Your forearm is a powerhouse: It supports more than a dozen muscles and tendons, the flexions of your wrist and fingers, and your radius and ulna bones. With so many moving parts, your forearm can be easily injured. In particular, forearm strains occur when a muscle in the forearm partly or completely tears. You can strain your forearm if you:
- Suddenly put stress on your forearm muscles without properly warming it up.
- Stretch your forearm muscles beyond their capability.
- Overuse your forearm muscles over time.
- Experience a blow or sudden impact to your forearm.
3 activities you should avoid after straining your forearm muscle
If you strained a forearm muscle, you might feel pain that intensifies when you engage your fingers, elbows or wrists. You might also experience swelling around the strained muscle. Rest, ice and compression can help treat a forearm muscle strain. Refraining from certain daily activities can also help you avoid further injury and promote faster healing. Consider refraining from the following activities that can increase forearm pain:
- Grocery shopping — Generally, carrying is not a good idea when you’ve strained your forearm muscle, and grocery shopping is not an exception. Carrying grocery bags even just a few feet could further tear your forearm muscle and cause severe damage. If you must carry a grocery bag, it would be best to use your uninjured arm.
- Typing on the computer — Typing doesn’t just involve your fingers. In fact, most of your forearm is involved when you type an email, essay or search words. This is because tendons in your hands are connected to your forearm muscles. As a result, typing can be painful while recovering from a forearm muscle strain. If you have a deadline to meet on your computer, it may be best to get an extension to avoid injuring your forearm muscle more.
- Playing sports — It’s important to avoid sports that engage your hands or arms when you have a forearm muscle strain. It can even be a good idea to avoid all sports while you’re recovering from a strain, regardless if those sports involve your arms. The field can be unpredictable, possibly leading to falls, slips or blows to your arm. Refraining from playing sports for a short period of time can help protect your forearm muscle so that the tear heals faster.
Border TS can help you recover from your muscle strain
If you’re suffering from a forearm muscle strain, a physical therapist can help you recover sooner. Our team of specialists at Border Therapy Services offers one-on-one sessions and treatment plans tailored to your injury. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.