Some people experience it when lifting weights in the gym. Some when they’re hoisting up their young children. Others experience it when doing simple daily tasks such as lugging a grocery bag by the handle, while for some it can make carrying a cup of coffee through the mall a bothersome task.
Oxford Academic reports that chronic forearm pain is prevalent in around 5% of the population. That’s about 600,000 Canadians. Consequently, our Burnaby BC clinic receives inquiries about physiotherapy for forearm pain on a fairly regular basis. If located in the Greater Vancouver area you can schedule your assessment right away, or read ahead first for more information.
How Physiotherapy Can be Beneficial for Chronic Forearm Pain
Tennis Elbow Treatment
Oxford Academic also reports that over 95% of those with forearm pain had pain in other areas. One of those areas is the elbow. The chronic forearm pain that you’re feeling could be connected to tennis elbow. Tennis elbow, aka known as Lateral Epicondylalgia, is a common overuse injury that commonly occurs from the repetitive use of your wrist with daily activities. These activities including working on your computer for hours on end, or anything that involves rotating your forearm in a palm-up to a palm-down direction while gripping something of significant weight.
Tennis elbow is commonly treated at physiotherapy clinics. Corrective action includes manual therapy (to release the forearm muscles and articulate the joint) in addition to laser therapy along with modalities such as ultrasound and interferential current. View more on how physiotherapy treats forearm pain associated with tennis elbow.
Hand and Wrist Pain Treatment
Hand and wrist pain is also to blame for referred forearm issues, as per the study conducted by Oxford. Hand and wrist pain is repetitive strain injury that is one of the most prevalent of occupational illnesses in modern times. As with tennis elbow, it is associated with frequent computer work, although even frequent leisure use of use of laptops, smartphones, and tablets can cause it. The repetitive movements stress the tendons that connect hand and arm muscles to the bone. When these tendons are overworked, small irritations, rips, and tears follow, resulting in injury that may cause tendonitis in the wrist and hand which can lead to referred forearm aching, numbness, and loss of strength and agility.
Physiotherapy interventions generally include manual therapy, range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercises, acupuncture, dry needling, and more. Further, your assessment may uncover that forearm pain associated with hand and wrist injury may be the result of poor seated posture when at work (and using your digital devices). This is something that physiotherapy can also correct, ensuring that you employ proper posture from the moment you leave your first physiotherapy session. View more on how physiotherapy treats forearm pain associated with hand and wrist injury.
Arthritis Treatment
Forearm pain may also be a symptom of arthritis. Physiotherapy can be effective in treating the condition through interventions such as k-taping (to manage swelling and tenderness in humeroulnar, humeroradial, proximal, and distal radioulnar forearm joints. Acupuncture and IMS among other treatments can also be helpful depending upon how mild to severe symptoms are.