Improving Elbow Range of Motion/Mobility after Injury or Surgery (Stretches & Exercises)

💪 Get our programs here: e3rehab.com/programs/
Do you want to improve your elbow range of motion? In this video, we show you how to self-assess your elbow range of motion and improve it in a simple, safe, and effective manner.
💪 PROGRAMS: e3rehab.com/programs/
📩 MAILING LIST (exclusive deals, offers, and information): e3rehab.com/newsletter/
🏆 COACHING: e3rehab.com/coaching/
📝 ARTICLES: e3rehab.com/articles/
👕 APPAREL: e3rehab.com/clothing/
🎧 PODCAST: open.spotify.com/show/5ZbaI14...
AFFILIATES:
👟 Vivo Barefoot: Get 15% off all shoes! - www.vivobarefoot.com/e3rehab
📓 MASS (Monthly Research Review): bit.ly/E3MASS
📚 CSMi: humacnorm.com/e3rehab
🏋️ GYM EQUIPMENT: e3rehab.com/affiliates/
Follow Us:
KZbin: www.youtube.com/@e3rehab?sub_...
INSTAGRAM: / e3rehab
TWITTER: / e3rehab
FACEBOOK: / e3rehab
TIKTOK: / e3rehab
Introduction (0:00)
Self-assessment (0:20)
How Much Elbow Range of Motion Do You Need? (1:21)
Exercise Overview (3:00)
Extension Exercises (3:54)
Flexion Exercises (5:34)
Supination & Pronation Exercises (6:50)
Recommendations (7:24)
Summary (8:41)
-----
Disclaimer: The information presented is not intended as medical advice or to be a substitute for medical counseling but intended for entertainment purposes only. If you are experiencing pain, please seek the appropriate healthcare professional.

[@E3Rehab]

Thank you so much for watching! Be sure to check out the blog! e3rehab.com/blog/elbowrangeofmotion/

[@1STBUCKLEY]

Very clear. So calmly presented.thank you

[@amborton]

This is so helpful. I'm 2 weeks out from elbow surgery after 16 months of tennis elbow. Thank you for making this clear and easy to understand. I'm hopeful that this will help me get back to my Tough Mudders in the next year.

[@kylecontreras8741]

Another great video with excellent clinical application, thank you!

[@philipkim9779]

Thank you for this great info. Always appreciate your great evidence based contents.

[@AMRPhysiotherapy]

Great set of exercises thanks

[@jazzartkitty]

thank you sooo much for the specifics of recovery excersises. LOVE THE DOG THERE TOO!

[@WillWorkForDopamine]

awesome, thank you so much for giving me an overview. Getting my cast off tomorrow hopefully and now I understand what I need to ask my doctor to progress asap in my recovery. Thank you!

[@Reza-ds5we]

Well explained and very helpful. Thank you

[@aguywhohikes1271]

Excellent video per usual. Thanks man

[@ganzhagirl]

Great video! Thank you

[@BBC4Life644]

I had cancer and can no longer fully bend or strengthen my arm, now im trying to do at home PT because no one wants to actually help me. (Im 14 btw)

[@carsonwatkin]

Most would give up, but you’re looking to push through. That’s the difference between losers, and you. Keep it up bro 👊🏼❤️

[@TiffTiff]

You’ve got this! Hope you’ve seen improvement since you originally posted

[@unknxwn4518]

ur name is bbc4life...

[@MusiQ8dict]

May Allah bless you with a speedy recovery. Make the most of your time.

[@Thakurele20]

How are you now

[@destinycarter4813]

Fractured both of my elbows falling off a foam box trying CrossFit for the first time 🥲 after being traumatized, I will stay in my lane and away from the CrossFit world. But so thankful for this video because physical therapy was getting way to expensive and time consuming being a momma of two as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this so I can do these exercises on my own!

[@ugabuga1361]

recovery time? i just fractured my elbow and wrist.

[@andrewburke8685]

@@ugabuga1361it’s been 6 months for me and I am still healing. It depends on the nature and severity of your fracture. I’m a professional first aider but not a doctor so always ask your doctor to confirm things, but for me with a severe compound fracture(my humerus split up the middle) it has been really slow and frustrating, but I see progress even before getting involved with physio.

[@sinohui3]

Very useful!!! Thank you.

