Exercises for arthrosis of the elbow joint: benefits, principles

Arthrosis of the elbow joint is characterized by disturbances in its functions and is dystrophic-degenerative in nature, localized in the area of the epicondyles. The main purpose of elbow exercises is to stimulate the flexor muscles. Training is carried out slowly or quickly with the hand resting on the surface. In addition to pain, arthrosis causes limited joint mobility. That is why therapeutic exercises are one of the effective methods of combating this disease.

Indications and benefits

Physical exercises for arthrosis are recommended to be performed at stages I-II of the disease. If the disease is stage III-IV, gymnastics can lead to increased pain or injury, so in such a situation a set of exercises is prescribed with caution. For each individual case of illness, the type of exercise is selected individually, based on the severity of the illness.

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Exacerbation of the disease

Exercises will restore joint mobility.
In the acute course of the disease, exercise therapy stimulates the flow of nutrients and accelerates the regeneration of cartilage tissue. Blood circulation in the affected joint improves and pain is minimized. This can include swinging your limbs, bending and straightening your arms, and resistance exercises. This exercise helps to relax and stretch the muscles. During the period of exacerbation of arthrosis, the goal of therapeutic exercises is to unload the diseased joint.

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Remission stage

Therapeutic exercises during this period of the disease are aimed at strengthening muscles and preventing their atrophy. Motor activity is developed and maintained, including in those departments that are not affected by the disease. At the stage of remission of the disease, it is permissible to include gentle physical activity, for example, exercise, water aerobics, yoga, swimming and cycling.

At any stage of the disease, regardless of pain, one or another type of exercise therapy should only be prescribed by a specialist.

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Tennis Elbow and Golfer's Elbow: Causes and Risk Factors

All the muscles of the forearm involved in the movement of the fingers and hand are attached to the humerus at two points, the external and internal epicondyles. Overuse of these muscles leads to microscopic tears, including in the tendons.

Sports stress and prolonged exposure of the elbow joints in a bent position (even without force) can cause epicondylitis. In everyday life, epicondylitis can develop in people who work a lot at the computer and when doing manual work with their arms bent at the elbows.

A set of exercises for arthrosis of the elbow joint

Arthrosis destroys cartilage tissue, so gymnastics should not overload the joint.
For arthrosis of the elbow joint, a series of simple exercises is recommended:

We sit down on a chair. We place our hand on the table surface and stretch it out. Next, we bend and straighten the limb at the elbow 10-15 times.
Bend your arm and rotate it right and left. We perform up to 20 times.
We lower our arms along the body. Bending the limbs at the elbows, slowly bring them to the shoulder. Repeat up to 15 times on each hand.
We smoothly spread our arms to the sides, up, then down. The exercise should be performed on each arm up to 15 times.
We bend our elbows. We begin to slowly clench and unclench our fists. Repeat up to 20 times on each hand.
We perform exercises “mill” and “scissors”.

The order and combination of various exercises can be changed at your discretion. If classes are conducted using specialized simulators, the presence of an instructor is recommended. When you can’t do an exercise, it should be postponed. The cause of difficulties can be pain, inflammation and an insufficiently developed joint. You should start with the most basic movements, gradually trying more complex ones.

Symptoms and treatment of arthrosis of the elbow joint with drugs and folk remedies

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Elbow fracture

Fractures can be open or closed. Closed ones are more common and are characterized by preservation of the skin. The injury in this case can be diagnosed only by symptoms and x-rays. With an open fracture, the skin loses its integrity.

The bone of the elbow joint can break into several processes or be crushed into a large number of small parts. Comminuted fractures are usually closed. When a fracture occurs, bone fragments can move or remain stable. Injuries accompanied by displacement are much more difficult to treat.

Another type of fracture is a bone crack, which is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the bone structure. Typically, this type of fracture is the easiest to treat and the outcome is favorable.

Usually, if treatment and rehabilitation are carried out correctly, the outcome of a fracture is favorable, and a complete recovery occurs. But for one reason or another, some complications are possible.

