After the surgical wound is healed, establishing good elbow motion is a priority.
Arthritic elbows are often stiff.
One of the major goals of total elbow replacement surgery is to restore motion to the joint. However, after surgery scar tissue will tend to recur and limit movement unless motion is started soon afterwards. This early motion is facilitated by the complete surgical removal of the tight tissues so that after surgery the patient needs to only maintain the range of motion achieved at the operation. Later on, once the elbow is comfortable and flexible, strengthening exercises and additional activities are started. It is often most effective for the patient to carry out their own exercises so that they are done frequently, effectively and comfortably.