healing 4yrs later if I rest it with a sling for a few weeks and then start gently stretching it? I’m getting tired of the pain and not having full use of my arm.
In my opinion it depends on what the end of your range of motion feels like. If there is a slight “bounce” or “spring” to it, you may get some improvement. I would at least see a PT once and get an idea of what the joint feels like. You could possibly get one of those static progressive braces to work on the range.
Hi
I Had an accident 2 days back on my bike and directly landed on my elbow. In government hospital they had taken the x ray and doctor said nothing has broken just a little dislocation it will heal itself and he had given me a arm sling and send me home. Should I give it a rest or consult an other doctor.
As second opinion is never a bad idea, but if the X-ray is clear then you are probably going to eventually be fine. This type of injury by the way can result in soreness and stiffness that lasts for months. Be patient with it and let it heal for at least a few weeks. A bit of active range of motion of the elbow is usually fine to do, but I would run this by the doc.
Hello,
I am curious. When doing the bicep curl sometimes it feels like a ligament or tendon is on the wrong side of a bone or out of place and won’t let me stay in perfect bicep form. I have no pain or soreness and it happens at not much weight where I am not straining super hard but with enough for my elbow to have some feeling or weight around 15lbs. I start from straight arm at the side and keeping my arm straight and bending only with the elbow forward I go up fine and then bringing the weight back down I get to about 85-90% straight arm and feel like something is not int he right place and move my elbow slightly outward away from the body normally to complete the motion. It doesn’t happen always but in a few motions of where I’m bringing my elbow straight, I have this issue. No pain, or soreness, just feels like I have to stop and wiggle something back before going straight down. I am not a big weight lifter and never had issues with my arms outside of a small shoulder issue from swimming but this has been happening as long as I remember trying to lift weights.
Hmmmmm. Sometimes people will have a bit of stickiness, or sometimes a bit of hyper-mobility in the head of the radius bone. That joint can shift a tiny bit with the motions that you describe. It isn’t particularly a big deal. I would ask the doc the next time you see him or her to feel the joint as you do the motion.
Hmm. I have mentioned it to my brothers who seem to have the same issue. I will ask my doctor next time I head in and see what he thinks.
Hi,
I had surgery on my elbow on the 22nd December where they pinned the radial head. I have limited motion in my right arm now. I was just wondering what would be the best exercises to do at this early stage to start to get strength back into my arm?
Thanks
You sort of need to let it heal up a bit first. I do think that most doctors will allow active ranges of motion during the first 4-6 weeks. This involves simply working the elbow through flexion and extension, and turning the palm down and up. No weights, just the motion without any forced stretching either.
Once you are cleared from the doctor, you could feasibly start doing very light biceps curls, triceps extensions, and pronation / supination while holding a light object such as a hammer.
Hi….. I fell off the tree in 1996, got to hospital for treatment for 5 months. Now my arm can’t straighten up, thinking of doing a surgery to get it to the right normal shape.
Is this ideal to do?
It might be a good idea if you do not have the function of the arm that you need. If you can do everything that you want and need to do, what is the point (other than cosmetic appearance)?
Hello,
My name is Kai i am 19 and from Germany. My problem might be different, because when i was born the nurse pulled my elbow out of position by accident, then she put it back in position again. First everyone thought that everything is fine but throughout the years it was visible that something went wrong. The elbow bone was not 100% right in the capsule and now 19 years later i am not able to stretch my arm to a full angle of 180 degrees. At a stretch of maybe 110 degrees my elbow locks completely so its not about the tendons. The second problem i have, caused by this ”birth accident” is that i can not fully turn my hand so that my inner hand surface shows to the sky. I miss 50 % mobility in that case so i can just turn my hand 90 degrees and it seems like it gets a little worse every year. I was talking to a bunch of doctors in germany, but no one was able to find a solution they just said that i can be happy to be able to move my arm without pain and that the risk for an operation might be to high but none of these doctors seem to me that they had any experience in a case like mine so that is why i’m writing you. If you have any suggestions how it can be solved, any recommendation for what i can do or if you know any doctor who had a case like mine before please tell me. I can send all informations, roentgen pictures etc. if it helps. I really appreciate every help i can get. I used to be super sportive, but now i can not do everything i used to do and its also a big aesthetic problem because my left arm is less muscular and everything because i not fully stretch so the biceps in shortened and the third tricepshead in the elbow gets no stimulation no matter how hard i train it. I know it’s a long text but i hope it helps to find the right doctor anywhere in this world. Thank you so much
best,
Kai
That is a very tough question to answer given the complexity of what happened to you. My guess is that the way that your bones have grown would make it very difficult to do any therapeutic stretches that would help. I think that your best bet is to find someone who deals with this very specifically. I would get a full set of diagnostic tests done. In terms of medical centers that might be equipped to deal with this in the USA, John Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland might have such a person in their orthopedics department. The Mayo clinic may also have the resources that you need.
Thank you so much! :)
Hi. I had a distal humeral fracture and i was in a sling and cast for 6 weeks but after the cast was removed i am not able to straighten my arm anymore. My elbow joint is very stiff and i feel the alignment of my fractured is not good.
I would start with active ranges of motion of the elbow. Some people do find that moist heat prior to the motions does help. This will typically not return immediately, you will have to work for at least a few months on this. I would also consider seeing a PT.
Thanks please. I would do that
Hi,
I’m 28 and have an inflammatory arthritis – is there anything I can do to regain range of motion in my elbows as they bent. Thank you!
I would ask an orthopedist about this. You may be able to tolerate some bracing if the doc thinks that this would be okay. “JAS” makes some good braces that slowly and progressively stretch the elbows.
Hi I’m 23 years now but at the age of 9 my elbow got broken and i had surgery twice after which I can’t still bend it. Now my arm is shrinking I want to know if there is still hope.
If it has been that long you would at the very least need to see an orthopedist and obtain a fresh set of x-rays to evaluate the problem. If the bones are capable of moving, then it would be a matter of perhaps getting a static progressive brace to assist with stretching the elbow. This would likely take a very long time to see improvements, and like I said you would have to be cleared by the physician first before trying something like that.
