Pain guide · Shoulder pain

Arm pain: the shoulder, elbow, forearm, a nerve from the neck or the heart, and how to build back

Arm pain is common, and most of it comes from the shoulder, the elbow and forearm, the wrist or a nerve in the neck. Where it hurts and what brings it on usually point to the cause: an ache down the outside of the upper arm when you lift it is usually the shoulder, pain near the elbow when you grip is usually a tendon, and a burning pain with pins and needles running down from the neck is usually a nerve.

Heart pain can be felt in either arm, so this guide starts with the signs that need help today, from a 999 call or accident and emergency (A&E) to the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) or a general practitioner (GP). Then find your pain on the map, read what the research supports, and follow the three-stage plan: keep the arm moving, build strength at the shoulder, elbow and forearm, and bring back lifting, carrying and gripping.

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

  • Call 999: arm pain that comes on suddenly with pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest, especially with shortness of breath, sweating or feeling sick. It could be a heart attack.
  • Call 999: sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that does not go away (it can feel like squeezing or pressure, burning or indigestion); pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, shoulder, stomach or back; or chest pain and you feel sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath. It could be a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
  • Call 999: you suddenly can't fully lift both arms and keep them there, because of weakness or numbness in one arm, especially if one side of your face droops or you slur your words or sound confused. It could be a stroke. Call even if the signs have stopped.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E after an injury (don't drive yourself) if the arm, wrist or hand is numb, tingling or has pins and needles; a bone is sticking out or a bad cut is bleeding heavily; or the arm or wrist has changed colour or shape, or is at an odd angle.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E: after a fall or injury, your shoulder looks out of place or has changed shape, or you cannot move your arm. Do not drive yourself, and do not try to put it back in yourself.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E: sudden, severe pain in a muscle of the forearm or hand, which may be worse when you stretch it, with swelling, numbness, weakness or pins and needles, or tightness or difficulty moving the fingers. This can be acute compartment syndrome, which needs surgery as soon as possible. It usually follows an injury, a crush, or a cast or bandage that is too tight. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E: new problems walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a sudden loss of coordination, such as difficulty doing up buttons. These can be signs of pressure on the spinal cord.
  • Arm pain or swelling with breathlessness or chest pain: call 999 or go to A&E, and do not drive yourself. It can be a blood clot that has reached the lungs.
  • Urgent treatment centre or A&E: severe pain in your arm and it's difficult to move, or you've injured your arm and heard a snap. Tingling or numbness that comes on suddenly or after an injury belongs here too.
  • Urgent treatment centre or A&E: a pop or snap and sudden pain during an effort, which could be a torn tendon. At the front of the elbow, with bruising and a bulge in the upper arm, don't wait for it to settle: a torn biceps tendon is best repaired within the first 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Same day (GP or NHS 111): the shoulder or arm is hot, swollen or red, or you have a high temperature or feel unwell. A joint infection needs same-day care.
  • Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111: the skin on your arm is painful, hot and swollen. It could be cellulitis, a skin infection. With a very high temperature, a fast heartbeat or fast breathing, dizziness, confusion, or cold, clammy or pale skin, call 999 or go to A&E.
  • Same day (NHS 111): you've injured your arm and it's very painful, you can't use it because of the pain, or the pain is getting worse; there's a lot of swelling or bruising, or it's getting worse; it feels very stiff or is difficult to move; or you also have a very high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery.
  • Same day (NHS 111): your arm hurts when you exercise, but the pain goes away when you rest.
  • Get help from NHS 111: pain or tightness in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that comes and goes, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and easing after a few minutes' rest. It can be angina, a sign of a heart problem.
  • Throbbing pain and swelling in the arm, with red, blue or darker skin and swollen veins: ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. It could be a blood clot.
  • Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): severe neck pain that starts suddenly or gets worse quickly; heaviness or weakness in the arms or legs; pins and needles in an arm along with neck or arm pain; or pain between the shoulder blades.
  • Same day: clumsiness, numbness, pins and needles or weakness in one or both arms that is getting worse; problems with balance or walking since the neck pain started; or neck pain with a severe headache.
  • Same day: you have lost the feeling in part or all of your hand.
  • Same day (GP or NHS 111): you are over 50 and have new pain and stiffness in both shoulders (often the hips too), especially with morning stiffness lasting more than 45 minutes. This can be polymyalgia rheumatica. With a new headache, jaw pain when chewing or problems with your vision, contact a GP immediately. If you suddenly can't see from 1 or both eyes, call 999 or go to A&E.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

