Rise up... against forearm and wrist issues

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Rise up... against forearm and wrist issues

I know it may seem unending and potentially a little overwhelming, but soft tissue work can make a huge difference in the way you feel. For this installment I want to look at an area that often flies under the radar, but probably affects everyone to some degree: the forearm.

Most people should be able to relate to this because who hasn’t spent extended time on the computer only to have their wrist and lateral (outside) elbow feel terrible? I spend less time on the computer than most office workers but find that my forearm gets plenty “junked” up, especially on the lateral side of the elbow. There are a few reasons for this; first, the lateral epicondyle (outer knob of the elbow) is a point of convergence for the wrist extensor muscles as many of them originate there or close to it. 

The graphic on the left shows how many extensors originate at the lateral epicondyle

Second, when we do activities that require extended pronation (palms down) it puts these muscles in a lengthened position, not to mention causing potential overuse of the pronator quadratus and pronator teres on the opposing side.

All of this means that everyone from the sedentary desk jockey to the most active athlete that trains regularly can experience issues in the forearm. Taking care of this tissue is important considering carpal tunnel and other arm/wrist syndromes are often the result of inflamed arm/wrist tissues.

Treating these tissues is not unlike treating leg, hip, or back tissues discussed in earlier posts, however, rollers and lacrosse balls tend to be inefficient on the arm. A couple of tools I've found to be effective are the stick, an index or jack nobber, and one of the most intense tools I've used in a while, the armaid.

The Stick

 The stick is best used with one end braced against a stationary object with the other in your free hand. Push the forearm into the stick and roll the tissue through the points of pressure created by the rollers.

Jacknobber

 The jacknobber is a tool i keep by my computer because it's small and easy to use while reading or web surfing. It doesn't slide over the skin as easily as the stick or armaid, but it can be effective for tissue release through targeted pressure and gentile rotation.

The Armaid Device

 The armaid is an intense device. Strap this to your leg, clamp down on one of your arms and pull it through; extra credit to those who don't make a pain face. Despite the discomfort this can create it does wonders for releasing the tissue of the forearm and wrist.

In conclusion, most will benefit from addressing the forearm since it's an area of high use in all populations even sedentary, computer based ones.