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Simple question: How to exercise the forearms?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Guest
Guest

I was told by the surgery team  (before they closed the clinic) and the physiotherapist as well, that a little bit of exercise of the forearms would be good for me. But at the same time, they've told me not to bend my wrists.

So my simple question is: How do I exercise my forearms without bending my wrists?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • elaine02726
    elaine02726 Guest

    Posted

    Straight wrist bicep curls might do something!

    Regards Elaine 

    • Guest
      Guest elaine02726

      Posted

      I've tried that now and it really went the blood circulation going at least. Felt right. Thanks!
  • Tazchurch
    Tazchurch Guest

    Posted

    The simplest is just making a fist and gripping. The tighter you make it the more the forearm is excercised.

    Grip and squeeze excercises work too.

    • Tazchurch
      Tazchurch

      Posted

      If you cannot make a fist then grip what you can, it can be on a table so you don't have to take the weight.
    • Guest
      Guest Tazchurch

      Posted

      I'd bought a trio package of the handmaster plus balls from US online and used the soft one from June to December, then the bands on it broke down. I will order new bands online soon, after having a rest from it for a month. It's a grip and stretch-combo ball where you primarily exercise all the hand muscles in one little ball. Never thought it exercised the forearms a little too. I guess bending the wrist, by holding them down to the floor and work with a heavy dumbell or barbell is too much at this state.
    • Tazchurch
      Tazchurch Guest

      Posted

      If your op was last June check with your GP as bending your wrists may now be ok as would using weights. The rule of thumb is to do as much or as little as you can, you know what feels right.
    • Guest
      Guest Tazchurch

      Posted

      My GP has absolutely no idea what carpal tunnel syndrome is and did never check my hand at all himself. He thought they always throw away the carpal tunnel ligament during surgery. Actually, I had my surgery done in March. Lifting things is ok now (have not tried anything heavier than approx 50 lbs yet though). My physiotherapist said I should never ever again lift things again with bent wrists. Bending them while doing the dishes is a must of course. It's about not bending them for too long periods, and variation is the key. I can recommend the softest(!) handmaster plus ball, since I really felt the blood flowing in the hand at once after doing the simple exercise. The biggest concern is my hands easily getting swollen, particularly the right one. When they are, I can't do anything, not even bending the fingers. I'm not fat or anything.
    • Tazchurch
      Tazchurch Guest

      Posted

      There is a group on facebook called I Survived Carpal Tunnel Surgery! that is well worth joining and was set up by a member on here so that people could share tips, ask questions, post photos etc. It is a closed group but acceptance is usually quick.
  • JamesODon
    JamesODon Guest

    Posted

    Great question!

    I hope the surgery was successful. With regards to the exercise both the Physiotherapist and Doctor are right in suggesting exercising as mobility is incredibly important in healing. Rightly identified, you would not want to further antagonise the problem with exercises that might do just that.

    As people on here have suggested, it can be achieved by grip exercises, using, a sponge ball, grip strainer or even a book however this is NOT what you should do.

    Many/most people are unaware that Carpal tunnel is only provoked by further indulging muscle imbalances that probably caused it in the first place. The anatomy of the Wrist is wildly complex but the root problem is normally quite simple, they, through their work or daily activities over use one side of the forearm, normally the Dorsal (underarm) side, by typing, packaging etc. THis creates a muscle imbalance that manioulates the carpal area and impinges the nerve delivering the sensation of pain and tingling and so on.

    SO yes, addressing this imblanace is improtant, but I know of many cases where people assume that when they get Carpal Tunnel they assume the muscles need attending to and do exercises such as making a fist and squeezing a ball, only to make it musch worse.

    The answer...Focus on the top side of the forearm (unless you are caertain the weaker of the two is the bottom, you can normally tell by knowing what caused it). Try the same sort of exercise but in reverse. Tying an elastic bands around the fingers is usefull, offering resistance to the opening of the hand.

    This is of course if you know the problem was an unfortunate consequence of an activity, hobby or occupation you do. If it is due to Rheumatoid arthiritis, diabetes or pregnancy then the treatment method would be slightly different.

    I hope this was of some use

    All the best

    James

    • Guest
      Guest JamesODon

      Posted

      Hello James, and ThanX! Did you notice I mentioned the Handmaster Plus balls, which I have used from June to December? I used the light blue softest one, and I squeezes it. But more important, it also have elastic bands on top to work the fingers the other way. I have to order new bands though, since they wore out. In the meantime I will try some rubber bands only, as You suggested! smile
    • Guest
      Guest JamesODon

      Posted

      In my case it probably was an effect of overusing my hands and arms in carrying heavy boxes plus a lot of typing. A muscular imbalance? I have very sore muscular spots around my elbows and on my forearms. I've also broken my shoulder in about 1990 and my wrist in 1999, tennis elbow in 2005, herniated disc in the neck plus broken long finger in 2006 - all on the same dominated side. It helps doing shoulder rotation exercises.
  • JamesODon
    JamesODon Guest

    Posted

    Wow you have really have been in the wars, it is no suprise given those traumas that you are now suffering the symptoms of Carpal tunnel. It's interesting you mentioning your Tennis elbow, Shoulder and herniated disk. See, a lot of people misinterpret Carpal Tunnel syndrome for something else entirely. The symptoms that arise form Carpal Tunnel are because of pressure being placed on the median nerve, however only 5% of this nerve is actually in the Carpal Tunnel (the wrist). This single nerve travels all the way up the arm, shoulder and into the neck where it joins the vertebrae, so an injury or pressure at any point causes the EXACT SAME symptoms as if it were just in your wrist. So many Doctors miss this (not me) and is one of the reasons behind the extremely high failure rate of carpal tunnel release surgery. They cut the Carpal ligament thinking it will solve the problem, when there never was one, well not in the wrist anyway.

    If the nerve is trapped elsewhere it is called Thoracic outlet syndrome, and there are exercises for this (vary with the location).

    It sounds that with your career, without being able to asses you properly that because of the heavy lifting and typing, it is a problem in the forearm, but could quite easily be the scalene muscels (neck). Both of these recruit both or one of these muscles so it may be you have built it up, causes scarring in it, or simply tightened it, all of which are muscular and fixable issues.

    It may be worth talking to your doctor about Thoracic outlet syndrome, although be prepared to be faced with a questionable look. Physio's and Chiropractor are often more clued up about this sort of problem as they deal with these types of injuries and problems more often, being of muscular orientation.

    I will actually be creating some free videos soon to help people such as yourslef with exercises and tips they can do at home. I will send you the link when available.

    Until then I hope that is of some use and you cna pursue the road to healing

    All the best Ken, and if you have any more questions, shoot

    James

    • Guest
      Guest JamesODon

      Posted

      Hello James!

      Thank You for the reply! In fact, for a start I really want to have a MRi and a ENMG to be done soon. But my GP hasn't remitted me to any of those and I'm not very hopeful about persuading him. My former GP actually thought I had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, but primarily on the left side, but she wasn't at all sure. She said there was a surgery method for that, cutting one of the ribs.

      About nerve entrapment. I can feel the nerve being trapped very easily. And if the nerve s in that trapped location for hours or days it becomes warmer in that area, like an inflammation process occurs. I have found nerve gliding exercises. Some of them I can do sometimes and they seem ok. Not all the time, not when the hand is a bit swollen.

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