The Elbow

Execution

• The patient is in sitting position, the arm by his side and the elbow in full supination. The forearm rests on his thigh.
• The muscle belly is distinguished from the underlying brachialis muscle when the patient performs a supination of the elbow.
• The therapist stands at te painful side and grasps the muscle belly with the ipsilateral hand in a pinching grip.
  Holding his fingers well flexed, enables him to reach the posterior aspect of the muscle.
• The active phase of of the massage is an anterior pull of the hand. This results in a transverse friction to the muscular fibres, which can be felt to pass under the fingers.
• Hand, skin and subcutis move as a whole over the affected muscle.
• During the passive phase, the hand is brought back to the starting position without losing contact with the patient' s skin.
• Repeated movements (60 to 80 movements per minute) result in transverse friction which is continued for about 15 minutes.