  • Elbow or arm pain that hasn't gone after a few weeks of looking after it yourself (for tennis elbow, the NHS says after at least 2 weeks of self-care). In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy.
  • Pain that is getting worse or has not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it yourself, or it is very hard to move your arm. In many areas you can refer yourself to physiotherapy.
  • Pins and needles or a cold arm alongside neck pain, or a new loss of strength or feeling in the arm that you cannot explain (a possible nerve problem).
  • Pins and needles that you have all the time, or that keep coming back: see a GP.
  • Severe shoulder or neck pain, often at night and needing strong painkillers, followed days or weeks later by weakness or winging: see a GP promptly and mention neuralgic amyotrophy, as early treatment may help. Breathlessness that gets worse when you lie down is a reason to see a GP too.
  • Constant numbness in the ring and little fingers, a weak or clumsy hand, or visible wasting of the muscle between the thumb and index finger. Ask about referral: one NHS referral guide treats permanent numbness or wasting as urgent.
  • Pins and needles that can wake you at night, an arm that gets tired easily, pain and swelling in the arm, a cold hand and arm, or a hand that turns blue, grey or pale: see a GP. It can be thoracic outlet syndrome.
  • Swelling in your arm, with an aching, heavy feeling, especially after treatment for breast cancer or to the lymph nodes: see a GP. Red, hot, painful skin over it needs the urgent cellulitis check above.
  • After an injury or operation, pain that is getting worse instead of better or far worse than you'd expect, with swelling, colour or temperature changes, or skin that is very sensitive to touch: contact your fracture clinic, physiotherapist or GP promptly. It can be complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and early treatment may help.
  • A sore arm after a vaccine that is getting worse, or shoulder pain and stiffness that last more than a couple of weeks after it: see a GP. A sore arm normally settles within days, and lasting shoulder problems after a jab are rare (our suggestion).
  • Muscle aches that you think started with a statin: speak to a pharmacist or doctor, and talk to them before stopping it. Some side effects are rare but serious, and you may need to contact NHS 111 for advice.
  • A past history of cancer, an unexplained lump or swelling, weight loss, or pain that is constant and does not ease when you change position.
  • You smoke or used to, and have shoulder pain with a cough that will not go away, breathlessness or weight loss. See a GP if you've had a cough for longer than 3 weeks.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

Between the shoulder and the elbow, often down the outside of the upper arm, worse lifting the arm out or overhead, reaching behind you or lying on that side

Usually the rotator cuff at the shoulder; the biceps at the front, or the triceps at the back near the elbow. Our upper arm pain guide maps them.

Read: Upper arm pain →
The front of the shoulder

The rotator cuff, the biceps tendon, the joint at the outer end of the collarbone (the acromioclavicular or AC joint) or a pec. Our front of shoulder guide maps them.

Read: Front of shoulder pain →
A deep ache, stiff in every direction, hard to turn the arm outwards (a coat, a back pocket), often worse at night

Possibly frozen shoulder.

Read: Frozen shoulder →
The outside of the elbow and the top of the forearm, worse gripping, lifting or turning a handle

Usually tennis elbow, which the NHS says can cause pain in the forearm too.

Read: Tennis elbow →
The inside of the elbow, worse gripping and lifting

Usually golfer's elbow.

Read: Golfer's elbow →
Between the elbow and the wrist

Our forearm pain guide maps the tendons, the nerves and the rarer causes.

Read: Forearm pain →
Tingling, numbness or an ache in the hand and fingers, often worse at night

Often carpal tunnel syndrome, a squeezed nerve at the wrist, which the NHS says can also cause pain in the arm.

Read: Carpal tunnel syndrome →
Tingling in the ring and little fingers, worse with the elbow bent

Usually the ulnar nerve at the elbow.

Read: Ulnar nerve entrapment →
From the neck or shoulder blade down the arm, often past the elbow: a burning or sharp pain with pins and needles, numbness or weakness, worse with some neck movements

A pinched nerve in the neck, which can be felt in the arm even when the neck doesn't hurt. Some people find it eases with a hand resting on top of the head.

Read: Pinched nerve in the neck →
Both hands numb or clumsy (buttons, handwriting), with unsteady walking

Pressure on the spinal cord in the neck can do this: get it checked urgently, as the warning signs say.

Aching from the neck or collarbone into the arm, tingling into the hand, or a tired, cold or swollen arm, worse with the arms raised or when carrying

Possibly thoracic outlet syndrome, which is uncommon.

Read: Thoracic outlet syndrome →
Sudden, severe shoulder or arm pain, often at night and needing strong painkillers, then patchy weakness or a shoulder blade that sticks out days later

Possibly neuralgic amyotrophy, an inflamed nerve to the shoulder and arm: see a GP promptly. Our winged scapula guide covers it.

Read: Winged scapula →
A sudden pop during a lift, then bruising and a bulge in the upper arm, or a gap at the front of the elbow

A possible torn biceps tendon: get it checked the same day. Our upper arm pain guide covers both kinds.

Read: Upper arm pain →
After a fall or a blow: pain, swelling, bruising, a change of shape, numbness, or an arm you can't use

A possible break: go to A&E if the arm is numb, out of shape or a bone is showing.