The most dangerous complication is complete loss of limb mobility. This can occur due to the destruction of nerve fibers and as a result of disruption of the process of nerve impulse transmission. The main goal of therapy is to reduce the risk of complete limb immobility to a minimum, although this is not always possible.

A signal of possible problems with a limb can be, for example, pain that occurs in response to movement and persists even after the end of therapy and rehabilitation. To prevent loss of mobility, you need to follow all the specialist’s recommendations.

If a fracture affects nerve or vascular fibers, then in addition to complete or partial loss of mobility, pain or circulatory disorders are also possible.

Recommendations

Massage procedures will enhance the therapeutic effect of physical exercise.
Despite the ease of exercises for the elbow joints, a number of recommendations should be followed:

To achieve noticeable positive results, exercises should be performed regularly and every day.
The most effective exercise is performed for 30-40 minutes daily. However, you should refrain from performing the entire complex at once. It is advisable to do approaches - each up to 10 minutes.
Movements should under no circumstances be sudden. It is better to give preference to slow and smooth gymnastics to avoid injury to an already sore joint.
The optimal positions for doing gymnastics are sitting and lying down (some are performed standing). This will protect the patient from accidental injuries during exercise.
At first, the movements should be performed slowly, gradually increasing the tempo and amplitude. This will help preheat the joint and not overload it.
The intensity of exercise should be determined based on your feelings. If pain is felt, gymnastics should be stopped.
After the lesson, it would be a good idea to rest and fix the joint.
This type of physical therapy can be combined with various types of light massage and walks in the fresh air. These procedures will serve as additional strengthening for muscles and ligaments and improve the patient’s general condition.
Heavy physical work that places stress on the elbow joint should be avoided.

After exercise, you should never expose your joints to hypothermia. This can be avoided by dressing appropriately for the weather and keeping your hands warm.

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Prevention of epicondylitis

Observe the correct biomechanics of movements in the elbow joint:

Play tennis with proper technique. If necessary, attend special training.
Use an ergonomic mouse and keyboard when using a computer to reduce tension in your forearm muscles.
If you are involved in manual labor, use a cordless tool.
When lifting weights, your palms should face up.
Dose the load and take regular breaks.

Brief conclusions

Therapeutic exercise for arthrosis of the elbow joint is only part of a comprehensive treatment. It helps relieve pain, restore mobility and ensure a full flow of blood and nutrients to the affected area. Arthrosis of the elbow joint is a disease that can significantly worsen a person’s quality of life. The disease can be asymptomatic, especially at a young age, and advanced problems with joints can lead to disability. That is why you should not delay visiting a doctor at the slightest suspicion of joint disease. Specialists will prescribe competent treatment and select exactly those exercises for the elbow joint that are suitable in each specific case.

Treatment of joints / Prevention / Gymnastics, exercises /

All materials on the site are verified by practicing rheumatologists, but do not constitute a prescription for treatment. If necessary, consult a doctor for examination!

To treat contracture of the elbow joint in modern medicine, a radical or conservative method is used. The first is surgery. The second method includes special physical therapy for the elbow joints. How is gymnastics performed for elbow joints for arthritis, after fractures? How to properly prepare for it?

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Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint. Video exercises for knee joints

List of indications for performing exercises

Specially designed sets of physical exercises can be performed at home or in a hospital setting under the supervision of an experienced instructor. Due to such manipulations, trophism of the articular elements is activated, and congestive manifestations disappear.

How to quickly restore limb mobility.

Against the general background, the process of blood circulation and metabolism is normalized.

The list of main indications for manipulation of lesions of the elbow joint includes the following conditions:

arthrosis;
osteoporosis;
synovitis;
previous injuries;
weakening of the upper limbs;
stiffness of movements;
pain and limitation of mobility;
muscle strain;
prevention of relapse of existing diseases;
contracture;
bursitis;
osteoarthritis.

