How long does it take to rehab a elbow flexor – Philip Humber

Phillip Humber pitched a perfect game earlier year, but now he finds himself on the disabled list with an elbow issue. The exact issue is an elbow flexor strain, which is a common injury for pitchers.

As he said of the elbow issue:

It’s hard to say when it happened because I have a high pain tolerance. It’s something that’s gotten gradually worse. I felt I had to say something. It’s not what you want, but our training staff is good, and we’ll work and get back as quick as I can. The good news is I can play catch. Based on how I feel and how it goes, I’ll get back on the mound, throw some side sessions, maybe a rehab assignment. I don’t know when, but hopefully soon.

What is an elbow flexor?

A a joint, the elbow relies on flexors to move. There are four flexors that affect the elbow:

  • Biceps
  • Brachialis muscle
  • Brachioradialis
  • Pronator teres muscle

How long does it take to rehab a elbow flexor - Philip Humber PhotoHis injury isn’t specific to one of those, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it is actually the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle, which controls your hand’s adduction through the forearm. This makes more sense for a pitcher since there is a great amount of strain put on the forearm through the hand rotation.

How do you strain it?

There are a number of ways, but the three most common:

  1. Overuse
  2. Tendonitis
  3. Over stretching

How long does it take to rehab it?

Depending on the actual elbow flexor that was injured, rehabbing it could take a few weeks. The focus needs to be on reducing inflammation and ensuring the range of motion is kept. You’re really waiting for it to settle down and then restrengthen in.

 

1 comment

  1. I’m a heavy addict of playing badminton for recreation, sometimes 8 hours of playing in a day. Thus I have a tendency to overuse my elbow flexors too despite adopting the right techniques. It makes my arms hard to move, and it hurts me quite badly each time! But I still play as much as I can haha.

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