Forearm muscle pain: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercises Samarpan

When you feel the pain during the hand & arm movement, it is indicated as forearm muscle pain. this pain is highly disruptive to the daily life of the patient. this pain results from different causes & each cause is requiring a different treatment approach.

Table of Contents

What is forearm muscle pain?

The forearm is composed of the radius & ulna bones, which span the length of the forearm and intersect at the wrist joint.
Many muscles are in the forearm which performs the hand & arm movement.
If any injury occurs in the arm & hand which is lead to forearm muscle pain.
As a result of the forearm muscle injury & if the patient feels discomfort in the forearm which is a wide-ranging impact on mobility & interferes with daily functioning.
When the forearm pain occurs, the patient feels difficulty typing on a keyboard & grip an item with the help of a hand.
In most cases, a person is manage the forearm pain with rest & structured activity.
This muscle pain is reduced by exercise & electrotherapy.

Muscles of the forearm:

The muscles of the forearm are divided into two compartments:
Anterior Compartment
Posterior compartment

**Muscles of the **Anterior Compartment** forearm**

Muscles of the Anterior Compartment of the Forearm:

The anterior compartment of the forearm muscle is divided into 3 parts depending on the layer of muscle

Superficial muscles:
Flexor carpi ulnaris
Flexor carpi radialis
Palmaris longus
Pronator teres
All muscles originate from a common tendon, which arises from the medial epicondyle of the humerus bone.

Intermediate muscle :
Flexor digitorum superficialis.
This muscle has two heads – one head originates from the medial epicondyle of the humerus bone & the other head is originate from the radius bone.

Deep muscles :
Flexor pollicis longus
Pronator quadratus
Flexor digitorum profundus

This anterior compartment muscle group is perform the pronation of the forearm, flexion of the wrist joint & flexion of the fingers.

This anterior compartment muscle group are mostly innervated by the median nerve & receives the arterial supply from the ulnar artery & radial artery

Muscles of the Posterior Compartment of the Forearm:

The muscles of the posterior compartment of the forearm are commonly known as the extensor muscles.
The general function of the Posterior Compartment of the Forearm muscles is to produce extension at the wrist joint & fingers.
This all posterior Compartment of the Forearm muscles are all innervated by the radial nerve.

The posterior compartment of the forearm muscle is divided into 2 parts depending on the layer of muscle

Superficial Muscles:
Extensor carpi radialis brevis
Extensor digitorum
Extensor carpi ulnaris
Extensor digiti minimi
Brachioradialis
Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus & Brevis

Deep Muscles:
The supinator
Abductor pollicis longus
Extensor pollicis brevis
Extensor pollicis longus
Extensor indicis.

What are the causes of the forearm muscle pain?

Forearm muscle pain is caused by injury, nerve entrapment & arthritis.

Injury:
When to occur acute trauma, like a fall which is become to causes a fracture in one of the forearm bones & damage to the ligaments & tendons.

Overuse:
Some sports, like tennis & certain types of weightlifting, when put a high degree of pressure on the muscles in the forearm which is cause strain.
When Excessive use of computers also occurs the muscle strain in the forearm, which is known as repetitive strain injury (RSI).
This Pain increases in RSI = repetitive strain injury which is become common in the workplace and mostly occurs growth of computer-based labour.
Forearm muscle tightness due to inactivity of hands mostly after injury

Nerve entrapment:
When the nerves are become too compressed, which is produced pain, numbness or a tingling feeling in & around the affected region.
Nerve entrapment is caused by a range of different syndromes which is affecting the forearm muscle.
The most common Nerve entrapment syndrome is carpal tunnel syndrome which is become to cause by forearm muscle pain.

Arthritis:
Arthritis occurs in the wrist & elbow joint, which is produce a dull ache pain in the forearm muscle.

An underlying condition:
Certain medical conditions, like as angina, which is produced by pain in the forearm.

The forearm muscle pain is due to sports injury & inflammation in the forearm muscle.
This Forearm muscle pain is also related to an infection, a nerve problem, a growth & even cancer.

