DIY Workout Recovery, Mobility and Massage - Forearm Pain or Discomfort?
Pain and discomfort in your wrists and forearms can be incredibly common especially as we spend more time on keyboards and phones. It also tends to happen in careers like dentistry, carpentry or other fields that just use your hands a lot. Interestingly, this can actually be due to issues that originate in the neck and/or shoulders through the problem can sometimes travel the other way. Meaning, we have also seen resolution of neck and shoulder issues after doing some forearm work. Try this short 3 part self massage and mobility drill and see what this does for opening up the forearms or perhaps alleviating some things up or downstream from them.
This weeks mobility flow is all about the forearm from 3 angles. Most of the time we think the pains in our neck and shoulder are only problems that stem from the neck and shoulder at the site of discomfort. But the pain, tightness, and stiffness we feel can also be due to our forearms getting tight/stuck, with decreased movement. The muscles of the forearm, shoulder, and neck are interconnected through various muscle chains, nerves, and fascial connections. When one area becomes tight or restricted, it can affect the tension and movement patterns of the adjacent areas. Tight forearms can lead to compensatory movements, trigger point development, nerve impingement, and poor posture in the shoulder and neck. Fortunately, there are effective ways to mitigate this discomfort and improve overall mobility and comfort. In this video article, we’ll explore how using a ball, self-massage, and dynamic movements can help relieve stuck forearm tissues, reduce pain, and alleviate chronic irritations not only in the forearm, but potentially in the shoulder and neck, and other upper body areas. Give it a watch below…
If you’re interested in employing a similar strategy with some spinal movement, check this video we put out a few weeks back.
Self Massage is Fairly Straightforward!
While it is often nice and perhaps even more practical to get massage or targeted manual therapy from a trained professional, it also doesn’t have to be very complicated. When the area is something that is also easier for you to access like your forearms, it can be a pretty simple solution to get in to on your own. While we are not advocating you do anything that doesn’t feel right to you, this simple sequence below can be very easy to follow and also apply in other areas below or just above the elbow.
Forearm Sequence:
Forearm Mobility Flow
Before attempting these, remember that everyone’s body is unique. Focus on using this flow as a guide and adapt it to your specific needs and limitations. The goal is to identify areas of your forearm that need more attention and gradually improve mobility over time.
Massage with a Ball: One effective way to relieve tightness and tension in the forearms is through self-massage using
a ball or other self massage tool.
Choose a soft, yet firm ball like a tennis ball or a foam roller
Sit comfortably at your desk or on the ground
Place the ball on the flat surface
Roll your forearm over the ball, applying gentle pressure
Focus on areas that feel tight or tender
Spend 1-2 minutes on each forearm, gradually increasing the pressure as your musclesrelax
You can also use this on the palm of the hand, rolling the ball around in as many nooks of the hand you can get in
This self-massage technique helps break up knots in the fascia, increase blood flow, and promotes healing in the affected areas. You can also use the ball for pinning down areas of the muscle while you contract and relax the muscle providing better glide between the tissue and muscle and brain connection.
Find a tender or tight area in the forearm
Place the ball under it applying gentle to firmer pressure
Slowly contract the muscle under the ball for 4 seconds
Then, slowly relax the muscle for a count of 8 seconds
Repeat 5x and then find a new spot
2. Self-Massage: Another effective way to help break up knots in the forearm is to use your hands to help stretch
and smooth out stuck areas in the forearm and hand.
Massage the palm of your hand using your opposite thumb
Find a tender area and apply tension downward till you reach the depth you are looking for then apply tension either going up or down from the point of contact.
Go in the direction that you feel more resistance
Hold that stretch for a few seconds and then find a new area
It’s ok if your thumb glides along the skin but make sure to hold the original depth you started with
Massage your palms as well as your forearms
3. Dynamic Movements: Incorporating dynamic movements into your daily routine can greatly increase the elasticity in
the muscles and connective tissue which helps for better glide of your muscles.
Wrist circles- Be sure to move in both directions taking a moment to hand out in areas that seem more stuck
Kneeling Wrist Extension/Flexion- in a seated position, place your hands on the ground and slow shift forward and back finding a more intense stretch on the front of the forearms.
Change placement of the hands so you are now stretching the back of the forearm
Stationary Arm Rotations- Place your knees on the palms of your hands and slowly rotate the forearms tracing little circles with the elbows
Arm Extension w/ Wrist Rotations (instead of stationary)- Bend the elbow and the wrist. Use the other hand to place tension on top of the bent wrist and keep the hand down. Slowly extend your arm from a bent to a straight arm. Repeat a few times. Then leave the arm straight and rotate your wrist from one side to the other. Find areas that feel tighter and move back and forth between those spots
Supple and pain free forearms are more than just about that small area above the wrist. They can have impact far above in the shoulder and neck and also make your hands just below much easier to use. Remember to listen to your body and adapt the movements to your individual needs.
If you missed our last movement flow piece with a video with a focus on the spine, check that out here.
Interested in having some expert hands to help you with any current or ongoing issues? Book your first appointment with a 15% discount here using code MT15.
As always, we will be back again soon with more DIY mobility and massage, but if you have a specific issue or area you would like to see us cover in one of these, let us know.