[@anarosef]

Thank you! Awesome 🧡

[@samsi1497]

Thank you so much on the clear explanation. I did my elbow orif in China. Surgery went great but I receive zero post op rehab info from the doctors. your video help me a lot and give me the peace of mind I really needed.

[@Paulie1232]

wonderful video that explains the process in plan English, thanks

[@user-tx4ow2cd3i]

I broke my elbow in three parts in a moto accident, there was no need for an operation, 1 month of immobilisation and the physiotherapy since january 4. I recovered strenght, and flexion, but I'm staggering in extesion, I'm at 30-35° loss. Thanks for this video, I'm going to do these exercices in supplement of those I do daily.

[@Tijdperkzuid]

Awesome video, its not fully clear to me how long after surgery you should start this. I just had surgery 2 days ago from fractured elbow, I had 2 weeks prior the surgery an accident.

[@artjaure1037]

my injury was a Displaced fracture of the head/ neck of radius .it has been one month and i got my supination and pronation back with zero therapy even though it was painful at first. My forearm flexion came back fully just yesterday. I can only extend my elbow to 5° . Even though i used to hyperextend to -°5. I stumbled on this video today and will incorporate these exercises and will update in two weeks.

[@jonathans3466]

Can you provide an update?

[@lalobaker9921]

Could you do a video on pain in the sternum, I've been weightlifting for a while as a teen and I can't get rid of it? Cheers, great videos as usual

[@aussiegordon847]

I never injured my elbows, but I’ve always had very very poor elbow mobility. More so in my right arm than my left. In my right arm, with my upper arm lying flat on the table, my elbow makes probably a 30° angle with the table. My left arm is probably around 20° under the same circumstances. This never affected me until I started weight lifting. In fact, I never noticed it until doing over head barbell presses in front of a mirror. Because of the range of motion difference, most of the weight gets put on my right arm since that hand is lower. Similar lifts are affected as well, like preacher curls (when at the bottom of the curl), the bench press, and dips. I have looked for a long time for mobility exercises for the elbows, and have only found exercises for the shoulders and wrists. I even stumped my strength training theory and application professor in college. Apparently, all I needed to do was add “for post-surgery recovery” to the end of my search. In any case, I feel like I’ve finally found the answer to one of my biggest fitness problems. Thank you so much.

[@fooddoctor4120]

Helpful ♥️

[@cavorka216]

Distal humerus fracture here with over 10 screws and plate. Yours is the first helpful video I could find to compliment exercises between PT sessions. Thanks for the great content!

[@Knowledge_wisdomwins]

I have the same injury with the plates and screws too. I'm just about 2 1/2 weeks post op but my dr hasn't cleared me for PT yet. He wants to reassess in 2wks and wants me to do gentle exercises at home with my elbow. I'm struggling with the achy pain when doing the exercises.

[@RAINEYSARCHIVES]

Same injury from a car accident in April still a challenge for healing😮

[@jimmyog]

how long after surgery were you when you did PT? I’ve been doing PT anyway despite being told to do all my physio in a sling since I’m just 3 weeks post surgery. I guess I should reduce my activity until my next physio. I’m about halfway through healing so I felt like doing extended physio would increase flexibility before everything “sets” and it becomes a slower process

[@jimmyog]

Also I’m actually quite lucky that I have recovered quickly and don’t feel any pain anymore whatsoever. My scar also looks neat and mostly flat but still red af. I have no issues with wrist movements, it’s flexion range of motion I’m struggling with. Still can’t straighten fully or contract my elbow fully. (distal humerus fracture)

[@ariefbudiman6489]

I have the same thing. Oleocranon injury with screws and plates all over my elbow. Trying to be normal again, but struggling with aching pain in every twist and bends

[@andrewburke8685]

Curious about a fractured humerus. I have been cleared by my surgeon for physio, but it’s only partially covered here and is hard to get in during the holidays. I have considerable atrophy due to the 6 months I’ve spent recovering. I’m looking to be able to achieve the goals outlined in this video, but want to know if there are specific considerations someone who had osteopathic surgery generally should make? I appreciate any response and great video it’s helped a bunch already!

[@davidclarke73]

I've got Bursitis of elbow from attending Gym and had it 3 week's. I've been using ice pack and ibuprofen. Can you tell me what I can do regarding exercise to help it go down. The lump is regular size and don't hurt. I've also bought elbow brace and material sleeve. Cheers.

[@Piidogbjj]

Thank you

[@2303mitt]

Thank you bro for your Contant , but I think my elbow is too stiff and never see any improvements regardless what I do so do you have any suggestions ?