Read: Broken arm →
After an injury, a crush or under a tight cast: severe pain far worse than expected, a tight, swollen forearm, numbness or tingling

Possible acute compartment syndrome: call 999 or go to A&E.

One arm swollen and throbbing, with red, blue or darker skin and swollen veins

A possible blood clot in the arm: get help the same day.

Arm pain with pressure, heaviness or squeezing in the chest, breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick

The heart: call 999.

Arm, shoulder, neck or jaw discomfort that comes on with exercise, stress or cold and eases within a few minutes of rest

Possibly angina, a sign of a heart problem: get help from NHS 111.

A sudden weak or numb arm with a drooping face or slurred speech

A possible stroke: call 999, even if it passes.

Sore where an injection was given, or bruised where blood was taken

Normal: the NHS says soreness after a flu jab gets better within 1 to 2 days, and bruising after a blood test goes after a few days.

Both arms sore and stiff a day or two after a new or harder workout, easing day by day

Delayed onset muscle soreness. Our muscle soreness guide covers what helps.

Over 50, both shoulders and upper arms (often the hips too) stiff for more than 45 minutes in the morning

Possibly polymyalgia rheumatica: see the warning signs.

Aching muscles in both arms or legs after starting a statin

Muscle pain is a known side effect: speak to a pharmacist or doctor, and talk to them before stopping it.

A swollen, heavy, aching arm after treatment for breast cancer or to the lymph nodes

Possibly lymphoedema: see a GP. Red, hot, painful skin over it can be cellulitis, its commonest complication, which needs an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111.

Weeks after an injury or operation: pain far worse than expected, with swelling, colour, temperature or skin changes

Possibly complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): contact your team or GP promptly.

Read: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) →
Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, or a lump

Rarely a bone tumour: see a GP.

Arm pain mainly when you lift your arm

Our shoulder pain when lifting the arm guide.

Read: Shoulder pain lifting your arm →
Arm pain mainly at night

Our shoulder pain at night guide.

Read: Shoulder pain at night →
Elbow or forearm pain when you lift, carry or grip

Our elbow pain when lifting guide.

Read: Elbow pain when lifting →
An aching wrist and forearm from typing or using a mouse

Our typing guide.

Read: Wrist pain from typing →

Understand it

Where it hurts is a clue, not a diagnosis

The NHS lists the usual causes of arm and elbow pain apart from an injury: tennis elbow, tendonitis or bursitis, sprains and strains, frozen shoulder, arthritis and, rarely, a joint infection. It asks you not to self-diagnose, and to see a GP if you're worried. So the map above points to a likely cause and the guide that covers it; an examination decides.

Source 1

Most arm pain starts at the shoulderEmerging evidence

In a survey of 9,696 working-age adults in Britain, more than half of those who replied (3,152 of 6,038) had symptoms somewhere between the shoulder and the hand, and 44.8% of those with pain had a specific problem when examined. Shoulder problems were the commonest: shoulder tendinitis in 4.5% of men and 6.1% of women, and restricted shoulder movement recorded as frozen shoulder in 8.2% and 10.1%, against tennis elbow in about 1%.

In two Dutch general practices, 47% of new neck, shoulder or arm complaints were coded as a shoulder problem. Studies define arm pain so differently that their estimates of how common it is range from 1.6% to 53%, so these figures show the pattern rather than exact numbers. NHS inform adds that a shoulder problem can be felt down the arm, and that pain felt in the shoulder can come from the neck even when the neck doesn't hurt.

Sources 2, 3, 4, 5

The elbow, forearm and wristStrong evidence

Tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow, worse lifting or bending the arm, gripping or moving the wrist, and the NHS says it can cause pain in the forearm too; golfer's elbow, on the inside, has its own guide. Carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure on a nerve at the wrist, causes tingling, numbness and pain in the hand and fingers, usually worse at night, and an ache or pain that can reach the arm. NHS inform expects most new elbow problems to begin to settle within 6 weeks.

Sources 6, 7, 8

From the neck: a pinched nerveStrong evidence

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says a pinched nerve in the neck (cervical radiculopathy) usually causes a burning or sharp pain that starts at the neck and travels down the arm, with pins and needles, numbness or weakness, and some neck movements make it worse; some people find it eases with a hand resting on top of the head. In a Minnesota population it affected 83 people per 100,000 a year, most often at 50 to 54.

The AAOS lists the conditions that can mimic it, including arthritis of the joints at either end of the collarbone, thoracic outlet syndrome, nerves trapped at the elbow or wrist, and heart disease. NHS inform says numbness, pins and needles or weakness in one or both arms that is getting worse needs an urgent GP appointment.

