Upper Extremity Exercise: Stretches for Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy
These instructions are for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients with brachial plexus birth palsy who are prescribed arm stretches.
Important information:
Stretches are important to avoid joint stiffness and tightening of the muscles to allow for ease of arm movement.
Patient instructions:
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Watch a video of how to perform brachial plexus arm stretches.
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It is recommended to perform all arm stretches after every diaper change.
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Hold each position for 5-10 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.
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Stretches can be completed in any order.
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Use one hand to hold your child's shoulder blade in place. Raise their arm with thumb up and elbow straight towards ear. (Figure 1)
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Figure 1
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Use one hand to hold your child's shoulder blade in place. Move their arm to side with thumb up and elbow straight towards ear, like making a snow angel. (Figure 2)
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Figure 2
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Use one hand to hold your child's shoulder blade in place. Position their arm straight out to side with elbow bent and rotate backwards at the shoulder, like throwing a baseball. (Figure 3)
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Figure 3
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Position your child's arm at their side, bend their elbow and rotate out to the side to bring their hand back towards surface. (Figure 4)
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Figure 4
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Turn your child's forearm and hand with palm facing up. Use one hand to support their elbow and the other to bend the elbow. (Figure 5)
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Figure 5
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Turn your child's forearm and hand with palm facing up. Use one hand to support their elbow and the other to straighten the elbow. (Figure 6)
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Figure 6
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Stretch and straighten your child's fingers and thumb while bringing their wrist backwards. Make sure to support the arch of the palm when stretching to avoid bending the knuckles too far. (Figure 7)
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Figure 7
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Reviewed on January 1, 2023, by Jill Velis, MS, OTR/L