[@petercavalli2595]

Do you have an app you like to use for measuring after recording the video ie putting landmarks etc?

[@iindersekhon]

Why my elbow doesn’t extend fully when muscle is not warm? Once i warm it up and do stretch then it goes extended 98%. But I can’t keep muscles warm all the time? Please advise i had dislocation in my elbow 6months back without any fracture and surgery. Thanks in advance

[@thedelaware8309]

Good, informative video, first of all... Tbh, it's also hard to jump rope consistently, when one arm(or both arm)'s R.O.M. is limited to even a minor degree because of contraction issues... (I never even thought it might affect it, but, yeah...I just learned THAT first hand recently, btw...😉)

[@mattchew4161]

6 weeks out from distal biceps. Tough getting these motions back but I must and I will and I encourage everyone to push themselves through. If you have surgery you must be your ROM back

[@gabrielafuwape103]

How has your ROM progressed?

[@mattchew4161]

@@gabrielafuwape103 Full ROM about 8 weeks after surgery, and all of my forearm strength back.

[@Kadelina]

Is it getting better?

[@dojolie-9]

I did a triceps Enthesopathy surgery for both arms before 3 months ,do u recommend me to go gym and start excersise ! Any advice !

[@user-no9jd6bh2h]

I suffered an elbow injury by going over the bicycle handlebar 2 weeks ago .I find your advice most helpful . It is really great but ... Your dog steels the show. I watched the video twice just to get glimpses of his ear or back. Please tell him . He made me subscribe and like it.

[@ultrabrian8151]

How’s it doing now

[@user-no9jd6bh2h]

@@ultrabrian8151 ​ @ultrabrian8151 a few months ago I had another fall over the handlebar. I injured the other one🤣😂 . I am riding the bike daily now so its ok. It takes heaps of time to heal though and I doubt that it ever becomes completely painless .

[@_Stolen_hearts_]

hi sir.. god bless you and your family, your video have given me a lot of improvement, in just 10 days after my cast was removed, my elbow had been dislocated past 1 month. I had started following your videos, I’m doing this flexion and extension exercise twice a day daily, and my elbow is bit swollen, is it normal?? Or should I take a break from my exercise???

[@eray8575]

Hello. How did the process go for you? It's been 2 weeks since my splint take off, my physical therapy process continues, but my elbow is still limited. @_Stolen_hearts_

[@_Stolen_hearts_]

@@eray8575 I’m still doing my exercises n elbow has been recovered 90%, and movement’s are also back to normal.. but 10% pain is still there.. if I do any hard work like throwing something far away, or driving car for a long distance, or pushing very heavy things like pushups, my elbow pains very badly.. so I’m avoiding it, and waiting for few more months to pass by..

[@nityanadar6284]

Very useful video.. I had a radius ulna fracture and due to cast my elbow range of motion is impacted. Many of these exercises were prescribed by my physical therapist and I have an improved range except for pronation and supination. Are there any additional exercises to consider to improve it or will the ones mentioned suffice?

[@hamzaelkolli1475]

prono supination is the most important motion you have to focus on it , he showed us the best exercices , goodluck

[@kalkidanhailemariam7039]

Hey, I was just wondering how your probation and supination is now. I haven’t been able to supinate and pronate since my injury 4 months ago!!

[@Andr3senpaii]

Is it possible to recover stiffness after post op 3years ago?

[@ganeshkumaran7784]

I get fractured my elbow right hand. i suffered so much i cant.able to bend my hand not able to eat not able to touch my face and my neck etc....and not.able to straight my hand also...after 7 months now am full perfect. Thank God

[@6767kkkk]

@ganeshkumaran7784 There is no error, are all your movements perfect?

[@linajimmy1181]

Please tell me what you did to improve it … I am suffering now with my left elbow ..surgery done before 17 days

[@ganeshkumaran7784]

@@linajimmy1181could u call me sry i can explain in voice...

[@ganeshkumaran7784]

@@6767kkkk S

[@user-fw1jy5yc6w]

Hello sir, my brother has met with an accident and subsequently developed myositis ossificans for which he has recently been operated for the removal of tissues in olecranon fossa, it been a month now, splint is still there and he has got extension movement but still full flexion is not there (90 degree movement) how long will it take and what exercises should he to do for this considering backward movement is restricted.