Sources 9, 10, 5, 11

A sudden, severe pain, then weakness: neuralgic amyotrophyEmerging evidence

Neuralgic amyotrophy is an inflamed nerve to the shoulder and arm: a sudden, severe pain, often at night, followed by patchy weakness, such as a shoulder blade that sticks out. In one Dutch study in two general practices whose doctors had special training, about 1 in 1,000 people a year had it, far more than once thought. In 246 people seen at a Dutch hospital, the first severe pain lasted about 4 weeks on average, and about two-thirds of those followed for 3 years or more still had some pain or weakness. Our winged scapula guide covers it.

Sources 3, 12

The thoracic outletStrong evidence

The thoracic outlet is the space between the collarbone and the first rib, where nerves and blood vessels pass to the arm. When they are squashed, the NHS says it usually affects one arm and hand: pins and needles that can wake you at night, an arm that tires easily, pain and swelling, a cold hand and arm, or a hand that turns blue, grey or pale. The AAOS says overhead activities make it worse, and that treatment usually doesn't include surgery; physiotherapy comes first.

Sources 13, 14

After a fall: a breakStrong evidence

After an injury, a broken arm or wrist is painful, swollen, bruised and difficult to move, and may change colour or shape or feel numb, the NHS says; an X-ray shows whether it's broken and how badly. It usually takes around 6 to 12 weeks to recover.

Source 15

Jabs, blood tests, new workouts and statinsStrong evidence

Pain or soreness where a flu jab was given is its commonest side effect and gets better within 1 to 2 days, and bruising or swelling where blood was taken goes after a few days, the NHS says. Soreness a day or two after unfamiliar exercise, especially lowering work, is delayed onset muscle soreness, which fades over a few days. Muscle pain is a listed side effect of statins; the NHS asks you to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before stopping one.

Sources 16, 17, 18, 19

The heart, clots and other causesStrong evidence

The NHS says call 999 for arm pain that comes on suddenly with pressure, heaviness or squeezing across your chest. Its angina and chest pain pages say heart pain can spread to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, shoulder, stomach or back, and that angina is often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and eases within a few minutes of rest. In two reviews of people seen in emergency departments with chest pain, pain spreading to both arms was one of the strongest signs of a heart attack. Heart attacks without chest pain were more common in women (42% against 31% of men in a US registry of over a million people), and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) lists pain spreading to either arm.

A clot in an arm causes throbbing pain, swelling and red, blue or darker skin. Polymyalgia rheumatica causes morning stiffness of the shoulders lasting more than 45 minutes, mostly in people over 65 and very rarely under 50 (an NHS page past its review date). A swollen, heavy arm after treatment for breast cancer or to the lymph nodes can be lymphoedema, and red, hot, swollen skin can be cellulitis. Complex regional pain syndrome causes pain far worse and longer-lasting than the injury that set it off. Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, or a lump, needs a GP.

Sources 1, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

When a scan or test helpsStrong evidence

Most arm pain is diagnosed from the story and an examination. After an injury, an X-ray shows a break. For a pinched nerve, the AAOS describes X-rays, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and nerve tests when it doesn't settle or the cause is unclear, and says nearly half of middle-aged and older people have worn discs and pinched nerves that cause no symptoms. For a shoulder that isn't improving, the NHS says a health professional may arrange an X-ray to check the cause.

Suspected heart pain needs an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood tests in hospital, and a suspected clot an ultrasound scan, which the NHS says should be within 24 hours.

Sources 15, 9, 33, 20, 27

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

NHS inform expects new shoulder and elbow problems to begin to settle within 6 weeks; the NHS says shoulder pain usually needs 2 weeks of looking after it yourself before it starts to ease, and can take 6 months or longer to recover (a page past its review date). Arm pain from a pinched nerve eased by about 3 points a week on a 100-point scale even with no treatment in a Dutch trial, and in a Minnesota population 90% were free of symptoms or only mildly limited about 5 years later, though about a third had another episode.

A broken arm usually takes around 6 to 12 weeks to recover, and neuralgic amyotrophy is slower. No one can promise a date.

Sources 5, 8, 33, 34, 10, 15, 12

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Keep using the arm, and change the loadStrong evidence

The NHS says stay active and gently move your shoulder, and don't completely stop using it, because this can stop it getting better; don't do things that make it worse, make up your own strenuous exercises or use heavy gym equipment. NHS inform asks you to move a new shoulder problem gently for 10 to 20 seconds every hour at first, then use it more, and to avoid sport or heavy lifting until you have less discomfort and good movement; for soft tissue injuries generally, it says too much rest can slow your recovery.

For arm and elbow pain, the NHS suggests a heat pack or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for 10 to 15 minutes every few hours, painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, and raising the arm if it's swollen.

Sources 33, 5, 35, 1

Shoulder exercise helps, and one good advice session can be enough to startStrong evidence

In 102 people with shoulder pain lasting more than 6 months whom earlier treatment hadn't helped, a specific programme of slow-lowering rotator cuff and shoulder-blade exercises improved a shoulder score by 24 points against 9 with general neck and shoulder movements, and 69% against 24% reported success. In 708 people with a newer rotator cuff problem, up to six sessions of progressive exercise were no better over 12 months than one session of advice from a physiotherapist, and a steroid injection gave no long-term benefit.