Some other situations which are produced forearm muscle pain include:
Sports injuries
Tendinitis
Dislocation
Overuse injury
Bone fracture

What are the symptoms of the forearm muscle injury?

Forearm muscle injury symptoms is depending on the underlying disease, disorder & condition.

The patient feels Muscle weakness in the forearm muscle
In the patient also present Redness, warmth & swelling in the area of pain.
Reduced mobility means a range of motion = ROM of the elbow & wrist joint
The patient feels the Shoulder, arm, hand & finger means whole upper limb pain
Tenderness is also present in an area of pain
Sometimes present to Visible deformity of the elbow & wrist joint
The patient feels the Numbness & tingling in the arm
Sometimes occur to Skin discoloration like as bruising
Symptoms that might indicate a serious condition

In which condition immediate contact to doctor for this muscle pain?

In some cases, forearm pain occurs with the other symptoms which is indicate a serious condition so evaluated immediately in the emergency setting.
In the immediate condition need medical care call 911 for treatment.

Some serious conditions which need to doctor immediate basis:

When the Bone is sticking out of the skin
If occur to Excessive bleeding in the forearm
Paralysis of the forearm muscle
If the patient feels Sudden & intense pain in the forearm

What is Treatment for the forearm muscle pain?

RICE principle:

In the starting phase of muscle pain used to RICE principle.

R – rest = Reducing the activity involving the forearm which helps the injured tendon, ligament, muscle, bone & nerve to recover. A person is do the rest periodically rather than remaining inactive for sustained periods.
If the person presents with sports-related forearm pain avoid the sport till the pain is entirely subsided.
I – ice = Applied to ice on the area of pain for 20 minutes which is help to reduce inflammation & pain .you can is also used an ice pack & frozen peas to release the pain.
C – compression = In the cases whereby movement is very painful, a person is required to splint & sling to restrict the movement & minimize pain.
E – elevation = Elevate the arm with the help of a pillow reduce to swellings.

Medication for the pain relief:

Mostly your Doctor prescribes you pain reliever medicine mostly NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen & other anti-inflammatory drugs which are used to manage pain.
You are also used pain reliever gel and patches such as diofanace gel & volini gel for pain relief.

Hot therapy:

You are also trying to heat therapy on the swelling area which is also easy the pain.
You are applied a hot pack to the area of pain to reduce the spasm & swellings.

What is Physiotherapy Treatment for forearm muscle pain?

In physiotherapy, Treatment includes to exercise, stretches & strengthening exercise which is designed to rehabilitate & strengthen the forearm slowly.

Stretching for forearm muscle pain:

Wrist extensor stretch
Forearm flexor stretch
Supinator stretch
Two-arm forearm stretch
Praying forearm stretch

Wrist extensor stretch :

The patient is in a sitting or standing position for the stretching.
Hold the arm out parallel to the ground then extend from the shoulder.
Turn the hand so it is facing downward.
Use the opposite hand which pulls the outstretched hand down & toward the body.
Bending the wrist joint & feeling a stretch on top of the hand &forearm.
Then Slightly rotate the arm inward to feel a further stretch.
Hold this stretching position for 20 seconds.
Repeat this exercise five times on each side.

Forearm flexor stretch:

The patient is in a Standing position for this stretching.
Place both arms out in front of the body with the elbow joint is locked out.
Then Raise the palm of one hand like waving to a friend.
Then, with the other hand, gently pull the fingers towards the body.
Hold this stretching position for 15-30 seconds.
Then repeat this stretching on the other arm.

Supinator stretch:

The patient is in a sitting position for this stretching.
Hold the one end of a light dumbbell in the hand
Then rest the arm, palm down, on a flat surface.
Allow the dumbbell to rotate the hand just beyond neutral.
Hold this stretching position for 15-30 seconds
But must keep the weight light.