Hello i had a surgery done with tension band, now it has been over 4 weeks since operation and i cant extend my arm until 30 degress forward, will i be able to correct this with exercise? Thank You
Probably yes, but I would ask the doctor when it would be appropriate to start doing active range of motion exercises. I do like the lying down passive stretch in order to work on slowly regaining extension as well.
Sir same problm and dctr saying straight it suggest me
Alexandrio help i have same surgery how did u get to staright it . Suggest me plzz
Hello Sir. Can I just ask if surgical operation would be possible to straighten my stiffed elbow? I undergo a surgical operation two years ago before on my dislocated elbow. The bones were relocated but I cant straighten it because I didn’t attend physical therapy sessions and I stil can’t straighten my arm till now. I think I have a limited ROM because of the tissues or ligaments. What am I gonna do?
I would try the more conservative option first of perhaps getting a brace that would work on stretching the elbow. Normally a doctor would have to prescribe such a brace. The company that we use is “JAS”. You could also try the exercise mentioned in the blog, lying on your back and allowing gravity to stretch the arm. You would have to be very compliant with this and spend a lot of time doing it in my opinion to see positive results. I would of course run this by the doctor, and an x-ray may not be a bad idea to make sure that everything is intact.
In your thoughts sir, how long do you think would be the recovery period if I’m going to use elbow brace? Do you think I could already see significant results in weeks?Or would the recovery be faster by a surgery?
The brace would likely take many months of usage. The surgery may take many months as well to recover the range back.
I had surgery on my elbow in 2009 due to an accident. I’m not sure what all broke in there but I’m told there are 2 plates in there. I haven’t been able to fully extend my arm since. Been almost 10 years. Is there any hope?
With that much time passing and with the hardware placement, I would guess that there is something blocking that motion. I would get an x-ray to determine what the joint looks like and go from there.
I am a 54 year old male. I do light weight training about 2-3 days a week. My left elbow causes minimal discomfort but buy I am not able to straighten it at all. When I lie flat on floor, my right wrist can lay flat but my left elbow stays 5” off floor. It rally doesn’t hurt except when I try to stretch it flat.
My doctor says this is probably “tennis elbow” and recommended ibuprofen and to rest it. Are there certain weight resistance exercises that aggravate this more than others? Like arm curls or tricep extensions?
Is there anything else you’d recommend?
I would bet that the arm curls aren’t helping things. I would also guess that assisted pull-ups would cause something like this. I would recommend focusing on cardio, core, and lower extremity stuff for a few weeks to let it calm down.
I fractured my left elbow when I was a kid after landing hard on a basketball gym floor. I had to have surgery on this elbow my junior year in high school after playing years of baseball (I’m a left-handed pitcher). I did physical therapy, but was never able to reach full range of motion after it was fractured. I am not able to extend it all the way, nor can I touch my shoulder with my left hand. I have done different stretches, but nothing seems to allow more flexibility. I really enjoy working out and lifting weights, but I am left with not being able to do certain lifts properly do to my lack of range of motion in my arm. Is there anything that I can do to regain this range of motion? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Ask your doc if getting a static progressive brace would help. We use them here in the clinic for stubborn elbow fractures quite often. “JAS” is a good company that makes such braces.
Hi! Is it normal to not yet straighten out my elbow even after I have removed my cast and splint for a month?
Ok I am a teenager and I was at track practice yesterday and I was doing high jump and when I jump and got ready to get off the mat I fell and land on my hand and my hand was twisted when I land and I put ice on and I can’t lift up my arm straight and when I try it hurt and my wrist hurt also.So what is wrong with me?
Go and see the doc Akia. You may have sprained the wrist. Worst case scenario you fractured your wrist. I used to be a high jumper and I have seen a few of those over the year.
Greetings Dan, my 10-year-old son hyperextended his elbow two weeks ago during wrestling practice. There was some slight swelling so we took him to the ER immediately. X-rays came up negative for fractures. The doctor just advised ice and rest. He had pain for about two days and was able to wrestling. Now he only has pain if I squeeze the inner part of his elbow plus he cannot extend his elbow completely, no pain when trying to extend he just doesn’t have the ability to put his arm perfectly straight. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
There is probably a ligamentous sprain, they do need time to heal. I would keep him away from sports for a few weeks. I would probably also see an orthopedist about this, given that timing is kind of important here. I wouldn’t start gentle stretching of the elbow until you get the okay from a doc.
Hi I was in a gym and jumped off the second row of bleachers and I fell and my right hand took the impact but my elbow hurts and I can’t move it past a certain point and I have conditioning for soccer Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. But nothing is broken I don’t think since I can still move it but it feels like it’s about to break.So what happened and what do I do?
And I cannot flex it either. It is restraining me from doing it.
Definitely see the doc about this. There is a possibility that you fractured something. An x-ray would confirm this. In the mean time don’t do anything crazy with that arm.
I appreciate your help but it turns out I just hyper extended my elbow.
I am 61 years old and have played softball and baseball for years and still play. I cannot fully straighten my right arm and when I do I feel tightness in my forearm just below my elbow and in my ulnar and forearm when I bend my elbow. Will this method work for me? And how long does it usually take to get it straight again?
It totally depends on what is going on in the joint. If there are any arthritic changes in the elbow this could also cause this type of change. The only way to be sure is to get an x-ray. The passive stretch might take weeks to months to see improvement, but it also depends on if you are currently irritating the elbow (throwing etc.). I would remove any irritating stimuli.
I fell a week ago and fractured my left elbow. I immediately went to the hospital and they prescribed me with 5 days worth of medication, gave me a sling to wear and I also use ice on my elbow to help with pain. Most of the pain is gone and I am able to extend my arm to a certain extent. I have another week left in the sling until I go back to see the orthopedic this week. However, there is still slight pain to my forearm and elbow with certain movements. Every night, I sleep with my arm extended straight out with the elbow resting on top of a pillow. I am still not able to fully use my arm or straighten my elbow. When trying to straighten my arm, it is still bent at the elbow. What can I do to help fully straighten my elbow?
You need to wait until the fracture is healed first. This would take four to six weeks. You can probably work on the passive stretch in the blog, but I would run it by the doc first.