NHS inform's shoulder exercises build from 2 or 3 repetitions every hour to at most 2 sets of 15, keeping pain at 5 out of 10 or less.

Sources 36, 37, 38

Forearm pain: resistance training helped in one workplace trialEmerging evidence

In 537 industrial technicians, resistance training for the shoulder, neck and arm three times a week for 20 weeks reduced forearm pain and work disability by a small amount (4 to 5 points out of 100) against carrying on as usual. Among those in more pain at the start, the chance of a complete recovery was about 4.6 times higher. It is one trial, in workers rather than patients.

Source 39

Work-related arm, neck and shoulder pain: the evidence is weakMixed evidence

A review of 44 trials in 6,580 people with work-related arm, neck or shoulder complaints found very low-quality evidence that exercise did no better than no treatment. Changes to the workplace and equipment didn't reduce pain in the short term but did in the long term, in low-quality evidence. So this guide treats exercise as the main treatment for the shoulder and forearm problems behind most arm pain, without promising that it fixes arm pain as such.

Source 40

A pinched nerve: physiotherapy or a collar helped a little more than waitingEmerging evidence

In 205 people whose arm symptoms from the neck had started within the last month, 6 weeks of physiotherapy with home exercises, or a semi-hard collar with rest for 3 to 6 weeks, eased arm pain by about 12 points more on a 100-point scale than waiting, at 6 weeks. The AAOS describes a soft collar for a short time only, because long-term wear can weaken the neck muscles, and for ordinary neck pain the NHS says don't wear a collar unless a doctor tells you to. Our pinched nerve guide has the plan.

Sources 34, 9, 41

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

About 5 out of 10 at the shoulder, lower near the elbow, and tingling stops the movementEmerging evidence

At the shoulder and upper arm, pain up to about 5 out of 10 during the exercises is acceptable, and by your next session it should be back to where it was before; if it isn't, use a lighter band or a smaller range next time, not nothing. A shoulder trial used that limit to set each person's load, and NHS inform's shoulder and elbow exercises use the same 0 to 5 range.

At the elbow and forearm, keep it to mild discomfort, about 3 to 4 out of 10, settling within an hour, with the elbow no worse the next morning, as our elbow guides suggest.

Tingling, numbness or pain that spreads further down the arm sets the limit: make the movement smaller or leave it out, as our pinched nerve guide says.

These limits are editorial: borrowed from the site's pain-monitoring guides and untested for arm pain as a whole. In trials of long-lasting muscle and joint pain, exercise that allowed some pain did no worse than pain-free exercise. Arm pain with pressure in the chest, breathlessness or sweating, arm pain that comes with exercise and eases with rest, or a weak arm with a drooping face are not pain-rule questions: see the warning signs.

Sources 36, 38, 42, 43

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Settle: keep the arm moving, change the load, start still holds

About the first 2 weeks. Stay active and move gently, don't completely stop using the arm, and don't do what makes it worse or use heavy gym equipment, as the NHS says. Use the shoulder moves for pain at the shoulder or upper arm, the elbow and wrist moves for pain at the elbow or forearm, and the chin tuck when the neck is stiff too. A break, a torn tendon or a pinched nerve has its own guide and plan.

Pendulum exercise (Codman's pendulum) demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoPendulum exercise (Codman's pendulum)Beginner · A bench or box

About 1 minute (10 small circles each way), 2 to 3 times a day · The move page's dose, which it labels an editorial starting point; NHS inform's pendulum swings

Harder: Table slide (seated forward reach)

Elbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion) demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoElbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion)Beginner · No equipment

10 slow reps, up to 4 times a day · The move page's dose, from an NHS leaflet; NHS inform's first elbow exercise

Harder: Dumbbell biceps curl

Wrist & forearm flow demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoWrist & forearm flowBeginner · No equipment

10 slow reps each direction, 2 to 3 times a day · As in our forearm guide (an editorial dose); NHS inform's forearm turn is the same movement

Easier: Wrist circles · Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Standing band external rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding band external rotationBeginner · A band + An anchor point

2 to 3 sets of 15, light band, elbow at your side · The dose our upper arm and rotator cuff guides use (editorial)

Easier: Stick-assisted external rotation (lying) · Harder: Side-lying external rotation

Reverse wrist curl demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoReverse wrist curlBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

Held still: 5 holds of 30 to 45 s, once a day, wrist level, forearm supported · For the outer elbow and forearm, as in our forearm and tennis elbow guides; the move page says hold still if lifting hurts

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Chin tuck demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoChin tuckBeginner · No equipment

5 to 10 slow reps with a 5 s hold, 2 to 3 times a day · As in our stiff neck guide (editorial). Stop if it sends symptoms further down the arm

Easier: Lying chin tuck · Harder: Isometric neck holds (four-way)

Move on when: Everyday reaching and gripping are easier, the arm is back to its starting level by the next session, and nothing is spreading further down the arm.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.
Stage 2

Build: load the shoulder, elbow and forearm on purpose

About weeks 2 to 6, 3 to 5 days a week. Slow lowering for the rotator cuff and control of the shoulder blade, the core of the shoulder trial's programme; slow lifting and lowering for the forearm. Pick the moves that match where it hurts.

