Understand the Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Forearm pain can result from many causes, each of which requires a different treatment approach. The forearm comprises the radius and ulna, which extend the length of the forearm and cross at the wrist joint. This location means the forearm is involved in daily arm or hand movements.
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Get A Second OpinionWhat is forearm pain?
Forearm pain is any type of pain or discomfort in the arm between the wrist and the elbow. Pain in the forearm can result from an injury or inflammation that affects any of the tissues in the forearm, including muscles, bones, blood vessels, tendons, and skin.
Forearm pain can happen to anyone and is often related to traumatic or repetitive use injury.
Causes of forearms pain
- Sports injuries
- Overuse injuries
- Fractures
- Pinched nerves or accidents.
- Forearm pain can also be related to a general infection, such as a cold, which causes body aches or a disease of the forearm's tissues. In rare cases, forearm pain may be related to a benign growth, such as a cyst or even a malignant tumour.
- Forearm pain can be treated effectively. Seek immediate medical attention if you have forearm pain related to a severe fracture, such as a bone sticking out of the skin, or if your forearm pain comes with heavy bleeding, paralysis, or numbness.
- Pain in the forearms is most likely the result of injury or inflammation of the components in the forearm space.
Forearm structure:
The bones of the forearm include:
- The Radius: This bone begins at the elbow and connects to the wrist on the side of the thumb.
- Ulna: This bone begins at the elbow and connects to the wrist on the little finger side.
- Muscles: The forearm also contains several muscles that work to rotate the forearm up (supination) and down (pronation) and to flex and extend the fingers of the hand.
Musculoskeletal causes:
The musculoskeletal causes of bilateral forearm pain involve issues in how the forearm components work together.
- Positional: Repetitive actions such as typing, using crutches, and even walking the dog can compress nerves and blood vessels that branch out throughout the forearm. Repetitive positional injury can lead to bilateral forearm swelling and pain.
- Biomechanics: Forearm problems such as dislocations or sprains can lead to chronic bilateral forearm pain.
Traumatic causes:
Traumatic causes of bilateral forearm pain include those that result in injury to components of the forearm.
- Fracture: Direct injuries to the forearm, such as car crashes, traumatic falls, or direct hits, can result in fractured bones, swelling, and pain. Depending on the severity, visible deformities and bleeding may also occur.
- Sprain: Sprain occurs when a ligament or tendon is twisted or stretched. Ligaments connect bone to bone, while tendons connect muscle to bone. Actions like bending, twisting, sudden movements, or direct impact can cause sprains in multiple forearm ligaments.
Psychosocial causes:
Psychosocial causes involve the intersection of social factors (stress, unemployment, etc.) and individual thoughts and behaviours.
- Stress: stress associated with daily activities can manifest in different body parts. The forearms are intrinsically linked to many activities of daily living, such as dressing, holding objects, typing, etc.
- Somatization: Somatization expresses mental phenomena like physical symptoms. For example, you may have had thoughts of forearm pain that now manifest as physical pain.
Thoracic outlet syndrome:
- The "thoracic outlet" is the space on either side of the base of the neck where nerves, arteries, and veins travel under the collarbone. If it becomes compressed or damaged, the condition is called thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).
- The most common causes are trauma, such as a car accident or a fall, and repetition or overuse, such as a sports injury.
Carpal tunnel syndrome:
Carpal tunnel Syndrome is numbness and tingling in the hand and arm caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. It is caused by overuse of the wrist and hand, especially in highly repetitive activities such as typing or working.
Brachial plexopathy:
- The brachial plexus is a network of nerves between the neck and the shoulder, connecting the nerves from the spinal cord to the arm. There is a band on each side of the neck. Any injury that forces the shoulder and the neck to stretch up and down can damage these nerves and cause brachial plexopathy.
- Sports injuries and car accidents are often involved. Inflammation, tumours, and radiation therapy can also damage the brachial plexus.
Acute infection of the forearm bones (osteomyelitis):
Forearm osteomyelitis is a bacterial or fungal infection of the bone, typically caused by Staph Aureus (40-50% of the time).
