Although therapeutic modalities like electrical stimulation and ultrasound may be used by
your PT during your elbow rehab, exercise should be the mainstay in your PT program.
Your physical therapist will likely develop a home exercise program for you to do to
improve your elbow range of motion (ROM) and strength so you can get back to normal use
of your arm.
The exercises can be done daily as part of an elbow rehabilitation program. Before
starting this, or any other exercise program, check in with your doctor to ensure that
exercise is safe for your specific condition.
Various physical exercises which are helpful in the rehabilitation procedure are :
- Elbow Flexion : Elbow flexion refers to your ability to bend your elbow.
Actively bend your elbow up as far as possible, then grasp your forearm or wrist
with your other hand and gently add overpressure.
- Elbow Extension : To improve your ability to fully straighten your elbow,
you must work on elbow extension ROM exercises. To do this, sit in a chair with your
elbow resting on a table. You may want to rest your upper arm on a pillow or folded
towel for comfort.
- Forearm Supination : The ability to turn your wrist over so your hand faces
up is called supination, and this motion occurs at both your elbow and at your wrist
joint.
- Forearm and Elbow Pronation : Forearm pronation refers to your ability to
turn your hand over so your palm faces the floor. This motion is extremely important
in performing tasks such as pouring a cup of coffee or playing the piano.