Two-arm forearm stretch:

Place the hands out in front of the body, elbow joint locked out & then internally rotate means medial rotation of the shoulder joint so that the backs of the hands are facing each other.
Then Place one hand over the other hand & interlock all of the fingers.
Rotate the arms in the opposite direction as the arm is stretched.
Then, with the non-working arm, push the wrist joint of the stretched arm into flexion.
Hold this stretching position for 15-30 seconds & then repeat this exercise on the other arm by switching to the top position.

Praying forearm stretch:

The patient is in a Standing position & sitting upright in a chair.
Place the palms of the hands together without the interlocking of fingers.
Raise both elbow joints so that the wrist joint begins to bend.
Then Keep raising the elbow joint till feel a nice stretch in the undersides of the forearms.
Hold this stretching for 15-30 seconds.

Exercise for the forearm muscle pain:

Exercise helps you in reducing the pain.

Elbow bend
Wrist extension
Elbow extension
Wrist rotations
Forearm squeeze
Fingertip pushups
Crab walk
Plank with shoulder taps
Isometric wall push
Sphinx push-ups
Pull-up bar hang

Elbow bend:

The patient is Stand up straight with the arms at the sides.
Bend the right arm upward & allowing the inside of the hand to touch the shoulder joint.
If the patient can’t reach the shoulder, that stretches only as close to it as the patient can.
Hold this exercise position for 15 to 30 seconds.
Then Lower the hand & repeat the exercise 10 times.

Wrist extension :

The patient is in a Standing position for to Wrist extension exercise.
Then extend the affected arm in front of the palm are parallel to the floor.
With the help of the opposite hand, pull the wrist joint back toward the body.
Then Pull the wrist joint back till feeling a stretch in the forearm muscle but do not feel any pain
Hold this exercise position for 30 seconds.

Elbow extension:

The patient is in a Sitting position for the Elbow extension exercise.
Place the elbow on a table or chair arm.
Using the opposing hand, gently push the forearm down towards the table or floor.
When feeling a stretch but without any pain, hold this position for 15 seconds.

Wrist rotations:

The patient is in a Sitting position for the Wrist rotations
Patient is Extended to arms in front of them with hands at shoulder height.
Make a fist & rotate each wrist clockwise then anticlockwise in a circular motion.
Perform 10 repetitions in each direction in 1 session.

Forearm squeeze:

The patient is Use a pair of forearm grips & another object to squeeze like a tennis ball & a sock.
Extend & flex the fingers to squeeze the item.
Hold this exercise for 3–5 seconds, then relax the grip for a few seconds.
Continue this exercise for 10–15 minutes at 1 time.
Do this exercise 2–3 times per day.

Fingertip push ups:

The patient is kneeling by a bench & sturdy object & bringing the fingertips down on the surface.
Slowly & with control, the patient brings the chest to the bench, and then bends the elbow joint at a 90-degree angle.
Then Return to the starting position.
Do this exercise in 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.

Crab walk:

The patient is Coming into reverse tabletop position.
Place the hands under the shoulders joint, with the fingers are facing toward your feet.
Align the ankle joint directly under the knee joint.
Then Walk forward on the hands & feet for up to 1 minute at a time.
Do the 3 – 4 times per days

Plank with shoulder taps:

The patient is Kneeling on the floor & a yoga mat.
Place the hands are directly under the shoulder joint — like a pushup position.
Curl the toes under & lift the body into plank position.
Must be Steady the core muscle.
Lift the right hand from the ground & touch the opposite shoulder.
Then, return to hand to the floor.
Do this exercise for 30–60 seconds and as the longer patient can.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times.

Isometric wall push :

The patient is in a standing position in front of the wall with their hands are on the wall.
Keeping the arms straight but not locking the elbow joint.
Then press them firmly into the wall for 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds Release the pressure.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times per day.

Sphinx push-ups :

The patient is in Start in a forearm plank position, either on the toes & on the knees.
Then Press the hands down firmly & try to lift the forearms till the arms are straight.
Lower back down with the control.
If can not go all the way at first, just do an inch & two at a time.
Release the pressure.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times per day.

