PURPOSE
The Arm exercise mobilizes the joints and muscles around the wrist and elbow.
Soldiers can use it to check for pain and restricted flexibility and to self-treat for those issues.
Soldiers perform the exercise on both arms to check and compare for pain or stiffness.
Figures 17-14 and 17-15 break down the exercise as it would be performed on the left arm.
STARTING POSITION
The starting position for the Arm exercise is the Straddle Stance position.
ELBOW
● Support the arm with the opposite hand while straightening the elbow as far as possible (see figure 17-14).
● If the hand can be braced against a wall or other stable object, push the elbow up by the opposite hand to increase the end-range motion.
WRIST
● For the wrist, keep the elbow straight while using the opposite hand to pull the fingers and hand into extension—the palm will face away from the Soldier (see figure 17-15).
MOVEMENT
● Return to the starting position before repeating the movement 5 times.
● Perform more repetitions if the movement improves the range of motion in the elbow and wrist.
● If repeated elbow extension does not work, try repeated elbow flexion.
The same principle applies to the wrist.
● If there is any pain, seek help from performance readiness experts in the unit.