Restoring the elbow joint after injury

After a serious hand injury, gradual systemic recovery is usually required. The following exercises for developing the elbow joint after a fracture will help you return to your normal rhythm of life after about two weeks of daily exercise:

Join your hands in a lock and move them in this position, one after another, behind each shoulder (this movement should be similar to throwing a fishing rod). After a short break, change the trajectory - throw your hands, clasped in a lock, now behind your head.

We previously wrote about a fracture of the wrist joint and recommended bookmarking this article.

This gymnastics for the elbow joint with arthrosis or after an injury can be supplemented with one more movement: leave your hands behind your head, begin to bring your elbows together and spread them apart

Bend your injured arm at a right angle and perform rotational movements with your forearm around the axis. Such gymnastics for the elbow joint works most effectively with systematic exercises after a fracture.

This exercise is also suitable as gymnastics for arthrosis of the elbow joint. It can also be combined with hand movements

An excellent option is to roll two balls in your palms. This exercise should be done three times a day, but due to the fact that balls are a heavy projectile for undeveloped joints, you need to start with a small number of rolls, increase it gradually.

To achieve a positive effect, you should select balls that are not too light, but not too heavy.

This set of exercises for the elbow joint after a fracture takes about 15 minutes daily, but is distinguished by its effectiveness in recovery therapy. Keep in mind that gymnastics for arthrosis of the elbow joint or after an injury should be performed on both arms, and not just on the sore one.

Important! If any of the exercises is difficult for you, then it should be postponed. If acute pain or insurmountable tension occurs, it means that the joint has simply not developed yet; you should return to this technique later. Otherwise, you risk making the situation worse.

Any set of exercises for the elbow joint can and should be performed not only as part of recovery or treatment, but also as preventive exercise. After all, if you regularly take care of your condition, the likelihood of arthrosis or arthritis will be much lower.

About

Treatment of epicondylitis

First, it is necessary to change the biomechanics of the elbow joint, as during sports or work, to eliminate the cause of the pain. In this case, therapeutic measures will quickly help get rid of the pain.

Bandages.
To alleviate the condition, many doctors first recommend using bandages on the elbow joint. Compression knitting and silicone 3D inserts effectively affect muscles and tendons, reducing pain.
Bandages.
The medi company has created a special bandage, medi Epibrace, for the treatment of epicondylitis. The bandage has a special insert that reduces tendon tension and smoothes out peak loads.
Surgical treatment.
For the treatment of epicondylitis, surgical treatment is used extremely rarely, since conservative therapy is effective in most cases.
Stretching exercises.
Performing eccentric exercises (wrist flexion, wrist stretching, and forearm stretching) brings significant relief and promotes recovery for many patients. Regular stretching exercises reduce tendon tension.
Strength training exercises.
Sets of exercises for strength training help cure epicondylitis.
Heat and cold
can help treat epicondylitis. In the acute phase and immediately after intense exercise, cooling compresses should be used. Exposure to heat helps in the treatment of chronic epicondylitis.
Massage.
Special massage (deep kneading), like physiotherapeutic methods, stimulate blood circulation.
Shock wave therapy.
If epicondylitis is difficult to treat or calcifications are found in the tendons, extracorporeal shock wave therapy can be used. Its use helps to launch recovery processes inside the tendon.
Acupuncture sessions, injection blockades and painkillers may also be effective.

Causes of pathology

ALS causes severe pain, especially after exercise. Usually the disease is accompanied by a decrease in the mobility of the limbs. Degenerative wear and tear or the result of injury are the main causes of ALC. In both cases, there is increased wear of the cartilage in the joint. Increased friction between joint surfaces leads to pain, inflammation and changes in bone tissue.

Unlike the knees and hips, the elbow joint does not play a significant role in the human skeleton and is therefore not as often affected by osteoarthritis. In Russia, about 1% of the population suffers from elbow arthrosis.

In most cases, elbow osteoarthritis is excessive wear and tear on the cartilage of the articular surfaces. The disorder often affects people whose arms and elbows are subjected to extremely heavy loads. These are construction workers, loaders, professional athletes - boxers, weightlifters or basketball players.