My husband injured his elbow and had three cortisone shots over a years time. He began to lose mobility after the third shot and pain never improved. After seeing a surgeon it was decided that he needed a surgery. Since the surgery his arm has been contracted, pops all the time and is extremely painful most the day. What else can be done? It is effecting his ability to work!
Ugh. I would find a really good PT in your area who specializes in elbows / hands and have it assessed. It all depends on how everything moves and how the muscle strengths and lengths are doing. I am guessing that he might have had a chronic tennis elbow that necessitated the cortisone shots? Treatment does depend on the specific diagnosis.
Hi Dan,
I have been diagnosed with arthritis in my left elbow. I was lifting weights regularly for months without any pain and then suddenly the day after using weights my arm became stuck at 45 degrees. I have been resting it for three months and have regained motion back to 10 degrees. I was just wondering if you could recommend some strengthening exercises I could do please?
Many thanks,
Amy
I would say that doing light exercises is probably okay, but it does depend on the level of arthritis and what structures are involved. This is something that a PT would need to evaluate in person.
I’m 15 years old and I was trampolining at school around 6 weeks ago and fell with all my weight onto my left arm. Everyone around was convinced it was dislocated or broken, but when I got to the hospital, I was told there was nothing out of place or broken and that I should wear a sling for a few days and it should be fine. I still can’t fully extend my arm or bend it in, which is trouble because I do Morris dancing and need the ability to swing, straighten and bend my arms! Do you think there could be anything I could do to help it go further because the pain is excruciating when I attempt to straighten it and I really want it to be back to normal because I can’t take the pain anymore, thank you
I would get in to see an orthopedist about this. You probably sprained the heck out of a few of the ligaments in your elbow. You should probably get some guidance in regard to stretching the elbow.
A few years ago I fractured my upper arm just above the elbow. The fracture healed fine, but the doctor said I also had some joint damage and arthritis (partially from the injury, partially from overuse due to many years of MMA training). This meant that I never quite got full range of motion back, even after physical therapy and other treatment, and the elbow ached slightly all the time. I learned to live with it. Then a week or two ago the pain and lack of mobility worsened significantly, almost to the level of the original fracture, but without any new injury to cause it. The pain is throughout the elbow, but primarily focused on the inside (closest to my ribs if the arm hangs down with the palm facing my leg). I’ve tried virtually all of the typical treatments before with limited success, so I was wondering which you recommend I should focus on now?
This might be something different entirely. The inside of the elbow is a common site of pain for “golfer’s elbow”, or medial epicondylitis. It comes from over use of the wrist flexors. I would have a doc or a PT check it out. There is a treatment protocol for this that involves immobilizing the wrist for a week or two with a brace, followed by a gradual build up of the wrist flexors and extensors with hand weights.
Hello sir , my name is Vlad and i have 16 years old , i can t extend my arms completely, i don t feel pain but i don t know if that should be a problem , i want to go to the gym but i don t know if i can hurt my elbow or something.. How i said i don t fell pain but i don t why i can t extend completely my arms.
Some people are just born that way. If you have always been like that I would not worry about it. You could try the gym but I would perhaps have the doctor check out your arms to make sure that it is fine to do so.
Yes I’ve always been like that , ty very much!!! you are the only who gived me an answer!
I work construction for about 15 years . I never had an injury to my arm in any way . The other morning I woke up did my normal things like brushing my teeth wash my face and then I reach to grab my coffee and felt a sharp pain in my elbow . Ever since I can’t lift anything , make my arm straight or touch my shoulder with that same arm . It’s my non dominNat hand . What could this be ? Mahalo for your time .
My guess is epicondylitis or tendonitis, but you should definitely have it checked out if it doesn’t go away. These things usually happen from overuse, but they can flare up suddenly.
Dear Sir, I met with an accident 5 yrs ago, where my right hand elbow injured and and consulted doctor for treatment. He adviced for Fiber band to my hand for 45 days and den attended physiotherapy. But till now my hand was not straightened .. I feel bit discomfort with this.. I want to attend gym regularly but due to this I feel minor pain on my elbow. Plz suggest is there any treatment for this cure permanently ?? Laser therapy works ?? Thanks, Gani
I am not exactly sure what you mean Gani. If the hand does not straighten I would perhaps work on that with slow stretches. A good PT should be able to give you some guidance with this. I would have to see the elbow and wrist in person to give you an accurate assessment.
About 3 weeks ago I tripped and injured my left arm causing the elbow swell up and have bruise running down my forearm, the swelling went down but some bruises remain and new ones have shown on my wrist and i cannot straighten the arm
Can you tell me what the cause of this may be and what I should do to fix it?
It is possible that you sustained a fracture. I would see an orthopedist about this.
i fractured the radial head bone in my arm. the orthopedist didn’t do anything really. he just told me, i possibly need therapy because my arm won’t fully extend. me personally feel like he’s wrong. he didn’t mess with my arm or anything, didn’t ask me anything. if i turn my wrist it hurts all the way up my arm past the elbow. he also said something about fluid on it, possibly blood, but did nothing. could u please tell me if he was off on his diagnosis, and if i should get a second opinion?
That does sound vague. The fracture should heal in about 6 weeks. If it is not a complicated fracture, the range should eventually come back with some range of motion practice etc.. If it is early on in the process, I would take it easy. It might be worth your time to see a PT about this, because it sounds like the real issue is the swelling and soft tissue soreness around the fracture.
Hi, I broke my elbow while on a trampoline about 11weeks ago which was pinned together with some metal pins. Which were removed 4-5weeks ago. My arm only straightens to ’30’ (not sure what that means) and my doctor say I have hyper-mobility (my arms and legs bend futher backwards then other people). I haven’t been assigned physio therapy but I do know a few exercises. I’m quite confused, because i’m not sure if I should push my elbow to straighten with force or if I should be gentle and not try push it past the point it goes to normally e.c.t.
Any other pointers you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks, Alex.
Sorry ignore this one, I made it sound like I think I should bend It past straight!
