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The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Forearm Nerve Compression)
Radial tunnel syndrome is compression of the radial nerve in the forearm causing deep aching pain on the outer (thumb) side of the forearm and elbow, often mimicking tennis elbow but without weakness - it results from repetitive gripping or twisting activities and typically improves with 3-6 months of rest, activity modification, and physiotherapy, though 10-20% of cases may require surgical nerve decompression if conservative treatment fails.
📖What is Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Forearm Nerve Compression)?
Radial tunnel syndrome is compression of the radial nerve in the forearm causing deep aching pain on the outer (thumb) side of the forearm and elbow, often mimicking tennis elbow but without weakness - it results from repetitive gripping or twisting activities and typically improves with 3-6 months of rest, activity modification, and physiotherapy, though 10-20% of cases may require surgical nerve decompression if conservative treatment fails.
🔬What Causes It?
- Repetitive forearm rotation and gripping (mechanics, carpenters, assembly line workers)
- Compression of radial nerve by tight forearm muscles or fibrous bands
- Direct trauma to outer forearm (rare)
- Anatomical variations (thickened muscle edges compressing nerve)
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Occupations requiring repetitive twisting and gripping (mechanics, electricians, manual laborers)
- Sports with repetitive wrist extension (tennis, racquetball, rock climbing)
- Previous elbow surgery or injury (scar tissue compressing nerve)
- Female gender (2-3 times more common in women than men)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Modify repetitive work tasks (alternate gripping and twisting with other activities)
- ✓Use ergonomic tools (padded handles, power tools instead of manual tools for repetitive tasks)
- ✓Take regular breaks during repetitive forearm activities (5-10 minutes every hour)
- ✓Maintain forearm flexibility and strength with regular stretching exercises