The pronator stretch lengthens the forearm muscles that turn your palm to face down (pronators). Standing with your elbow bent at your side, you turn the palm up as far as it goes, then use your other hand to ease the forearm a little further. Physios often give it when turning the palm up has become stiff, for example after a wrist or forearm fracture or a spell in a cast or sling.

How to do the pronator stretch

Stand up straight and let both arms hang loosely at your sides.
Bend the elbow of the arm you are stretching to about a right angle, upper arm close to your side, so the forearm points forward.
Turn that palm to face the ceiling as far as it comfortably goes.
Wrap your other hand around the forearm just above the wrist and use it to turn the forearm gently a little further toward palm up, until you feel a stretch.
Hold it while you breathe normally, then let go slowly and lower the arm.

What you should feel

A pulling stretch along the front of the forearm, sometimes near the elbow and sometimes closer to the wrist. It should feel like a stretch, not a pain.

Common mistakes

Letting the elbow drift away from your side, so the shoulder does the turning.
Pulling on the fingers or bending the wrist back. The turn comes from the forearm, so hold it above the wrist.
Forcing the turn or bouncing at the end of it.

How often

Many programs hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat it 2 to 4 times, a few times a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the wrist or elbow rather than a stretch.
A click, catch or pain on the little finger side of the wrist.
Numbness or tingling anywhere in the hand or fingers.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
Since the fracture or cast, the hand is getting more painful rather than less, the skin becomes very sensitive to light touch, or the hand changes color, temperature, swelling or sweating compared with the other one, or looks shiny. See your doctor or physio as soon as you can, within a few days at most, as this can be complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and early treatment may help.

From the clinic

The voice guide with this video describes a straight arm with the palm down and the other hand pressing on the back of the hand. That position stretches the back of the forearm instead, which is covered in the wrist extensor stretch. The video shows the elbow bent at the side with the other hand turning the forearm, and the steps here follow the video.

After a broken wrist, hand or forearm, or surgery on any of them such as a tendon repair, start only when your doctor, surgeon, physio or hand therapist says the bone or repair is ready for this, and follow their plan for how much to do. After a fracture, a gentle turn is enough at first, because healing bone needs time before it takes a strong stretch. Once the palm turns up more easily, strength often comes next, for example forearm supination with band.

After a broken or dislocated elbow, or elbow surgery such as a tendon repair, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you. If you have just hurt your arm and have severe pain, cannot move the elbow or heard a snap, do not exercise it. Go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day. If the arm looks a different shape or sits at an odd angle, a bone is showing, or your arm or hand tingles, feels numb or turns cold, pale or blue, go to an emergency department straight away or call emergency services, and do not drive yourself.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Pronator stretch