Side-lying external rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoSide-lying external rotationBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 15, lowering over 3 s · The dose our upper arm and rotator cuff guides use; NHS inform's side-lying lift with a tin of beans

Easier: Standing band external rotation · Harder: Cuban rotation

Scaption raise demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoScaption raiseBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 15, thumbs up, to shoulder height · As in our upper arm and front of shoulder guides (editorial)

Easier: Band lateral raise · Harder: Smith machine upright row

Wrist-extensor eccentrics demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoWrist-extensor eccentricsBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 15, once a day, lowering over 3 to 4 s · For the outer elbow, as in our forearm and tennis elbow guides; the move page allows a mild working ache

Harder: Wrist curls

Wrist curls demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoWrist curlsBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 10 to 15, once a day, lowering over 3 to 6 s · For the inner elbow, as in our forearm and golfer's elbow guides

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Dumbbell biceps curl demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoDumbbell biceps curlBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 15, lifting in 1 s and lowering over 3 to 4 s · As in our upper arm guide (editorial); the move page says tendon complaints cope better with lighter weights and slower lowering

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Incline inner biceps curl

Median nerve slider (neck-to-arm nerve glide) demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoMedian nerve slider (neck-to-arm nerve glide)Beginner · A bench or box

10 slow repetitions, 2 to 3 times a day · The move page's dose, which it labels editorial. Only for arm symptoms from the neck once the worst days have passed; any extra tingling should settle within an hour, as the page says

Harder: Median nerve glide (six hand positions, for carpal tunnel)

Move on when: 3 sets of 15 side-lying lifts stay within the shoulder rule and settle by the next session, the wrist work passes the elbow rule with the elbow fine the next morning, and any tingling isn't spreading.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.
Stage 3

Strengthen, then lifting, carrying, pressing and gripping come back

From about week 6, two or three sessions a week, one change at a time, while everyday lifting and gripping come back by the written steps below. Keep some rotator cuff and forearm work in your week. The doses are editorial, as our sibling guides use them.

Incline push-up demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoIncline push-upBeginner · A bench or box

3 sets of 8 to 12 · As in our upper arm guide; then full push-ups

Easier: Wall push-up · Harder: Push-up

Chest-supported dumbbell row demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoChest-supported dumbbell rowBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

3 sets of 8 to 12, with a neutral grip · As in our upper arm and forearm guides

Harder: Supported single-arm dumbbell row

Hammer curl demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoHammer curlBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 12 · As in our upper arm and forearm guides; leave thumb-up curls until thumb-side wrist pain has settled, as the move page says

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Alternating hammer curl

Shoulder press with a band demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoShoulder press with a bandBeginner · A band

3 sets of 8 to 12, if reaching overhead is comfortable · As in our upper arm guide

Harder: Push press

Farmer's carry demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoFarmer's carryIntermediate · A dumbbell + A kettlebell

3 walks of 20 to 30 m, building the weight over weeks · As in our forearm and biceps guides; carry close at your sides

Harder: Suitcase carry

Move on when: Our suggestion: your usual reaching, lifting, carrying, gripping and sport stay within the pain rule, with the arm back to its starting level by the next day. If it flares, drop back a stage for a few days rather than stopping.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

What to change for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show these changes. They come from the NHS and NHS inform unless marked as our suggestion.

  • 1. Keep using the arm: stay active, move it gently, and don't completely stop using it (the NHS). A sling is for a break or after surgery, as your team advises.
  • 2. In the gym: no made-up strenuous exercises or heavy equipment while it's sore (the NHS), and no sport or heavy lifting until you have less discomfort and good movement (NHS inform).
  • 3. Sitting: stand up straight with your shoulders down and gently back, sit with a cushion behind your lower back, and rest your arm on a cushion in your lap (the NHS).
  • 4. Heat or cold: for the arm, a heat pack or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel for 10 to 15 minutes every few hours, and raise it if it's swollen; for the shoulder, frozen peas for up to 20 minutes 3 times a day, or a hot water bottle for up to 20 minutes 2 to 3 times a day (the NHS).
  • 5. Work: stay at or return to work, even if you have to go at a slower pace (NHS inform). For work-related arm, neck or shoulder pain, changes to the workstation and equipment reduced pain in the longer term in low-quality trials; our typing and elbow lifting guides cover the desk and your grip.
  • 6. Sleeping: lie on the other side hugging a pillow, or on your back with a pillow under the sore arm (our suggestion).
  • 7. After a jab or a blood test: a sore or bruised arm is expected and settles within days, and ordinary use of the arm is fine (our suggestion).

