Arm injuries commonly treated by physical therapists include:

• Shoulder impingement
• Rotator cuff tears
• Arm muscle strains
• Carpal tunnel
• Tendonitis
• Tennis elbow
• Golfer’s elbow
• Biceps
• Fracture
• Osteoarthritis
• Bone spurs
• Shoulder dislocation
• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• Ligament sprain

Arm surgeries commonly rehabilitated by physical therapists include:

• Rotator cuff repair
• Shoulder labral repair
• Shoulder replacement
• Impingement surgery
• Acromioclavicular joint repair
• Bicep tendon repair
• Ulnar nerve decompression
• Elbow replacement
• Carpal tunnel release
• Wrist/hand tendon repair
• Fracture repair

HOW LONG DOES ARM REHABILITATION TAKE?

The duration of your rehabilitation plan of care will vary depending on the severity of your symptoms, whether you are recovering from or planning to undergo surgery, and the types of activities you aim to resume. While full resolution of symptoms can take some time, you may begin to see some results quickly. You should experience improvements in many symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and inflammation within a couple of weeks but returns in strength, flexibility and overall mobility may take longer. Achieving long-lasting results may take some time, but dedication to your program will not only help you achieve these results but also decrease the likelihood of symptoms recurring in the future.

UNDERSTANDING THE ARM

The arm consists of many complex structures–any of which could be injured or treated with surgery. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint supported and moved by the deltoid muscle, the rotator cuff and upper arm muscles like the biceps and triceps muscles. Tendons and ligaments surround the joint. Long muscles extend down the upper arm toward the elbow joint and move the shoulder and elbow. The elbow joint consists of the articulation of three bones–the humerus, ulna and radius. Many muscles attach and insert near the elbow and thus there are several tendons and ligaments nearby. The forearm consists of the radius and ulna bone which connect the elbow to the wrist bones and at least 15 muscles travel through this area.

As you can see, there are quite a few structures that physical therapists may treat in the arm. The location of the injury and the structures involved dictate the symptoms as well as the functional implications of the injury.

The bones can experience a fracture, the joints may be affected by conditions like osteoarthritis, sprains can affect the ligaments and strains and tendinopathies can affect the muscles and tendons throughout the arm. Some injuries can be pinpointed through careful clinical testing such as palpating for painful tissues or testing the muscles but in some cases imaging such as an x-ray, CT scan, ultrasound or MRI may be recommended for a clearer answer.

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help correct your arm issues, your entire arm rehab treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized arm rehab physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your arm rehab PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

WHAT SYMPTOMS DOES ARM REHABILITATION TARGET?

In addition to pain, arm rehabilitation targets impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions related to your arm symptoms. To get a better understanding of what symptoms arm rehabilitation targets, continue reading

Body structure and function impairments:

• Weakness in the muscles around the shoulder, elbow, forearm or wrist
• Difficulty moving the arm in one or more directions
• Swelling anywhere in the arm
• Feelings of instability in the joints like the shoulder
• Loss of flexibility or range of motion in the shoulder, elbow or wrist
• Changes in joint mobility
• Numbness or tingling in arm or hand

Activity limitations and participation restrictions:

• Difficulty reaching overhead
• Inability to lift or carry heavy items
• Trouble manipulating tools or other items
• Difficulty with pushing or pulling
• Reduced ability to perform your work duties due to arm symptoms
• Inability to participate fully in athletics
• Interrupted sleep due to pain or discomfort

COMMON ARM REHABILITATION TREATMENTS USED BY PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan just for you based on the structures in your arm that need treatment, however, these are some of the more common rehabilitation interventions for the arm that you might experience when working with your PT:

Modalities and manual therapy techniques to the arm and surrounding areas reduce pain and inflammation and promote tissue healing

Bracing and taping: in some cases, bracing is used to protect healing tissues early in recovery or as you return to activity and taping can be used to manage swelling, and promote muscle relaxation or activation

Education about your injury, the stages of healing and what you can do to participate in your recovery and prevent future injury

Muscle strength, endurance, motor control and power training to improve stability, endurance, coordination and strength in the arm for return to normal activity

Tissue and joint mobilization, mobility and stretching techniques to restore normal range of motion and flexibility

Sport and work-specific training exercises to prepare the arm to return to your prior activities and limit the risk of future injury.

As you can see, physical therapists have a lot of treatments in their toolbox to rehabilitate the arm. If you have an injured arm, are undergoing arm surgery or are noticing uncomfortable symptoms in your arm, call us today to learn more about our services and schedule an evaluation