ALS can be caused by a fracture of the head of the radius or dislocation of the joint due to a fall or traffic accident. Another cause of osteoarthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis) or other inflammatory diseases in the elbow joint.

What is tennis elbow and golfer's elbow?

Tennis elbow is the common name for lateral (external) epicondylitis, i.e. inflammation of the tendons located on the outer surface of the elbow joint. When epicondylitis occurs on the inside of the elbow joint, it is called golfer's elbow. Tennis elbow is more common than golfer's elbow.

Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are not typical inflammations as previously thought. It is rather a local painful irritation of the site of attachment of the tendon to the bone.

Two types of epicondylitis

Golfer's elbow (pain along the inner surface)

Tennis elbow (pain on the outer surface)

Symptoms of the disease

Discomfort is often the first symptom of joint wear. At first, pain with arthrosis occurs only after unusual actions or increased load. In a poorly trained person, discomfort occurs during short-term physical work with the hand. Mountain hiking and gardening put more stress on the joints than usual.

If the disease progresses, even ordinary exercise can cause discomfort. Patients with arthrosis often cannot accurately identify or characterize pain at this stage of the disease. It is mainly perceived as an unpleasant feeling in the elbow area, which does not limit daily work.

Symptoms of arthrosis can spread to the surrounding muscles, which also feel pain during physical activity. Sometimes the joint becomes swollen or loses mobility. In some patients, the symptoms of arthrosis worsen due to weather and climate change. The pain is worse in cold or damp weather.

As the disease progresses, the pain intensifies and occurs more frequently. Patients can predict which activities will make them uncomfortable. The pain occurs after prolonged immobility and usually disappears after a few movements. Only with prolonged exercise does it appear again and is accompanied by a feeling of muscle fatigue. In some patients, only sudden movements, such as hyperextension, cause pain.

Pain

In the later stages of the disease, pain occurs at rest. It is sometimes perceived as chronic. At night, pain torments patients and disrupts natural sleep. The cause of this pain is joint effusion. It irritates the skin of the joint and in some cases leads to inflammation.

Symptoms of epicondylitis

Pain in the elbow joint occurs when muscle tension occurs. With tennis elbow, the pain is localized on the outer surface of the elbow joint, while with golfer's elbow, the pain is localized on the inner surface.

The greater the force of the forearm muscles, the more intense the pain. The pain may spread to the shoulder and forearm. In addition, there may be complaints of emerging weakness of the fingers.

Initially, pain occurs only when muscles contract (clenching a fist, gripping with a hand, lifting a heavy object, etc.). As the disease progresses, pain is also felt at rest.

Benefits of exercise and conservative measures

If arthrosis is detected at an early stage, it is easy to treat using conservative methods. The main focus is on physiotherapeutic measures that increase joint flexibility. The patient is recommended to perform exercise therapy aimed at strengthening ligaments and muscles.

Therapeutic exercise is prescribed by a physiotherapist. It is recommended to attend classes regularly to achieve noticeable results. Morning exercises or other untested methods do not help. The affected joint can only be treated under the supervision of a specialist.

The attending physician in most cases prescribes painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Rules

Methods of performing exercises should be discussed with a physical therapy specialist.

Gymnastic exercises must be carried out in compliance with the basic rules. In this case, the exercises will be effective and will not cause harm to the patient’s body. The doctor must draw up an action plan taking into account the patient’s age, severity of the disease, and the presence of concomitant pathologies.

When starting to perform a set of exercises, you must remember the following rules:

Before starting exercises, you should consult a doctor. A specialist can choose the right scheme and determine the most effective set of exercises.
The patient should drink enough water.
It is worth starting the exercises with a minimum load, gradually increasing it.
Before starting the complex, you should perform a short warm-up.
This condition is required to restore blood flow and warm the muscles.
The exercises must be performed in the correct sequence. The warm-up begins with the neck and gradually moves to the forearm and shoulder. It is important to ensure proper mobility of the shoulder and elbows. All movements must be made smoothly and carefully.
You should avoid sudden jerks and heavy loads.
The complex should be started after pain and inflammation have been eliminated. You must stop exercising if acute pain occurs.

