What are the causes?

The forearm contains several superficial, immediate, and deep muscles.

Like most body parts, its structures are connected by tendons and ligaments.

Forearm pain can occur for a variety of reasons including:

• Injury: An acute trauma, such as a fall, can cause a fracture in one of the forearm bones or damage to the ligaments and tendons
• Overuse: Some sports, such as tennis and certain types of weightlifting, put a high degree of pressure on muscles in the forearm and can cause them to strain. Excessive use of computers can also cause muscle strain in the forearm, which is known as a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Pains caused by RSI are becoming increasingly common in the workplace given the growth of computer-based labor.
• Nerve entrapment: When nerves become compressed, it can cause pain, numbness, or a tingling feeling in and around the affected region. Nerve entrapment can be caused by a range of different syndromes affecting the forearm. The most common of which is carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Arthritis: Arthritis can occur in the wrist or elbow, causing a dull ache in the forearm.
• An underlying condition: Certain medical conditions, such as angina, can cause pain in the forearm.

The type of pain can vary depending on the cause. For example, nerve entrapment can cause shooting pains whereas arthritis of the elbow can cause a dull ache in the forearm. Overuse injuries, such as RSI, can induce both types of pain.

Treatment

The type of treatment will depend on the cause of the forearm pain and its severity.

Home treatments

In the case of an injury such as tendon damage, nerve entrapment, or overuse, a person can usually administer treatment at home using the following techniques:

• Rest: Reducing activity involving the forearm will help the injured tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, or nerve to recover. A person should rest periodically rather than remaining inactive for sustained periods. However, a person with a sports-related forearm pain should avoid the sport until the pain has entirely subsided.
• Pain medication: A person can take Ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory drugs to manage pain.
• Immobilization: In cases whereby movement is very painful, a person may require a splint or sling to restrict movement and minimize pain.
• Hot or cold therapy: The use of an ice pack can help to reduce inflammation and pain. A person may also try heat therapy after the swelling has gone down, which will also ease the pain.

Exercises and stretches

Treatment is often accompanied by exercises and stretches designed to rehabilitate and strengthen the forearm slowly. However, a person should only start doing exercises or stretches after consulting with a doctor to avoid aggravating the injury.

Wrist extension

This exercise helps to stretch the forearm muscles:

• Standing upright, extend the injured arm in front of you with palm parallel to the floor.
• Using the opposite hand, pull the wrist back toward the body.
• Pull the wrist back until feeling a stretch in the forearm but without feeling any pain
• Hold the position for 20 seconds.

Elbow extension

Stretching the pronator muscle can help to improve flexibility and reduce pain in the forearm:

• Sitting upright, place the elbow on a table or chair arm.
• Using the opposing hand, gently push the forearm down towards the table or floor.
• When feeling a stretch but without any pain, hold the position for 15 seconds.
  

  Wrist rotations

  This exercise can help to improve blood circulation through the forearm and flexes the wrists:

  • Extend arms in front of you with hands at shoulder height.
  • Make fists and rotate each wrist clockwise then anticlockwise in a circular motion.
  • Perform 10 repetitions in each direction.

  Strength building exercises

  During later stages of rehabilitation, it can be beneficial to go to a gym and use equipment such as cable machines, light dumbbells, or exercise bands. Strength building exercises, such as wrist curls or reverse curls, can help to build forearm strength, helping to prevent forearm pain from reoccurring.