SORRY…
Alex
Hi, I broke my elbow while on a trampoline about 11weeks ago which was pinned together with some metal pins. Which were removed 4-5weeks ago. My arm only straightens to ’30’ (not sure what that means) and my doctor says I have hyper-mobility (my arms and legs bend futher backwards then other people). I haven’t been assigned physio therapy but I do know a few exercises. I’m quite confused, because i’m not sure if I should push my elbow to straighten with force or if I should not push it past the ’30’ e.c.t.
Any other pointers you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks, Alex.
I would start with the passive stretch as seen in the blog (lying on the floor). I would normally also encourage active range of motion of the elbow as tolerated. These things by the way usually take quite a bit of time to resolve. The key is compliance and patience. I do also think that it might not be a bad idea to see a PT once about this to have it assessed.
I was in a motorcycle accident 7 months ago and injured my right elbow. Nothing broken but bruised and road rashed. I can fully extent my elbow with my arm in any position except for straight above my head. No pain but It physically will not straighten out on it’s own. How ever it will do so if it is assisted by holding on to something above or using my left arm to support it.
This probably means that the lack of range is not bone related. If the biceps for example were scarred or otherwise tight it could restrict the elbow with normal positioning but perhaps not as much when the arm is overhead. I would see a PT for an evaluation. This does sound like something that can be corrected over time.
I fractured my elbow 20 years ago. It was in a sling for weeks. Movement afterwards was never addressed. I can only straighten my arm about 130 degrees. When I put both hands over my head with palms together – that arm is about 4 inches shorter. Makes basketballas an adult not as fun bc it’s like I’m 4 inches shorter – lol – and weight lifting I’ve done consistently but lack of range of motion affects bench, presses, etc. it doesn’t hurt – just gets stiff after pulling movements.
There is a knot of swollen soft tissue between the elbow joint and the bottom of the elbow. Bursa sac? Ligaments? Not sure but it’s been there for years. Not painful. I was always told it was s result of the surgery and only surgery could correct. After all these years do you think the excercises to passively stretch it would help the extension? And what about the swollen tissue?
After 20 years at the very minimum I would get an x-ray done. The radiologist should be able to see if there is a boney block going on. If there is not, it might be possible to stretch it out, but it would most likely require a static progressive brace (like a JAS brace).
Hi Dan, I have hairline fractured on my arm and was on cast for 4 weeks. After removal, I am not able to completely straighten my arm, maybe up to 75% straighten and will be painful if pass this mark. Is this normal? Will need time to heal? Based on x-ray, the fractured already completely healed.
This will likely take a few months to normalize, but if the doc gives you the okay, you should be able to do some light stretching and general exercise. I do like the passive floor stretch in the blog article as a starting point for regaining extension.
My 4 year old just had an MRI with sedation due to immobility of his right elbow, which cause lack of extension and supination of the arm. Nursemaids elbow and fractures of any kind were ruled out. The MRI and X-ray both showed extreme swelling and fluid build up. The pediatric orthopedic recommended physical therapy to regain ROM in his right arm. Have you had experience with this?
Pediatrics are not my thing, but I am sure that there are some congruities between the adults and children. I think that the key is getting your child to move the arm in ways that are incorporated into games and fun activities. I have seen people try to forcibly move a child’s arm, it usually does not go well with the child.
I am a 58 year old male. Over the past 4 or 5 years I have been in the habit of reading books using the kindle app on my phone. I use a finger holder attached to the back of my phone so I won’t drop it. I almost exclusively use my non-dominent left hand to hold my phone when reading, texting and emailing. Over the past year I have noticed that I can’t completely straighten my left elbow . It stops at about a 15 degree angle. I also find myself shaking it out a lot when walking, because it feels like it is stuck in place. Any ideas on what I might do to address this issue will be very much appreciated. Thank you.
It sounds like repetitive stress. I would find another way to read on the kindle and limit the hand held activities that you describe. There might be some mild degenerative changes in the elbow joint, but that would require an x-ray to diagnose. A PT should be able to assess the extension and see if it feels “bouncy” or “hard”. A more springy feel of the joint is more responsive to intervention.
I will seek out a PT. Thank you!
I will seek out a PT. Thank you!
Hello Dan, I dislocated my left elbow. The good news is that someone help me and pulled my left arm and got it back to its normal position. After a week the swollen has gone and and I can move my arms, but I am not able to straighten it to 180 degrees, lets say I can stretch it to up to 150 degrees. Thanks!
IF everything else feels okay, you probably were very lucky. It might be worth seeing a doc to make sure that it is stable and won’t dislocate again.
Thanks for the reply Dan, I had an X-Ray now and the result is Negative for Fracture/Dislocation in these Exam. I said to the Doctor that my only problem is that I can’t Extend my Arm Straight, and sometimes when I force to straighten it, the feeling is something is blocking it and a little pain in the elbow. It’s been two weeks now and I can lift up to 1kg. The Doctor said just apply cold or hot compress.
That is good. I would normally start a patient in this scenario with the lying on the floor stretch (shown in the blog).
Thanks Dan, I would definitely try the simple exercise in your blog. Your blog is a great help to those people experiencing this kind of scenario because it helps them build their self esteem, because when the accident happened to me, I’ve felt down and very sad, and I’m stressed. This gave them hope and and confidence to move forward.
I am 14 years of age turning 15 soon, but I am unable to stretch out my left arm without feeling any pain. I’ve had this for about more than 5 years and the pain would be on and off. It would hurt on some days, and on other days it wouldn’t hurt. I have tried massaging it every day and stretching it every day , but it stays. I dont know what to do and it is bothering me because it refrains me from doing normal everyday activities, like sports, dance, etc. I’m saddened by this and am seeking for advice.
I am wondering what you were doing when this started five years ago. The key to treating this deals with how it started in the first place. If you sustained a fracture I would get an x-ray to see if there is anything that is blocking the motion. Otherwise it might be worth while to see a PT and figure out what activity is sustaining this.
How often would you recommend doing this stretch and in what time frame would you expect to see results?
Build up your tolerance and time with this. There is evidence based research that suggests that you need to build up to 2 or more hours per day.
