The elbow joint not only allows the arm to flex but also permits the forearm to rotate inwards and outwards which is pronation and supination. Good interaction between the skeleton, the ligaments and the muscles surrounding the elbow joint are critical in coping with such basic parts of daily routine such as dressing, taking meals or attending to personal hygiene.
Keeping the muscles groups around the elbow are important in older age as this helps perform daily functions but also getting up from the floor if you fall and helping you up from chairs as well as moving around in bed.
The main muscle groups are the Biceps and Triceps. The biceps are the big bulk of muscle on the front of your arm which bends your elbow. The biceps has 2 origins. There are a variety of exercises that are excellent for building up the strength.
Firstly isometric exercises can be performed which involves working the muscle hard but without moving the joint. This involves resisting the movement yourself with the other hand or putting both arms under the table palm up and try and lift the table without actually lifting it!
Hold this movement for 5 seconds and repeat x 10
This can be done however old or weak you are and can be performed daily.
To build up or restore strength it is worth adding in some Theraband exercises and in some circumstances light weights. See Theraband exercises
The Triceps is at the back of the arm has 3 heads. The triceps muscle straightens the elbow. This is important to use when getting up from sitting.
The best exercises to strengthen this muscle is to sit in a chair with hands on the arm rest. Then push up raising your bottom a little off the chair. Hold for 5 secs and then sit down again. Repeat x10
Theraband exercises are also very useful to tone up the muscles and can be easily done sitting in a chair.
As well as this you can perform press-ups against the wal and then on the floor
The other muscles involved in the action of the elbow are the muscles the twist the lower arm to the palm up position and the palm down position. These are called Pronators and supinators.
To strengthen these muscles you can hold a walking stick in the middle of the stick and keeping your elbow tucked in to your side turn it over each way. You can get someone to resist this movement.
The other alternative is to fill a small bottle with water and holding the bottle as above turn your forearm palm up to palm down.
A couple of other exercises are to practice opening and closing jars in a variety of sizes as well as wringing a cloth both ways.