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Inability To Straighten Arms/Fully Extend Elbows

I have been searching online for some time on this topic to see if others had this same issue. I have never been able to fully straighten my arms. This was not due to an injury, both arms are the exact same way. I am unsure if I was born this way, but I remember being a child and kids saying that I "walked like a robot" due to my arms. I also remember high school weight lifting coaches thinking I was not fully extending when I worked out, but it was because I couldn't. When I stand straight and let my arms fall, my elbows bend at an angle, I'd say by guessing, 160 degrees.

Years ago I had talked to a family friend who is a Pediatrician and he said it could have something to do with my elbow growth plates and that surgery might fix it. I haven't gotten any x-rays or been to any other doctor about this. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and has found a way through stretching or therapy to correct it without surgery?

Thank you very much.

Read more: Inability to straighten arms/fully extend elbows - Orthopedics Forum - eHealthForum http://ehealthforum.com/health/inability-to-straighten-arms-fully-extend-elbows-t452775.html#ixzz3YVv1gRcJ
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7 Responses
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Avatar universal
I am 17 years old. Since birth i cant fully extend my left arm. Right arm can be extended 160 degree but the left arm couldnt be straightened more than 90 degree. many doctors told me its not an ortheopedic problem. More likely to be a musccle problem with shorter triceps. If anybody knows how to fix it throught workouts or exercises kindly help me out
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I am 33 and since birth I have not been able to extend either one of my arms all the way straight. One if more webbed than the other at the elbow area. I went to Shriners as a child where they diagnosed me with disabled elbow heads but I still don’t know if that’s what it is. No one else in my family has it. I’ve never met anyone with arms like mine. I’ve always wanted my arms to go straight. But Shriners always said they wouldn’t be able to do a surgery due to the high risks if they don’t cause me pain as I could possible loose all function in my arms if I did. I’ve always wondered if I was being diagnosed correctly or if it was just that I didn’t have or know the right doctor. When I was a child and baby they would stretch my arms and put them In casts to try and stretch them. I don’t think that helped improve my arms though. Are there any pictures of your arms?
Avatar universal
I have the same problem
Both arms and even legs don’t fully straighten at the knee and elbows. Causes no pain at all however gets in the way of lifting weight above head and boxing as I have to aim differently due to the arm never being able to fully straighten. I have spoke to multiple physios chairos and other specialists and no one seems to have an answer
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Avatar universal
I am 45 and my arms also do not straighten completely at the elbow! I didn’t notice them until I was about 15 and was at the hospital for some tests, for a separate issue, and the nurse pointed them out! My mum was with me and the nurse also noticed that hers where the same and said it must be something genetic. It has never really bothered me when I straighten my arms they go off at a funny angle and sometimes when I look at myself in the mirror it does look a bit odd but it’s just part of me.
Reading another reply on here I have just realised something. I also have problems when it comes to having blood taken for tests or having cannula’s for IV’s put in, I wonder if my elbows could be part of the problem?
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Avatar universal
I am 43.  I have not been able to straighten my elbows.  It gets worse as the years go on.  They are worse now then they were in my 20's.  And when I carry a bag with my hand (like a grocery bag) it hurts like the elbow is overstraightening.  Otherwise, no pain.  I'm trying to look it up, but have found NOTHING on it except weight lifting things.  And I have never weight lifted (aside from the requirements in high school).  When I had my C-Section for my son they tried to strap my arms down to the table and had to turn my arms to get them on the table.  I never thought anything more then that is just how I am made, but I wonder if it is something more.  
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Avatar universal
I have had the same problem all of my life too it sucks Im always thinking about it if I strain really hard I can almost straighten them but when I do I feel pain in the back of my triceps and can only do it for about thirty seconds then when I stop trying to keep them straight and stand at a relaxed position they return to their natural robot position it's been like this for as long as I can remember and yeah like u said it doesn't hurt doing anything else it doesn't limit me from doing anything except taking a decent picture and it kinda throws off my biomechanics when I walk and makes me look dorky I seen on a video that there is something called a air splint that will help straighten them over time they use them on patients who have had arms in a cast for a long time that have trouble straightening their arm afterwards has anyone tried any kind of splints to try to correct this ?  
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1 Comments
Oh yeah I just remembered one time I did put some 10lb ankle weights on my wrists and walked around for about a hour and it did seem to help straighten them but then my dog chewed them up that day so I didn't get to see if doing this everyday for like a month would have lasting effects needless to say my arms back to abnormal later that day but it did seem to help stretch them straight for a couple hours afterwards it looked rediculous walking around with bulky ankle weights on my arms but then again if helps even half way it's worth it I'm  going to try this again and stick with it every night over the next month and see if it works I'll keep y'all updated
Avatar universal
I am 16 and I too cannot extend both of my elbows completely.I play cricket from last 8 years and since I cannot extend my arms completely(160°-165) I am often associated with chucking(bending elbow while bowling). I have been searching on internet since a while about this.It is a birth defect.I don't think so it can be cured.A cricketer(Muralitharan) earlier had the same problem but he had to play with it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Eastwood1232,
Have you found any further info on you elbow problem.  Have 19 yr old daughter, same issues.  Has never been able to straighten her elbows. Is about 150-155 degree.  Has been athlete since grade school.  Has not really affecter her physically in the past.  Howver, not she wants to workout/train more and I feel that may be an issue and is definitely something she is more self-conscientious about in her appearance.
Thanks,
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2 Comments
I am 15 years old and I have the same problem it doesn't hurt me in any way it just bothers me because I am a dancer and get pointed out a lot because people think I am not fully extending my arms even though I physically cannot
I am 50 years old now and have had the same condition all of my life. It makes it extremely hard to get blood from me or have an IV put in without blowing my veins. When I was little nobody bothered with it. I could walk and talk properly. I hit all of my milestones. I almost got arrested one night because a cop asked me to put my arms straight down at my sides. I ended up with him in my face screaming at me to do what he said or get arrest for obstruction. I was just a witness. My little girl happened to be with me. She stepped between us and yelled at him. "SHE CAN'T STRAIGHTEN THEM YOU JERK! THEY DON'T STRAIGHTEN!! NOW GET OFF MY MOMMY!!!!" I have never been so proud of that child in my life. At 8 years old she barely made it to my thigh. There she was backing off this big cop who finally did come back and apologize for being a idiot. I have never found a diagnosis for this issue or a doctor who knows how to reverse it. At this point I've lived with it this long it's just one more thing that makes me unique. It's part of who I am and I might cause more problems trying to fix this one thing rather than leaving it all alone. Guys live your lives as who you are. Don't be too quick to change the special way God made you.
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