A course of daily exercises should be worked out with a specialist.

The appearance of mild pain after prolonged immobilization is normal. In this case, you should not refuse to do the exercises.

Features of passive exercises

Passive exercises should be started during the rehabilitation period, after the acute process has subsided. Warm-up begins with passive movements, which include the following.

The patient clasps the sore arm with a healthy hand and bends it until tension appears. The maximum bend angle should be no more than 90 degrees. The upper limb is kept under tension for 20 seconds and lowered down.

Next time the movements are repeated more times. The palm is pulled up, the optimal number of repetitions at the initial stage is 12 times.

Then the hands are opened and placed on the table, slightly bending the elbows. The patient leans away from the table until a right angle is formed between the palms and forearms. The exercise is repeated no more than 20 times.

Active exercises

When performing a set of these exercises, the shoulder joint must remain motionless. All movements are carried out exclusively in the elbow joint.

To achieve this, the forearm is extended and flexed. Exercises with an expander bring good results. The device is put on the injured arm and the healthy upper limb is placed on the table, and the sore arm is placed on top of it.

What exercises can you do at home?

The expander is stretched and extension and flexion movements are carried out in the joint. To achieve positive dynamics, classes should be carried out up to 15 times.

The patient should exercise daily. A positive result will not be long in coming; patients’ well-being will improve after a week of regular exercise.

A set of popular exercises:

Exercise	Description
Exercise 1	The patient takes the starting position standing, with the torso tilted forward. The arms are bent and the palms are clenched into fists. The arms are pulled back and returned to the starting position. The repetition rate is 10-15 times.
Task 2	Starting position - standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, perform circular movements with your elbows bent outward, and then circular movements inward. Repeat frequency - 16 times.
Task 3	Position – standing, arms should be extended in front of you. The hands are connected with the opposite surface and make circular movements in turn. The optimal number of permissible repetitions is 10-12 times.
Task 4	Take a standing position and bend your elbows. Make circular movements outward and spread your arms. The optimal number of repetitions is 12 times.
Task 5	Starting position: kneeling. The chest is tilted downwards, the hands are placed on the floor. The patient should pull his shoulders down. The exercise is repeated 12 times.
Task 6	Starting position: lying on your back. The arms are raised up, intertwining the hands with each other, and taken in turn in different directions. The optimal number of repetitions is 12 times.

Physical therapy by Bubnovsky

The training method developed by the professor is intended to restore functionality and eliminate pain symptoms in the elbow joint. Such a complex is formed taking into account the possibility of obtaining maximum results, provided that all requirements are met.

Such exercises help relieve pain and improve muscle tone. The set of tasks is based on performing strength exercises.

A prerequisite for implementation is a moderate pace and a gradual increase in physical activity. The patient must control breathing.

Bubnovsky's advice.

It is worth noting that Professor Bubnovsky recommends that patients with all diseases of the musculoskeletal system perform gymnastics during the rehabilitation period. If you follow all the rules described by the specialist, a positive result from the classes will appear within a month.

It must be remembered that the appearance of pain in the elbow joint may indicate serious health problems. The need to visit a doctor should not be neglected. You should start performing exercises using the Bubnovsky method after consulting a doctor.

Bubnovsky claims that diseases of this nature have become the most common. According to statistical information in the Russian Federation, this category of pathology is in third place after heart damage and oncological processes.

Methods of treating diseases involve the use of medications, namely:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
chondroprotectors;
antibiotics;
corticosteroids.

After restoration of the inflammatory process in the tissues, it is necessary to remember the possibility of long-term rehabilitation. It is also worth paying attention to the issue of seasonal relapse prevention.

Prevention methods include performing therapeutic exercises, swimming in the pool, following a special diet, attending massage sessions and physiotherapy.

Performing exercises at the initial stage may provoke pain.