Sources 33, 5, 1, 11, 40

Lifting, carrying, pressing and gripping come back (written steps)

No trial has tested how to bring these back after arm pain as a whole. These steps are our suggestion unless a source is named.

  • 1. Carry loads close to your body, and keep heavy lifting below shoulder height until stage 3.
  • 2. One change at a time in the gym. Start heavier lifts at about half your old working weight and build back over weeks, as our upper arm pain guide suggests.
  • 3. Bring back last the moves that hurt: heavy overhead pressing, behind-the-neck work, deep dips, heavy chin-ups, heavy curls and heavy palm-down gripping.
  • 4. After a break or a torn tendon, follow your fracture clinic, surgeon or physiotherapist; a broken arm usually takes around 6 to 12 weeks to recover (the NHS).
  • 5. If it isn't getting better: see a GP if arm pain hasn't gone after a few weeks (the NHS); NHS inform suggests talking to a professional if a shoulder problem hasn't improved within 6 weeks.

Sources 15, 1, 5

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or positionWhy it mattersInstead
Stopping using the arm, or a sling without an injuryThe NHS says don't completely stop using a painful shoulder, because this can stop it getting better.Gentle movement every day within the pain rule, such as pendulum swings.Try: Pendulum exercise (Codman's pendulum)
Heavy overhead pressing while it's soreThe NHS says no heavy gym equipment for now, and NHS inform says avoid heavy lifting until movement is good.Pressing below shoulder height, such as the floor press, then band presses overhead in stage 3.Try: Dumbbell floor press
Behind-the-neck presses and pulldownsThe move page says leave it out with neck or shoulder pain, and the lat pulldown's page says pull to the collarbone, not behind the neck.Press and pull in front of you.Try: Lat pulldown
Long holds with the elbow fully bent when the ring and little fingers tingleThe elbow bend's move page says skip long holds at full bend, which squeeze the ulnar nerve.Gentle forearm and wrist movement without long holds.Try: Wrist & forearm flow
Side neck stretches that send tingling down the armTilting the head away from a sore arm can bring on nerve symptoms, as our neck pain guide's stretch table says.Chin tucks within comfort.Try: Chin tuck
Pushing through arm pain that comes on with exercise and eases with restThe NHS sends this to NHS 111: it can be angina.Stop, and get it checked before you train hard again.

Routines to follow

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

What usually causes arm pain?

Most arm pain comes from the shoulder (often the rotator cuff, felt down the outside of the upper arm), the elbow and forearm (tennis or golfer's elbow), the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) or a nerve from the neck. Less often it is a break, a clot or the heart. Where it hurts and what brings it on point to which, and our map sends each to its guide.

How can I tell if arm pain is my heart?

Heart pain in the arm usually comes with pressure, heaviness or squeezing in the chest, breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick: call 999. Arm, neck or jaw discomfort that comes on with exercise or stress and eases within a few minutes of rest can be angina: get help from NHS 111. It can be either arm.

Can a heart attack cause pain in the right arm?

Yes. The NHS says heart pain can spread to your left or right arm, and pain spreading to both arms was one of the strongest signs of a heart attack in reviews of people seen in emergency departments. Judge it by the company it keeps, not the side.

I have left arm pain but no chest pain. Is it my heart?

Usually not: most arm pain comes from the shoulder, elbow or neck. But heart attacks can happen without chest pain, more often in women (42% against 31% of men in one large registry). Sudden arm pain with breathlessness, sweating, feeling sick or light-headedness is a 999 call, and arm pain that comes with exercise and settles with rest needs NHS 111.

What does a pinched nerve in the arm feel like?

Usually a burning or sharp pain running from the neck or shoulder blade down the arm, often with pins and needles, numbness or weakness, and worse with some neck movements; some people find it eases with a hand resting on the head. Most people recover, but weakness or numbness that is getting worse needs a same-day check. Our pinched nerve guide covers it.

Why does my arm hurt from the shoulder to the elbow?

Usually the rotator cuff, which is felt down the outside of the upper arm and is worse lifting the arm out or overhead, reaching behind you or lying on it. The biceps at the front, the triceps at the back and a nerve from the neck are other causes. Our upper arm pain guide maps them.

Why does my arm hurt from the elbow to the wrist?

Near the elbow it's usually tennis elbow (on the outside) or golfer's elbow (on the inside), from gripping and lifting. Tingling in the hand and fingers points to a nerve at the elbow or wrist. Our forearm pain guide maps the causes and has a plan.

Why does my arm hurt after a jab or a blood test?