Forearm torsion following repetitive injury:
The constant use of the wrist causes repetitive strain injuries to the forearm.
Non-specific wrist pain:
Wrist pain is common. Repetitive movements can damage your wrist. Daily activities like typing, racquet sports, or sewing can cause discomfort or even carpal tunnel syndrome. Sometimes, wrist pain is not identified by one process.
Wrist contusion:
A bruise damages the blood vessels that return blood to the heart, causing blood to pool. This explains the blue/purple colour of most bruises. Wrist bruises are common, often due to minor injuries.
Wrist sprain:
A wrist sprain is often associated with traumatic events such as falls or sports accidents. However, wrist sprain can also stem from chronic issues like repetitive stress and the normal ageing process. Cuffs are so necessary and frequently used that it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate.
Severe wrist pain:
- Severe pain in the arm should be examined by imaging and physical examination by a doctor.
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Symptoms of Forearm Pain
Forearm pain can present a variety of symptoms depending on the underlying cause. Common symptoms include:
- Pain and Discomfort: This can range from a dull ache to sharp, intense pain, often worsening with movement or pressure.
- Swelling: Inflammation in the forearm may cause noticeable swelling.
- Redness and Warmth: The affected area may appear red and feel warm to the touch due to inflammation.
- Stiffness and Limited Mobility: Pain and swelling can lead to stiffness and reduced range of motion in the forearm, wrist, or hand.
- Tenderness: The forearm may be sensitive to touch, making even light pressure painful.
- Weakness: You may experience a decrease in strength, making it difficult to grip objects or perform tasks that require forearm strength.
- Numbness or Tingling: In some cases, nerve involvement can cause sensations of numbness or tingling in the forearm, hand, or fingers.
- Bruising: If the pain is due to an injury, bruising may be visible on the skin.
Diagnosis of forearm pain:
Diagnosis depends on arm pain. Some causes that need diagnosis include:
- Thoracic outlet syndrome: The diagnosis is based on the patient's history, physical examination, imaging such as an X-ray or ultrasound, and sometimes studies of nerve conduction and blood flow.
- Brachial plexopathy: Electromyography (EMG), computed tomography, MRI, and sometimes angiography are used to diagnose this condition.
- Osteomyelitis: It is difficult to diagnose because the infection can come from a break in the skin in the area or anywhere on the body that is spread by blood.
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Book an AppointmentTreatment of forearm pain:
- Exercise is not always enough, and some people may need anti-inflammatory drugs, over-the-counter medications, steroid injections, and splints to reduce pain.
- Treatment usually involves rest and physical therapy. Surgery may be needed to remove scar tissue or repair damaged nerves.
Preventions for forearm pain:
These are some prevention tips for forearm pain:
- Use dynamic rest: Avoid activities that engage the elbow and forearm, including hard grips. Stay in shape by doing lower-body workouts.
- Ice it: Apply ice to the area for 15 minutes, 4 to 6 times daily for the first two days.
- Massage: A massage technique called myofascial release can help relieve symptoms. Each muscle is enclosed in a tough fibrous sheath called a fascia, which can tighten and constrict the muscle. Regular forearm massage can relax the fascia, allowing the muscles to relax.
As the pain from the forearm tension improves, you can do a few simple exercises to rehabilitate your arm and resume your normal activities.
Simple exercises for the forearm pain:
Here are some exercises to prevent forearm pain:
- Tennis Ball Squeeze: Squeeze a tennis ball in your hand. Hold the position for several seconds and release. Start with a few repetitions and increase the number when the pain permits. If you feel pain, step back.
- Arm Rotations: Hold your arm straight in front of you, parallel to the floor and palm up. Make a fist. Turn your fist as if you were flipping a pancake. Add reps if the pain permits. As you get stronger, add weight to your fist by holding a light dumbbell, hammer, and tennis racquet.
- Wrist Extension and Flexion Extension: With your right arm in front of you parallel to the floor and your palm down, bend your wrist down. Hold the position for several seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Flexion: With your right arm in front of you parallel to the floor and your palms up, lift your wrist. Hold the position for several seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat. You can also add a light dumbbell (or even a can of beans) to these exercises as you strengthen.