The main advantages of gymnastics using the Bubnovsky method can be presented as follows:

The exercise scheme is simple and accessible.
Charging can be done at home.
The range of exercises has no age restrictions.
The exercises have a limited range of contraindications.
Due to the action, blood flow to the joint tissues increases and the intensity of their oxygen saturation increases.
After the exercises, stiffness and numbness in the joints are eliminated, and your mood is restored.
Gymnastics increases muscle tone, restores their mobility and elasticity.
The complex is designed taking into account all the structural features of the human body.

Operative treatment measures

If conservative measures do not produce results, surgical intervention is required. There are several options for invasive and minimally invasive interventions.

For less serious changes, arthroscopic treatment, which is a minimally invasive and low-traumatic surgery, is used to reduce the intensity of pain. For the operation, a special device is used - an arthroscope. It is used to remove osteophytes that limit joint movement and inflamed synovium (synovectomy).

Only in cases of severe joint deformities is open surgery performed.

Synovectomy

The advantage of arthroscopic surgery is that the arm can be moved immediately after the procedure. In the first two weeks, it is strictly forbidden to strain her too much. Athletes will have to take a long break from training. The length of the break depends on the sport.

If neither surgical nor conservative methods help, joint replacement with an endoprosthesis is used. The indication for implantation of an artificial joint, with the exception of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (for example, rheumatoid arthritis), is considered to be old age. At a young age, such procedures are rarely performed.

Advice! Before performing exercises, you should consult your doctor.

Therapeutic physical education (PT) for arthrosis of the elbow joint helps restore the arm to normal, healthy mobility. It is based on a set of movements of varying intensity. Exercise is one of the main methods of treating the disease, which should be carried out in conjunction with other procedures. Thanks to training, the hand regains normal mobility. You need to devote enough time and attention to the exercises, then recovery will be faster.

You should not perform gymnastics immediately after injury or in the near future after elbow surgery.

Treatment of elbow fracture

With a very slight displacement of the joint, about 5-6 cm, the doctor realigns it, subsequently applying a fixing bandage and giving recommendations on limiting activity. If the displacement is more than 6 mm, the need for surgical intervention is decided.

The essence of surgical treatment is to completely open the joint cavity, give the bone fragments the correct position and secure them in this form. The osteosynthesis technique is often used, which is aimed at accelerating bone growth. If the radial head is severely damaged, it can be replaced with an endoprosthesis. After the operation is performed, the limb is fixed using a plaster splint.

In case of a closed fracture, before surgery, the patient is prescribed medications aimed at relieving swelling and the inflammatory reaction. If the fracture is open, then the operation is performed within two hours from the moment of injury.

Please note that the cast is applied not only to the affected joint area. The hand is fixed from the base of the fingers to the shoulder joint, placed in a half-bent position. This fixation complies with all the rules of traumatology and allows the bones to grow together correctly.

For the first time, the plaster splint is removed four weeks after application. This gives the patient the opportunity to begin developing the injured arm.

Benefits of exercise for elbow arthrosis

Exercises for the elbow joint are necessary for any level of complexity of arthrosis. For each of them, the purpose of gymnastics will be different. A set of exercises for the elbow joint was created by doctors involved in rehabilitation. They provided for all the features of the course of the disease. During the acute period, the load should be minimal, and during recovery it should gradually increase.

Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis help:

improve the supply of useful components;
normalize blood circulation in the arm joint;
relieve tension in muscles and ligaments;
eliminate the feeling of pain;
improve tissue restoration.

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Massage and exercise therapy course

The intensity of the activity increases as the broken bone heals. The physical therapy complex is selected individually at each stage. The same rule applies to massage.

It is not recommended to use it at the first stage of treatment and recovery. However, some doctors prescribe massage in the shoulder girdle, provided that the fracture is not displaced. Properly performed massage sessions help improve blood flow and strengthen ligaments and muscles. In this case, independent appointments are unacceptable!

Let's present examples of sets of exercises for the elbow joint at each stage of recovery.

Exercises to help develop the elbow at stage 1

While the arm is in a cast, training is limited to performing the following exercises:

Clenching your fingers into a fist and unclenching it;
Spreading the fingers to the sides and bringing them together;
Circular movements with each finger alternately clockwise and back;
Kneading plasticine with fingers;
Rolling balls with your fingers.