[@anithedude619]

How many time should I try these exercises especially for extension

[@chandratechno3542]

Hey bro my father had a surgery 16 years ago and still he can fully stretch that arm is it possible to brind the full range of motion for that hand now 😐

[@angelo3999]

I can't straighten my right arm but when i do, it cracks and makes a popping noise What should i do??

[@jyotsnasharma1800]

How much time for repair dislocate elbow from excercise

[@1STBUCKLEY]

Spiral humerus fracture over 17weeks ago. No operation. Am in UK, physio sporadic. I cannot get superination,just thumb straight up and slightly back. Wrist seems to be locked whilst trying to rotate. Also nail joint pip not bending can get some movement if manually done. So no fist. Am struggling and panicking. Not back for x-ray another two weeks. Am losing hope

[@Kadelina]

How are you doing now? I hope you’re feeling better.

[@hanoudch6717]

Thanks

[@E3Rehab]

Thank you!

[@Everythingishere.3673]

Sir, can i do these for terrible triad please help me out

[@shabanapsychologist2060]

I had distal himerus surgery on 14th June. Now bone is healing but my elbow is stiff. I am unable to move my elbow. I can do supination and pronation now but have extreme problem in flexion and extension. Can I continue doing your suggesting exercises??? How much it requires to regain complete motion???

[@hakanyarman7419]

How are you now

[@user-tj4io9rn1o]

I dislocated my elbow and got booked off work for 4 days and told to keep my arm in a sling for 5 days. Apparently it takes a lot longer for that to heal and I can feel it. I can move my fingers but I can’t move my arm on it’s own or pick the lightest things up without pain… I’m on day 5 so I should be taking the sling off but it doesn’t seem like I can or should be.

[@jiaweiyang3222]

how r u doing right now?

[@williefufu2985]

My muscles are contracted working against me straightening my arm fully.

[@ihorzakharchenko1485]

Thanks for the video! I had an olecranon fracture and torn off my triceps from the elbow, so I had to do a surgery. My supination and probation were not affected, I fully restored flexion but I have some problems with the extension. My healthy arm has -10 degrees of hyperextension and the injured one is straight but definitely not like the left one. My physiotherapist assessed it as -5 degrees. I can't do more because I feel like the metal plate on the olecranon is not fitting into the joint. How do you think can it be possible or am I wrong? I hope that I will regain it back when I remove the plate because it feels weird when the elbows extend not identically even though there is no functional problem

[@jenniferchen8630]

My orthopedic doctor said this can be fixed by taking out some scar tissues which requires another surgery. He recommended doing it the same time taking out plate. The scape of surgery is much bigger than just taking out plate and recovery would start over, so, we need to evaluate it. Hope it helps

[@manyulimbu6968]

will physiotherapist can decrease my elbow extension

[@aryungurueva4083]

Did you remove the plate eventually?

[@ihorzakharchenko1485]

@Aryun Gurueva Yes, I did. It was a very easy procedure in fact

[@aryungurueva4083]

​@@ihorzakharchenko1485 did it help to improve the extension?

[@kalehills]

Is it possible to gain further extension despite my surgery taking place a year ago? I did the PT that was prescribed to me but am stuck with a remaining 20 degrees I am unable to extend.

[@gurwndersingh4560]

Hi Kale, are you able to achieve Flexion. Actually I am having Flexion issues after elbow surgery. Can you share how you have achieved Flexion

[@samuellegesse23]

@@gurwndersingh4560what about you mate do you regain flexion if you do how long does it take?

[@jensenrivera1477]

Hi! I had an olecranon surgery and they put plate on it 1 week ago. Can I start these exercise immediately? Thanks!

[@poojadeoranitkkr8626]

Have u recovered your motion completely??

[@cuervoso9506]

I got wounded in Ukraine by 2 explosions, one damaged my elbow, I got a surgery in Germany in December, now I am waiting to recover flexion and extension of it :). Thankfully I didn't lose my arm, anyway

[@titibox1]

Thank you for your service 🫡 and I hope you get well soon!!

[@KerimKero1903]

Hi, I have never had an accident or did something. Since I was a kid I wasn’t really active. Since I started fitness training I noticed that my elbow doens’t flatten out (180 degrees). Can this be personal thing like genetics etc or just flexibility issues?