Hi there,
I worked biceps over four days ago. At first my arms were both tight but able to fully extend. I’ve had DOMS before but this feels completely different.
My right arm is fine, full range of motion and a little tender however, my left arm is locked at 90 degrees and cannot be extend past this locked position without excruciating pain.
I’m experiencing noticable weakness in that left arm and on occassion, difficultly pronating and supernating my hand. I feel sharp intense pain inside elbow area and lateral to that. Some pain is felt on the lateral part of upper arm. I feel a stretching spasm like pain in my bicep that doesnt allow me to extend my arm. In saying that, i also feel tightness (pulling like sensation) at the shoulder joint and distal tricep area.
There is no abnormalities seen visually. Skins intact, no discoloration, no redness, and no evident bruising or disformaties. The skin isnt hot to touch and appears normal.
It’s getting worse as the days go by. Do you have any suggestions on what i should do or what i have done to myself?
Thank you,
R.
Most of what you are describing is consistent with biceps irritation and tendonitis. In extreme circumstances this could be a compartment syndrome or rabdomyelosis (Your pain would be severe and you would likely have swelling). I see people (sometimes) who have this type of ordeal after doing lots of pull-ups. I would lay off anything that loads the arm and see the doc about this.
I am a tennis player but haven’t played for 3 days. No issues, then I woke up this morning not being able to bend my elbow more than 45degrees and cannot fully straighten. Not much pain, just won’t move much. why the sudden loss of mobility and should i visit a chiro or physio???
Probably an orthopedist, or possibly a PT. This sounds like it might just be an overuse.
Hello Dan
I fell at work on March 01 2018 on hard wood floors I broke my elbow fractor my forarm.
Forarm healing good but my elbow cannot strait at all. I have had a 2nd surgery on this because a K wire or Sharpe metal object was left inside of my arm then landed right in the bone of eblow 2nd
surgery April 17 1st surger march 01
I’m wondering even with PT will my eknow ever strait agian?
2nd surgery the took that object out.
If the hardware is out, you have a much better chance of getting range back. It will likely take a bit of time and diligence on your part. Make sure that you see a good PT to get a list of exercises to do.
I was playing basketball about 5 years ago when I hurt my elbow. Someone passed me the ball too hard and my arm was fully extended. Since then I cannot fully extend my arm without pain and I cannot do any heavy lifting either. I am not sure what is wrong.
I would perhaps get an x-ray.
I snapped my radius and ulna last year in july while playing soccer and I had to get surgery, i was told to go to physical therapy but I never did. I can’t fully extend my arm, what do you think is the best way to fix this, if I can even fix it. Thank you!
I would see the doc about this. At first you would need to get an x-ray to see if there is a boney block to the motion.
I chipped my left elbow(left radial head) 2 weeks and 2 days ago by falling off of my bike. I could not deviate my arm from 90 degrees. The doctor put a fiberglass splint and 1 day short of two weeks it was taken off. It has been 3 days since it has been taken off and I can not fully extend my arm or lock it. I also can not flex my arm all the way up. When my arm is at 90 degrees and I try to rotate my forearm, I can not rotate all the way. It hurts when I try to do these stretches, but my aunt is a trauma nurse and told me I need to. She told me to look up passive rom, so here I am. I am a 16 year old rower, and not being able to lock my arm and fully flex it worries me a lot. When I lay my right upper arm flat on the table, my forearm touches the table. When I do the same with my right arm, my forearm stays 2-3 inches off the table. What do I need to do to get full movement back in my arm?
I forgot to say I used a sling the whole time I was in the splint, so my muscles were not moving. When they took the splint off, my left arm was skinny and lost muscle.
Thank you, Andrew
The radial head needs to heal first. This can take up to 4-6 weeks. It sounds to me like you need to see a PT about this. Stretching the elbow needs to be done at a certain pace, if you are too aggressive it can actually make things more inflamed.
I got slammed into the lockers at school (by accident) and I am unable to move my elbow that much. It feels like something is stopping it from going any further. I was put in a cast for 3 1/2 weeks and the doctor only said (pre-cast) that I might have a fracture in the elbow. I got the cast off and the situation with my elbow is WORSE. IlThe range of motion is the same and the muscle atrophy isn’t helping. Do you think it was really a fracture?
Fractures can manifest that way. Once the doc gives you the okay, I would start moving it. It probably sounds like a visit to the physical therapist might be a good idea. Elbows can be tricky in that if you stretch too aggressively, it can inflame more. For that reason having some guidance is a good idea.
Hi! I’m a 12 year old cheerleader. About 2 weeks ago, I landed incorrectly on my elbow doing a backwalkover. Since then, I have not been able to completely lock out my arm. I have a big tryout in a few days. I talked to my doc, and he said it is most likely tennis elbow. What can I do to make it heal faster?
I would lay off the activity for 7-10 days and let it heal. Unfortunately in most of these cases you simply need to let your body heal.
I fell while hiking and landed on my left arm and messed it up pretty badly. They did an x-ray and said there were no breaks and that it was just badly sprained. It’s been almost a month and I can’t straighten my elbow. Is this typical when healing from a sprain? I am going to try the exercise in the blog and see if that helps but any information would be helpful.
Active range of motion is also a good place to start. Get the elbow used to flexing and extending, no weights, no forcing of end ranges yet. The timing of this can be a bit tricky depending on how things are going. It might be worth your time to see a PT once to get an idea as to when to start back with more aggressive activities.
I had a similar injury falling on rocks with my elbow as the main impact point. I haven’t been able to fully bend the forearm to the bicep since but assumed it was due to the pain of the wound. Now that the wound has healed and stitches are out I’m not able to bend the elbow even to a right angle. There is no pain but it feels like the joint is at the end of its range. I’ve tried to bend the joint very gradually with my other arm but it is too stiff to move any further. Any advice would be so much appreciated!
Stretch it, if you have the okay from the doc. I have patients align their forearm up against the wall (facing the wall) and bend the elbow while sliding the forearm down the wall until a stretch is felt. Progress as tolerated.
I was born with the inability to straighten my elbows and it would really help if I could somehow begin to because of doing things like cheerleading.
