Get you Tai Chi videos out sweetie.  Of course you are going to hear it from everyone, "move it or lose it."  Just remember where you move it to...hahahaha. 

For my elbows I do a lot of gentle massaging of the swollen area to take release so of the fluid if possible.  And remember R.I.C.E.  rest, ice/heat, compression and elevation!!!!!

And of course if you don't have one, get yourself a neoprene elbow brace.  Some biofreeze will help too. 

Believe it or not, every morning I still so all my stretches like I used to do everyday before softball games.  The arm stretches, and cirlcles,the torso stretches, etc.  However, now I do the hurdle stretches on the bed..hahaha.  There is no way I could even contemplate getting on the floor for that.

R

The general rule is: If it hurts while you are doing it, stop.  Other than that, everything goes.

I have lost the ablity to fully straighten my elbows without pain.  I believe my rheumy called it constriction or something like that.

Heat may help before and after the exercise -- I know that for me, during a flare, ice is O-U-T out ;)

Hi V,

Absolutely!!! Unless it is hurting during exercising, keep your elbow and all other joints moving! I find that heat applied before you do the range of motion exercises really helps get the pain down and also helps you improve your range of motion.

I did not know the importance of keeping your joints moving during the early stages of my RA and have lost movement in many of my joints. Believe me, it is true – you don’t use it, you lose it!!

Hope you will feel much better!!

- Anu