Lecture 9 - Elbow Flashcards
movements possible at the elbow
- Flexion/Extension
- Supination/Pronation
Prevalence and incidence of elbow injuries _______
varies substantially between sports and within sports
- contact vs non contact
- throwing vs non throwing
- there is some evidence to suggest a link between shoulder ROM and elbow injuries
Steps involved in an elbow examination
- History
- pervious injury, MOI - Observations
- deformities, swelling (figure 8 measurement, discolouration - ROM
- active, passive, resisted - Manual muscle testing
- Palpation
- point of tenderness of ligaments may be a good indicator of which structures are injured - Special tests
- Functional Ax
common soft tissue injuries of the elbow
- contusion/bursitis
- muscular injury
- tendinopathy
- ligamentous injury of the anterior capsule
- ligamentous injury of the UCL and RCL
- fractures (chisel fracture
- little league elbow
Contusion/Bursitis
MOI: direct blow to bony surface, muscular area or nerve
Observation:
- local pain
- decreased ROM and strength
- swelling (can be severe)
- discolouration
MOI and observations for an elbow muscular injury
MOI: load exceed tissue capacity
Observation
- pain
- swelling
- discolouration
- decreased ROM and strength
- altered muscle function
how to test for a bicep tear
Hook Test
- you should be able to hook your finger around the bicep tendon, if you cant the tendon may be torn (you can still hook a partial tear)
- a popeys sign is when there is a complete tear and the muscle bunches up in your arm
tendinopathy of the elbow
medial (golfers elbow) and lateral epicondylalgia (tenis elbow)
Observations
- pain
- decreased ROM ad strength
- swelling at epicondyles
- point tender at the epicondyles
MOI and Observations of a ligamentous injury of the anterior capsule
MOI: hyperextension of the elbow
Observation
- pain
- limited elbow extension
- decreased strength with concentric and eccentric contractions
- swelling
- discolouration is possible
UCL vs RCL
radial and ulnar collateral ligaments
MOI and Observation of ligamentous injuries to the UCL and/or RCL
MOI: valgus and varus stress on the elbow
Observation
- pain
- limited elbow extension, supination or pronation
- decreased strength with concentric and eccentric contractions
- swelling
- dislocation is possible
management of UCL and RCL ligamentous injuries
- RICE
- Taping and bracing (helpful in reducing reoccurence of sprain/strain in short term
- ROM
- strengthening
- balance
- functional/sport specific exercises
- RTP
MOI and Observations of a elbow fracture
MOI: trauma, FOOSH
Observations
- severe pain
- swelling
- crepitus (popping, clicking sounds)
- pinpoint tenderness
- deformity
things to consider when evaluating elbow fracture
its a medical emergency and you have to check radial pulse
common elbow fracture sites
- humeral shaft
- radial head, neck or shaft
- ulnar shaft, olecranon process