Start with a trip to an orthopedist. Get an x-ray and an opinion. It all depends on the shape of the joint surfaces.
What kind of injury is this?
This can happen from fractures, sprains, falls on to the elbow, and sometimes repetitive overuse.
Last Friday I feel on my right arm at a skating rink but I caught my fall with my right hand and I went to the urgent care that night and they did X-rays and said they didn’t see a fracture and gave me a sling. After a few days the pain went away and it felt better but I still could not extend my arm fully and when I bend it forward it stops at a 90 degree angle and it feels like something is stoping it. What do you think is wrong with it?
Probably a sprain. You will likely have to start with active ranges of motion with the permission of the doc. Sometimes some blood / bruising will get into the elbow capsule and cause a bit of a block.
Hello,
I fell on my right arm last night during a football game and woke up today with some pain on my elbow. Now when I try to touch my right shoulder with my right hand I am having a hard time and the tip of my elbow hurts and doesn’t allow me to do the full stretch. Should I see a doctor or just keep moving my arm slowly to gain the regular mobilization back? Thank you!!
There is a possibility of fracture, maybe? An x-ray would determine that. If there is no fracture I would just work on gentle stretching, nothing too aggressive. Elbows don’t tend to like hard stretches.
Hi, i have this problem. The thing is, i never injured my arm. One day about ayear ago i had some pain in my elbow and it just progressed. I havent been able to straighten my arm in close to a year. I cant grip things a certain way. On top of that, both my knees are giving me problems. It hurts a lot to just lift my leg up from a seated position. I have to use my other leg to move my leg into position when driving. I didnt injure any of my body. I just woke up like this and it hasnt gone away. I also have some back isues and i.cant turn my head fully to the left without pain. Im 38 years old and i also have crohns disease. But.the disease hasnt been botherng me. My joints have. Any advice i would appreciate.
I would get an x-ray, blood panel, and see a rheumatologist about it. Rheumatoid arthritis is a possibility, especially since multiple joints are involved. This would need to be managed with medication to start. If it is not rheumatoid, a trip to a PT for an evaluation would make sense.
I have had the same experience- literally woke up with neck pain, left shoulder and cannot straighten left elbow. Went to rheumatologist- and of course prescribed painkillers, which made me sick. This was 3 years ago- started seeing chiropractor, cut out gluten, dairy & sugar and began accupuncture & pain all went away again overnight. Not sure what one thing cured it but a couple months ago the same thing started with elbow again (same left side)… trying to do what I did before but with no answer yet. Would love more recommendations since I have seen many Drs and they keep diagnosing as an auto immune but no solution :( I just turned 39 and have active kids who need their mom. Thank you for any advice
If this is systemic or rheumatological that can be very tricky. An inflamed elbow that is rheumatological in many cases will not respond, or may get worse, with stretching. I do think that sugars have an inflammatory effect on most organ systems in our body. If that was one of the things that you did last time, I would perhaps try lowering your sugar intake again and see what happens.
Sean,
I am writing to you, as you mentioned Crohn’s disease.
Are you HLA B27 gene positive?
All the issues you mentioned, have to do with the joints, spinal discs and soft tissue.
The first step here is a proper diagnosis.
Both a specialist and fellow mates with same symptoms
i woke up with pain my whole arm running up my arm to my elbow all the way to my hand. theres a slight warm feeling. it hurts to straighten it. im not sure what to do.
If the pain does not start to go down once you are up and walking around I would talk to your doc about it. It sounds like you might have slept on it strangely?
Sean,
I am writing to you, as you mentioned Crohn’s disease.
Are you HLA B27 gene positive?
All the issues you mentioned, have to do with the joints, spinal discs and soft tissue.
The first step here is a proper diagnosis.
Both a specialist and fellow mates with same symptoms.
Hi Dan,
I fell while running onto my elbow about a week ago. I fell on the outside/lateral portion of my elbow but ever since the injury I have had the most pain on the inside/medial portion of my elbow and its tendons, specifically when using my bicep, as well as pain when rotating my arm – palm face up to palm face down. I saw a doctor the following day and they did not think an X-ray was necessary but to come back if the pain doesn’t get better within a week.
The pain is about the same and I still do not have full range of motion, I also have a nasty bruise that didn’t develop until 3 days after the injury all within the inside portion of the elbow and the bruise doesn’t seem to be progressing it actually looks to be getting worse. Should I follow up with my doctor and get an x-ray? Is it normal for very little progress after a week and substantial bruising to develop after 3 days?
If it were me, I would get an x-ray for peace of mind. Bleeds into the elbow joint do happen quite a bit with blunt traumas like the one you describe. They are a pain to deal with because they tend to restrict ranges of motion. If you are cleared with an x-ray, I would work on very gentle active range of motion. This may take several months to heal.
Hello Dan,
On May 20, I fell and broke my radial head. I was put in a sling and had an appt to see an Orthopedist. He decided I needed surgery due to the bone needing pins to put together (ORIF).
Two weeks later my staples werer removed! Two weeks after that, I cannot straighten my arm. The Dr mentioned 30% lack of flexion, and that my arm will never straighten out more than that! Why will my arm never be straight again? I thought with exercise it could straighten out?
He’s sending me to OT and not physical therapy.
OT is essentially the same thing as PT when it comes to hands and elbows. I would work on the ranges of motion and get some solid home stretching ideas from the OT. My guess is that it will improve over time, but in terms of getting it totally straight? That might depend on the hardware placement that the ortho put in.
Hello, I’m in Spain for the running of the bulls. I ran with them yesterday and in the end I got scuffed up pretty badly. A bull ended up stepping on or grazing the inside of my elbow. I’m not exactly sure what happened in the chaos but I have a small bruise on the inside of my elbow and swelled bump about the size of a marble on the outer part of my elbow. But most importantly my elbow is pretty much stuck at a 90 degree angle. I can’t bend it much in either direction but my hand and shoulder have normal range of motion. Do you think it’s broken or sprained?
I would get an x-ray for that. You may have a fracture.