A sore arm is the commonest side effect of a flu jab and gets better within 1 to 2 days, and bruising or swelling after a blood test goes after a few days. A sore arm that is getting worse, or shoulder pain and stiffness that last more than a couple of weeks, should be checked by a GP.

Why do my arms ache a day or two after a workout?

That is usually delayed onset muscle soreness, which follows unfamiliar exercise, especially lowering work, and fades over a few days. Gentle exercise eases it for a while, and stretching and cold made no difference in a review.

Should I rest a painful arm?

Not completely. The NHS says don't stop using a painful shoulder, and NHS inform says too much rest can slow your recovery. Keep pain during exercise at about 5 out of 10 or less, settling by the next morning, and build strength; that helped shoulder and forearm pain in trials.

When should I see a doctor about arm pain?

Call 999 or go to A&E for the warning signs at the top of this page. Otherwise, see a GP if arm pain hasn't gone after a few weeks, or a shoulder hasn't improved after 2 weeks of looking after it. In many areas you can refer yourself to physiotherapy.

Can arm pain be a blood clot?

Rarely. A clot in the arm causes throbbing pain and swelling with red, blue or darker skin and swollen veins: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111. Call 999 if you also feel breathless or have chest pain.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

  1. NHS · Elbow and arm pain
  2. Walker-Bone 2004 · How common arm, elbow and shoulder disorders are in 9,696 working-age adults (population survey, Arthritis Rheum)
  3. van Alfen 2015 · How common neuralgic amyotrophy is in two Dutch general practices (prospective cohort, PLoS One)
  4. Huisstede 2006 · How common upper limb disorders are: 13 studies with different definitions (systematic review, BMC Musculoskelet Disord)
  5. NHS inform · Shoulder problems
  6. NHS · Tennis elbow
  7. NHS · Carpal tunnel syndrome
  8. NHS inform · Elbow problems
  9. AAOS (OrthoInfo) · Cervical radiculopathy (pinched nerve)
  10. Radhakrishnan 1994 · A pinched nerve in the neck in a Minnesota population, 1976 to 1990 (population study, Brain)
  11. NHS inform · Neck problems
  12. van Alfen 2006 · Neuralgic amyotrophy in 246 people (case series, Brain)
  13. NHS · Thoracic outlet syndrome
  14. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS, OrthoInfo) · Thoracic outlet syndrome
  15. NHS · Broken arm or wrist
  16. NHS · Flu vaccine
  17. NHS · Blood tests
  18. Cheung 2003 · Delayed onset muscle soreness: treatment strategies and performance factors (review, Sports Med)
  19. NHS · Statins
  20. NHS · Heart attack
  21. NHS · Angina
  22. NHS · Chest pain (past its review date: reviewed August 2023, review due August 2026)
  23. Panju 1998 · Is this patient having a heart attack? What the history and examination show (systematic review, JAMA)
  24. Fanaroff 2015 · Does this patient with chest pain have acute coronary syndrome? 58 studies (systematic review, JAMA)
  25. Canto 2012 · Heart attacks without chest pain by age and sex in 1,143,513 people (registry study, JAMA)
  26. British Heart Foundation · Women and heart attacks
  27. NHS · DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
  28. NHS · Polymyalgia rheumatica (past its review date: reviewed April 2023, review due April 2026)
  29. NHS · Lymphoedema (past its review date: reviewed March 2023, review due March 2026)
  30. NHS · Cellulitis
  31. NHS · Complex regional pain syndrome (past its review date: reviewed October 2022, review due October 2025)
  32. NHS · Symptoms of bone cancer
  33. NHS · Shoulder pain (past its review date: reviewed May 2023, review due May 2026)
  34. Kuijper 2009 · A collar or physiotherapy against waiting, for recent nerve-root arm pain from the neck (RCT of 205, BMJ)
  35. NHS inform · Soft tissue injury advice
  36. Holmgren 2012 · A specific rotator cuff and shoulder-blade programme in 102 people with long-standing shoulder pain (RCT, BMJ)
  37. Hopewell 2021 · Progressive exercise against one advice session, with or without a steroid injection, in 708 people with rotator cuff problems (GRASP, RCT, Lancet)
  38. NHS inform · Exercises for shoulder problems
  39. Andersen 2012 · Resistance training for forearm pain in industrial technicians (cluster RCT, BMJ Open)
  40. Verhagen 2013 · Treatments for work-related arm, neck and shoulder complaints: 44 trials (Cochrane review)
  41. NHS · Neck pain (past its review date: reviewed April 2023, review due April 2026)
  42. NHS inform · Exercises for elbow problems
  43. Smith 2017 · Should exercise be painful? 7 trials of long-lasting muscle and joint pain (systematic review and meta-analysis, Br J Sports Med)
  44. NHS · Symptoms of a stroke
  45. NHS · Dislocated shoulder
  46. NHS · Compartment syndrome
  47. NHS · Septic arthritis
  48. NHS · Pins and needles
  49. NHS · Pulmonary embolism

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.