When performing exercises, remember that the injured elbow, enclosed in a cast, should not participate in the training process.

Exercises to help develop the elbow at stage 2

After removing the plaster cast, the arm becomes swollen, making it difficult to perform exercises. To make the task easier, the patient needs to lie on his back and place his hand above his head for 20-30 seconds. This time is enough for the swelling to subside a little, and with it the discomfort of doing the exercises goes away. Also, to eliminate swelling and discomfort, a special bandage is used, which will help limit the range of movements.

Let us list several exercises, the implementation of which during this period of rehabilitation will not harm, but will help all patients.

Sit down, put your hands on the table. Imitate playing the piano by slowly “drumming” your fingers on the table.
Throw a tennis ball so that it hits the wall. Try to catch the ball that bounces off the wall with your hand.
Bring your palms together and lower them down, then return them to the starting position.
Stretch the anti-stress ball regularly.
Lock your fingers together. Raise and lower your clasped hands above your head.
Hold 2-3 balls in your palm and rotate them intensively, rolling them with your fingers.
Place your hand on the table. Slowly, controlling your breathing, try to straighten your elbow. Remember that sudden movements aimed at “working” the elbow joint are not yet permissible.
Continue clenching and unclenching your fingers regularly.

Exercises to help develop the elbow at stage 3

The last period of rehabilitation also takes place under the supervision of a doctor. At this stage, additional treatment in the form of physiotherapy is most often prescribed. The exercises become more complicated, they can be performed with a load in the form of dumbbells of 1 kg each.

Interlace your fingers into a lock. Imagine that you need to cast a fishing rod as far as possible. Repeat the movements, changing the direction of the fishing rod, moving your hands to the right and then to the left.
Place your hands behind your back so that you can clasp your palms together.
Repeat the previous exercise. With your hands clasped behind your back, stand on your toes, stretching your body up and your arms down.
Play "cars". While rolling a child's toy, the flexion and extension functions of the elbow joint are developed.
Place your hands at chest level. Interlace your fingers. “Take” the lock alternately to the right shoulder, then to the left, to the head, to the stomach.

Once these exercises become easy for you, start using dumbbells.

General principles

There should be no feeling of pain or discomfort while performing gymnastics.
Gymnastics for the elbow joint for arthrosis are intended to stimulate the extensor muscles. The physical therapy complex is based on exercises of varying intensity - slow and fast. When performing, you must adhere to the following conditions:

Whatever the chosen pace, in no case should exercise therapy be performed with jerks or sudden movements.
Before exercising, be sure to warm up your muscles. To do this, you need to make the first movements very slowly and smoothly.
During training there should not be any unpleasant or even painful sensations.

Classes must be carried out systematically; this condition is necessary to obtain a positive result. Those who are just learning to exercise are advised to do it with caution. With arthrosis of the elbow joint, you can do various movements on special simulators, but only under the supervision of a rehabilitation specialist. If something does not work out, it is better to return to the attempt a little later, when the hand is better prepared and the inflammatory processes have gone away.

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What is prohibited during the rehabilitation period

The most common mistake patients make after an elbow fracture is choosing rehabilitation exercises on their own. No matter how simple the exercises may seem, the doctor must select them taking into account the characteristics of the injury. An incorrectly performed or selected exercise therapy complex can cause more harm than its absence.

It is also dangerous to massage a damaged elbow joint on your own. A particularly unfavorable outcome awaits the patient if you massage the injured arm immediately after removing the plaster cast. Unprofessional actions will lead to joint displacement, the formation of a bone spur or muscle rupture.

Another common mistake is placing stress on the injured arm immediately after removing the cast. Do not assume that the end of immobilization means a complete recovery. This is only the first part of the treatment. Only after systematic and consistent development of the joint can you gradually begin dosed loading. Incorrectly selected physical activity will lead to swelling, pain and deformation of the joint tissue.

Follow the doctor’s recommendations, and then the rehabilitation period will pass quickly and without complications.