[@KenanTurkiye]

Wonderfull vids, thank you. Q: when I supinate either the right or left to their most outer limits I get a very loud cracking noise from both, seems to be towards the upper parts of the forearms (around the thickest parts, the top sides), though I have no pain before or after the cracking noise, but what may be causing it?

[@Regic]

My left arm does the exact same thing. I broke my left radial head with ligament damage (~1mm displacement) half a year ago and it makes that cracking noise since. No pain with the movement, although I still have mild pain when doing some other movements.

[@LifeCoachJesse]

I had elbow surgery 1 year ago on March 2nd. Still getting range of motion with full extension and supination.

[@AshutoshSingh-kb3cm]

How long did it take?

[@lellobelly88]

Are you still seeing improvements? My physio said after the 3 month window you pretty much won't improve.

[@j86485]

@@lellobelly88 That's wrong, every body is different so it could take from 3 months to a year to even longer than that

[@lellobelly88]

Stated my physio said its difficult.. not my opinion and didn't say impossible

[@j86485]

@@lellobelly88 Well keep trying since there's no limit to when it won't improve. Try alternative exercises too and choose the right physioptherapist to get you to improve gradually

[@chadhansen5057]

I broke the tip of my elbow off and had to get its screwed back on now its so deformed its bone on bone Contact at 30° had a screw in my joint I couldn't properly rehab my left arm got it out but still have arthritis I can't do upper body workouts that great anymore gotta get third 3 surgery to fix that and take out the bone and re attach my tendon 🙃

[@sumanth94]

How are u now

[@POLICE_DREAM_100M]

Pronation nhi aay to kya kre

[@aksharparekh1868]

After distal humerus fracture upto how many months we can receive full range of motion? Is it like that after few months recovery is not possible?

[@fatimajaffal9843]

How are you now

[@anjoLas]

I guess i'm "special": I fractured the head of my radius, had a prosthetic head and a big bolt attached to it inserted inside the radius, replacing it because "resturation" was impossible, due to minimum size of the fragments. Meanwhile, the bone grew up, made some sort of a big ball of bone that fused to the ulna stopping my arm from pronation and supination. Lucky me, huh ?

[@hamzaelkolli1475]

Thnks a lot , for this valuable exercises , i have dislocated elbow ( radial head) i feel important stiffness, swelling , after had being finiched a rehabilitation seance , when i warm my elbow and took a massage I gain in motions after a sleeping or some rest without move my elbow , i lose this gain of amplitudes , I had surgery in twice, I don't want to go back anymore , the first one on jan 2022 and second in april , i think i can t recover my elbow , its irreversible , could you confirm please .

[@bodofighter4058]

Bro can u tell me the present situation of Ur elbow?

[@hamzaelkolli1475]

@@bodofighter4058 the stiffness is always present ,but I never stopped rehabilitation seances

[@bodofighter4058]

@@hamzaelkolli1475 same problem brother 😔....my right hand elbow was dislocated

[@bodofighter4058]

@@hamzaelkolli1475 Any improvement of elbow flexion and extension?

[@HGChannel2020]

You posted this a week after i injured myself 😂1 month++ post op, every ROM is 88% recovered except flexion. Flexion progresses very slowly for some reason (coronois process of left ulna)

[@HGChannel2020]

Oh my god!! Just tried the skull crusher and improved my flexion significantly!! Always only saw it as a tricep exercise plus it looked dangerous to do after an elbow injury But it worked so well

[@ftroop9851]

How are u now bro;

[@DOXMER]

supanation and pronation real messed up lets see what this video can do

[@ZucchiZ]

Bro I could see all the anatomy in your hand lol

[@southenderftw]

@E3R3HAB Would these exercise help my shattered elbow i did when i was young i go too the gum regularly but i do find after a while of do any pushing exercise my left arm like locked so i can't fully straighten my arm

[@user-fw1jy5yc6w]

Hello sir, my brother has met with an accident and subsequently developed myositis ossificans for which he has recently been operated for the removal of tissues in olecranon fossa, it been a month now, splint is still there and he has got extension movement but still full flexion is not there (90 degree movement) how long will it take and what exercises should he to do for this considering backward movement is restricted.

[@user-fw1jy5yc6w]

Hello sir, my brother has met with an accident and subsequently developed myositis ossificans for which he has recently been operated for the removal of tissues in olecranon fossa, it been a month now, splint is still there and he has got extension movement but still full flexion is not there (90 degree movement) how long will it take and what exercises should he to do for this considering backward movement is restricted.