Forearm stretch

If you have a problem with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, Arthritis, or any other pain concern for your forearm, wrist, hand, or fingers, try these stretches.

First, warm up the muscles a little by bending your elbow, wrist, and fingers. Then remembering the basic rules for stretching start at your finger tips and work your way to your elbow.

Basic rules for stretching:

1.)Don’t stretch to the point of pain, only stretch till you feel the comfortable warming,

2.)Make sure you can breathe normally throughout the entire stretch,

3.)Make sure that when you are stretching you either are sitting, or have a safe way to sit on hand, just in case the stretch causes you to feel a little dizzy,

4.)Stretch for the amount of time you feel comfortable with. It doesn’t have to be 5 minutes per stretch, just till the warm feeling stays with your muscle for a while afterwards.

Press each finger (thumb too) in turn forward and back. When stretching forward, curl your finger tightly and with your first joint (the one closest to your hand) straight, press your thumb of the opposite hand into your nail. Then keeping your finger curled, bend your first joint and press the opposite thumb into your second joint. When bending them back, start at farthest joint from your hand, and use the opposite hand to press your thumb against the tip of the finger and your pointer finger against the back of the joints. ** especially important to NOT over stretch your fingers.


Then giving extra stretches to your thumbs, place the thumb of the opposite hand pad to pad with your stretching thumb, and the pointer and middle fingers against the side of your stretching pointer finger.this should stretch the webbing.

Palm to palm and overlapping your opposite fingers at 90 degrees over your stretching hand (so your opposite finger tips just touch your stretching middle finger) and your opposite thumb below the second joint of your stretching thumb (closer to the hand). press your thumb so you feel the stretch in your palm and edge of your thumb.

Then making a fist (exact placement of thumb doesn’t matter as much) bend your fist forward. First looking at the hairier side of your wrist,





then turning the hairier side away from you.





Then repeat the same motion and pressure with your stretching hand flat, so that when looking at both sides of your stretching forearm, your fingers point up then down.






With your stretching hand flat, like you’re about to shake someone’s hand and looking at your palm, wrap your opposite hand around it, palm to palm, and fingertips just touching the first joint of your middle finger. Keep both thumbs relaxed and not working. Then, squeezing your stretching hand between you opposite fingers and palm, hold your stretching forearm about 8 to 10 inches away from your shoulder and press down with your opposite hand.


follow that with rotating your opposite hand so your still palm to palm, but this time your fingers cover your pinky finger. Keeping your stretching wrist about 8 – 10 inches away from your shoulder, pull your stretching hand toward your chin/chest.




Finally twist your forearm muscles themselves. To do this you will want to pinch your stretching forearm between all 4 fingers of the opposite hand. Kind of like a one handed snakebite. If you can twist your stretching forearm skin great. Most people this is a very sensitive area, especially if they type or use a computer mouse a lot. So, if all you can do is pinch, fine, but try to pull the skin and muscle away from the bone. You can do this by either pulling straight away, folding the muscle over your fingers, or twisting (clockwise and counter-clockwise) while pulling or folding. remember to pinch pull and stretch the skin of your entire forearm, from elbow to wrist.

Doing this routine every morning and night, or at least whenever you happen to think of doing it, may help with any pain or tingling on the hand, wrist, or elbow.

Mary is a State Licensed and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. She has experience with Energy Work, Myofascial Massage, Pressure Point Therapy, Reiki, Swedish Massage and Trigger Point Therapy. Mary works with clients of all ages, both male and female, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

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