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Rehabilitation Exercises for Elbow Pain

Elbow pain starts out as soreness or a dull ache along the outside of the elbow joint. Eventually pain radiates down the forearm muscle to the wrist. This is the body's signal saying "stop" to whatever activity caused the pain. Rest, ice and heat treatment is the normal starting point for rehabilitation. Gently massaging the forearm from elbow to wrist can also alleviate the pain. Once on the mend, rehabilitation should continue through gentle strengthening and stretching exercises. This protects against further injury. All these exercises should be pain-free if the injury has healed properly.

  1. Wrist Extensions

    • Hold a one-pound weight or can of vegetables. Rest your forearm on a tabletop or your leg. Hang the wrist over the edge. If properly positioned, then only your hand should be able to move. Point your palm down. Slowly raise and lower your wrist. Repeat 15 to 20 times. Change hands and repeat. If there is pain, try switching to a lighter weight, then build it up gradually.

    Wrist Flexion

    • Hold a one-pound weight. Rest your forearm on a tabletop with your wrist over the edge so that only your hand can move. Turn your palm up. Slowly raise and lower your wrist. Repeat 15 to 20 times. Change hands and repeat.

    Isometrics

    • Hold your arm out straight in front of you. Turn your palm down and make a fist. Bend your wrist upwards. With your other hand, try to push your fist down. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise five times. Gradually work up to 20 reps.

    Finger Extensions

    • Place a thick rubber band around all five fingers of the hand on the arm that has the painful elbow. Spread and contract your fingers 25 times. Notice how this exercise works the entire forearm muscle up into the elbow. Once this exercise becomes too easy, add a second rubber band to the first.

    Squeezes

    • Grasp a tennis ball in your hand. Squeeze the ball 25 times. If using a tennis ball is too painful, then switch the tennis ball out for a large sponge. Gradually work your way back up to a tennis ball. After completing all the rehabilitation exercises, massage the elbow area with ice for about five minutes. Work your way up to performing these exercises three to five times a day without pain.

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