I broke my elbow joint along with a little beginning part of Ulna, and it was broken into 4 to 5 small pieces. Doctors earlier(1Month ago) implanted Wires, Pins and Screw. I was on my Physiotherapy from last 6 days. I was reporting the constant pain in my forearm, bicep area, elbow and even in the wrist. Doctor said it is normal as the muscle and tendons needs time to respond and open up. But this wasnt getting any better. 2 days ago Doctor asked for the X-RAY and CT scan reports and suggested for another surgery in which Metallic plate will be implanted. I want to know, would I be able to achieve the 100% Range of Motion or not and till when I would be able to move my arm completely without any pain. When can I start lifting weights and do normal routine work.
Hmmmmmm, that is very difficult to assess without seeing the x-rays, operative reports, and the physical feel of the tissue. My guess is that an elbow that has had two surgeries and multiple hardwares placed will have a difficult time getting back 100% of range of motion. If you are young and things are favorable you will probably get most of it back, but it will probably take quite a bit of time to get it. Weight routines? Maybe after 4 months? And you would have to start very light of course.
Hi Dan nearly 18 months ago Im guessing I injured my elbow by some heavy construction work. Since then I have never been able to fully extend it and it aches sometimes. I struggle to do press ups when testing it out. Should I do light weights and build up? I also from time to time get a swelling like a long lump behind my knee. This can come and go if I exercise.
So no real weight training or sports that require my right arm for any length of time. I can run for any long distance either. I am not overweight and eat very healthy – Any thoughts
Best regards
Graham
The knee thing may be a “Baker’s cyst”. It isn’t dangerous, but a doc would probably have to diagnose this. It can be drained. In regard to the elbow, slow build is a good idea.
My arm won’t extend all the way out when i was born the doctor broke my arm coming out the you know what now my left arm won’t extend all the way out im 16 yrs old i go to the doctor but they let me down for 16yrs tired of being like this may someone please help me
This is probably due to the shape of the bones that make up the elbow joint. At the very minimum I would get an x-ray and an opinion from an orthopedist.
I did get a x-ray they said nothing was wrong with my bones
Then I would say that a trip to the physical therapist for an evaluation would be the next step.
Sir my elbow was broke about 25 days ago. Doctor did a surgery with k wires. Now wires are still in my elbow will be put out after 6 mnth but my elbow is not straightening and got pain when try to straight it .please help
Start with the passive exercise that is in the blog where you lie on the floor. You are going to have to be patient and consistent about stretching it.
About 8 years ago, I woke up and could not extend my elbow. I went to see an orthopedic surgeon and ended up having surgery. During the procedure he documented he was able to fully extend my elbow with the exception of about 5 degrees. He removed scar tissue. I went to physical therapy but had to discontinue due to cost. Is there hope for me to ever extend my elbow again?
If the surgeon could not get the last 5 degrees during surgery, I would guess that it would be exceedingly difficult to get past that block. You could try getting a static progress brace (like a JAS brace) and work on slow, static stretches for a few months and see what happens.
I can’t bend my left elbow as far as my right elbow and when I do it hurts it’s like I need to pop it up and I had no injury on my elbow I just had it like that my whole life
An x-ray would probably shed some light on the situation.
3 months back while I was doing arm wrestle with my friend, My arm got pushed beyond its limit. Suddenly after that I failed to perform any arm movement from my elbow joint. I got it checked by orthopedic, after seeing x-ray he said there is a little piece of bone that has been separated from your elbow joint, but as there is some gap between that piece and the actual bone, it will not bother if we let it be there only. On the otherhand you are not able to straighten your arm due to tissue injury. Now I’m just able to move my arm inwards but not able to extend it outwards. Should I know more about it?
I think that you could probably work on gently stretching the elbow into extension as long as it is not too aggressive. The floor stretch that we have in the blog is a good place to start. This may take many months to improve.
Hi,
Are those exercises safe for RA patients? How often should I do them?
The exercise in the blog where you are just lying on the floor and allowing gravity to stretch the elbow into extension is pretty safe, but you should ask your rheumatologist about it. If you are flaring, exercise is sometimes contraindicated.
Six months back I slipped and fell on the ground and my elbow was dislocated. I immediately consulted Orthopedist and after the surgery he advised me to consult physiotherapist and do the exercises to get the elbow movements. I have been undergoing physiotherapy and doing exercises at home but enable to stretch the elbow to 180 degrees. Its been 6 months and I am only able to stretch nearly to 120 degrees. Can u help me?
I would ask the PT about maybe getting a static progressive brace for the elbow????? A slow, gentle stretch may be helpful if it is imparted over long periods of time.
I slipped in water and landed on my left elbow and it was dislocated. I consulted orthopedist immediately and after the surgery he advised me to consult physiotherapist and do the exercises to get elbow movements. It’s been six months, I have been doing the exercises and undergoing physical therapy but unable to stretch my hand to 180 degrees. I am able to stretch nearly to 130 degrees. Can you help me?
I have had issues with tennis elbow off and on for years. Several weeks ago it has flared up, is swollen and I can’t straigten it. I has an X-ray that is normal, but it’s not getting better even though I have been taking it easy. I’m afraid to stretch it out because of the inflammation. What do I do? Thanks
I would try physical therapy. You could also get a sturdy wrist immobilizer to keep the wrist from moving. I will typically prescribe the brace for up to two weeks.
Our son is a high school and club swimmer and swims year round. A couple weeks ago, he mentioned his left elbow feels like it is grinding and he is tentative to stretch it out completely do to this issue. He hasn’t did anything to fracture his elbow and the pain just seemed to happen unannounced overnight? Any ideas do help improve his situation. Would dry needling help? Thanks for any advice
That sounds to me like perhaps an overuse of a tendon, the symptoms can creep up quite suddenly. I would guess that the best strategy to start would be just to let it rest for a week or so.
I broke my elbow back in 2014-2015. I slacked off with physical therapy as it wasn’t completely 0 degrees, more like 35 (best guess). Now I want to get i completely straight. Is it too late, or if I start exercises now, I can still get it completely normal? If so, what kind of stretches do you recommend?
Given that this occurred years ago, I would see a doc about it first to maybe get an x-ray. My guess is that you would probably at the very least need one of those static-progressive braces to chase that range back. Joint Active Systems (JAS) makes such braces.