Pull-up bar hang:

First Grip the pull-up bar with the hands about the shoulder distance apart, palm facing forward.
Hang for up to 30 seconds, with the arms straight & ankles crossed behind you.
Release.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times per day.
Then Make it harder for this exercise: Wrap two small towels around the bar & grip the instead.

Strengthening exercise the forearm muscle pain:

This strengthening exercise helps you strengthen the muscle of the forearm & reduce the weakness of the forearm.

Palms-up wrist curl
Palms-down wrist curl
Grip crush
Wrist dumbbell curls
Farmer’s walks
Pinch-grip plate holds
Reverse barbell curl with the thumb-less grip

Palms-up wrist curl:

In the sitting position rest the wrist joint on the knee joint & on a flat surface, with the palms are facing up.
The patient is holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Then raise the hands as high as possible, keeping the arms still. but the wrist joint should not rise off the surface means the wrist joint is in rest position
After a slight pause, lower the hands into the starting position.

Palms-down wrist curl:

In the sitting position rest the wrist joint on the knee joint & on a flat surface, with the palms are facing up.
The patient is to Hold a dumbbell in each hand, raise the hands as high as the patient can, and must keep the arms still.
But the wrist joint does not rise off the surface means the wrist joint is resting.
After a slight pause, return the hands to the starting position.

Grip crush:

The patient is in a sitting position & rests the left wrist joint on the knee & a flat surface, with a holding dumbbell.
Then Relax & open the hand so that dumbbell rolls toward to fingertips.
Tighten the hand & curl the wrist up and squeeze the weight as tightly as possible.
After performing the 10 repetitions & repeat on the opposite side.

Wrist dumbbell curls:

The patient is in a sitting position on a bench & chair then holding a moderately heavy dumbbell in each hand.
Then Place the forearms on the thighs, so that the wrists are on top of the knees.
Palms are facing up & down.
Slowly lower the weights as far as the patient can.
Then Grip the weights tightly & move only the hands.
Curl the weights up as far as the patient can.
Then Return to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise 3 sets of the 12 reps till the muscles are done.
Alternatively, you can do one side at a time.

Farmer’s walks :

The patient is in a Standing position tall & holding a pair of heavy dumbbells & kettlebells at the sides.
Then Slowly walk from one end of the workout space to the other end & back.
This exercise aims to do this Farmer’s walk exercise for 30–45 seconds per set.
Then do the Rest.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times per day.

Pinch-grip plate holds :

With the straight fingers, pinch & hold a relatively heavyweight plate between the thumb & four fingers of the hand.
But this exercise is Do one side at a time.
Hold this position for 30–45 seconds per set & as long as the patient can.
Then do the Rest.
Repeat this exercise 2–3 times per day.

Reverse barbell curl with the thumb-less grip:

The patient is in a Standing position then holding a barbell with the palms facing down & hands shoulder distance apart. Keep the thumb alongside the rest of the fingers for a “thumbless grip.”
Keep the elbow joint close to the sides then slowly bring the barbell toward the shoulders.
Then Work on bending only at the elbow joint to focus on the forearms.
Return into the starting position then move too slowly the entire time.
Then Try to do the 3 sets of the 12 rep.

What is a home treatment for forearm pain?

Resting the forearm which usually helps to reduce the degree of inflammation & swellings.
Applied to Icing on the affected area with the cloth-covered ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes at a time which also helps to reduce the swelling.
Taking over-the-counter pain-relieving medication, like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), which is help to reduce the pain & discomfort.
Use to a splint & bandage which limits the mobility & also helps in healing.

What is Prevention of the forearm muscle pain?

Avoid activities which are put excessive strain on the forearm, like tennis & certain types of weightlifting.
Taking to regular breaks from extended periods of computer use & using an ergonomic keyboard at work.
Do the Strengthening exercise of the forearm & increasing the grip strength through resistance training.