I actually have one of those, where you turn the knob to extend. I will set up an appointment, but how much of a chance do you think I have? It’s not bad at all, I can still lift weight and live life, but there is definitely a little bend that I am hoping I can just stretch out. My best guess is 15 degrees from 0/180.
It really does depend on what the “joint feel” is, and that cannot be assessed over the internet. A PT should be able to to tell you that by feeling how the joint moves.
I actually have one of those, where you turn the knob to extend. I will set up an appointment, but how much of a chance do you think I have? It’s not bad at all, I can still lift weight and live life, but there is definitely a little bend that I am hoping I can just stretch out. My best guess is 15 degrees from 0/180. Thank you very much!
My arm was held and accidentally landed on mainly on my outer elbow, 13+ years ago. It was pretty painful but nothing broke, and I rested it off for the most part (hard to remember at this point). Now I’m 25 at the gym, noticing that particular elbow wont straighten 100%. After it being brought to attention after so long , I’m noticing that elbow is more tense and less fluid than my other. Any ideas on how I can begin to resolve this? Thank you for your help.
I would say that an x-ray would be in order since it has been so long. If the x-ray is clear I would maybe see a physical therapist to have some starter stretching done. A “JAS” brace might also be helpful.
Thank you for the advice. I will further look into this.
I lifted a heavy bio box at work where the contents shifted unexpectedly and jerked my arm. I’m still able to use it. It’s been about a week. I can’t fully extend or bend my arm inward, it seems to catch a lot at the elbow, hurts when I rotate my wrist, sometimes my fingers tingle, sometimes I have slight pain in my shoulder, and of course increased pain when lifting/pushing/pulling. I’m 100% sure it’s not boken. No bruising or swelling. What are things I can do to make it better?
You may have tweaked your radial nerve in addition to straining a muscle or two? Let it heal first and foremost. I would also perhaps do some gentle active ranges of motion: palm up, palm down, elbow flex, elbow extend, through gentle ranges. Nothing forced.
I worked out last week with a trainer and he pushed me too hard. It is now 3 days later and I can barely move my left arm. If I try to straighten it I have extreme pain ( mainly the back of my forearm , but also my bicep) . Do I just need to rest it or should I see a doctor?
If it is that painful I would at least talk to the doc about it.
its may be just a muscle soreness and it last for about 2-5 days
my advice is to do stretch ur forearm every 1hr
For the past week and a half, I have been unable to fully straighten or fully bend my elbow. Pain is minimal when resting but becomes more prominent when curling my arm (bringing the fist to shoulder). Pain is present on the inside of the elbow joint area closest to the body but not the “crelbow” area. (If my palm is up and my arm is extended, is the part of the elbow that would touch my rib cage) When curling the arm, the pain also runs up the back of the arm starting from the joint and running an inch or 2 up the back of the arm. When straightening the arm, it feels like the elbow is not capable of fully extending and pain in present in the actual joint on the back side of the arm – the part that would be on a table when you’re resting your chin in your hands. When curling the arm, it feels more like the muscle is pulling.
I have experienced an estimated 100 shoulder dislocations in the past 10 years. It dislocates easily – in my sleep, doing sit ups, swimming, sneezing – it really doesn’t take much anymore and there are so many activities I have to avoid or be very mindful of when performing. I likely need surgery but adequate insurance and/or money has always been an issue. I’m also a smoker and finding someone that will perform the surgery has not been easy either. I have noticed in the past some muscle pain in the arm in the weeks after dislocation but this usually clears up and seems to be associated with muscle tightness in the shoulder area.
This pain appeared without much warning. I went to bed with no pain and full use of my arm and woke up like this. I initially thought I just slept wrong and went on about my day without giving it much thought. The next day I became aware of swelling around the elbow – above and below the joint and all the way around the arm. There is no bruising and there doesn’t appear to be any deformity in the joint itself. Since that time, massage, heat and ice appear to have no effect. Ice is unpleasant as it seems to make the arm stiffer. Heat soothes it but there’s no real improvement in range of motion. Massage doesn’t seem to have any effect. I should mention that I do sleep on the arm – a habit formed after dislocating it twice during sleep. I have attempted to avoid sleeping on it the past week or so.
I would normally just go to the doctor but I have recently changed jobs and don’t currently have insurance coverage. Any idea what could be going on here? With no improvement in the past week, I’m starting to become more concerned – especially since it’s also my dominant side.
I definitely think that you should see a doc about this. I would guess that you would need blood work done to make sure that this is not rheumatological. You could in the mean time get a sturdy wrist immobilizer, as the muscles that originate at the elbow function to bend and extend the wrist. I would give those muscles a break.
My elbow does not full extend at all it has been like this since I was a child I am now 27 , with a profession in the fitness realm. For me to accurately do workouts I need to have full extension. To give you an idea of how bad it is if I where to lay my tricep on a table and try to extend my forearm would be about 6 to 7 inches from that table. I need some advice or at least know I can fix it or am i doomed to do modified workouts.
This is something that an orthopedist would need to check out given the chronic nature of the problem. I think that an x-ray would shed some light on the boney contours of the joint.
my arm is at a 40 degree restriction and has been for the past 5-6 years, I’ve been to the doctors and they cant do anything about it, it effects me in daily life and I’m wondering if A) is there anything i can do to straighten it and B) as ridiculous as this sounds, would it be classed as a disability? as it effects me in everyday life and it can get incredibly painful. Any advise would be really helpful
The disability question is a good one, and I honestly am not sure if a 40 degree flexion contracture qualifies. I think that a call to a disability attorney is a good idea, you should be able to get an operationally defined answer for that. I can say that from a clinical standpoint, a 40 degree contracture is disabling in that it places the shoulder in a funky position that can lead to numerous chronic problems. Most textbooks will say that 30-130 degrees of elbow excursion is needed for function.
In terms of straightening the elbow out, see an orthopedist about this and at the very least get an x-ray. If there is no boney bock, you could try a “static progressive” brace. JAS makes good ones. It might help, but it would take considerable time and compliance on your end. Good luck with this!