Is there a better solution for my elbow dislocation?
I am in my 50’s and have dislocated my elbow on multiple occasions. I have tried everything from physical therapy to bracing to avoiding the activities that I love. Is there a better solution out there for me?
Is it typical that two of my wrestling players have dislocated their elbows?
I am a wrestling coach at a mid-sized high school (graduating class of 300 seniors). Every year it seems one or two of my players dislocates his elbow. The football coach says this is two too many and I must be doing something wrong in my coaching. It's light-hearted teasing but it does make me wonder. Is this typical? What are other wrestling coaches telling you? A recent study of acute sport-related elbow dislocations may offer some information useful to you. Hand surgeons from the hospital fo...
Should I stop my rehab program if it hurts?
I just started a rehab program for golfer's elbow. The Physical Therapist told me: if it hurts, don't do it. If it hurts the next day, back off -- you overdid it. Does that make sense to you? What about the old saying, "no pain, no gain"? There are some times when pushing through pain is advised. But there is more and more evidence from studies that this idea is not appropriate for tendon healing. The Physical Therapist you are working with clearly understands the phases of healing and is tailor...
Discolated elbow but it popped back in place
My 69-year-old father thinks he may have dislocated his elbow but popped it back in place. Now whenever he goes to get up from his chair, he cannot push up with his arm on that side without feeling like it's going to pop out again. What do you make of this kind of problem? You may be describing what is referred to as a positive chair sign. Essentially he is performing a sitting pushup. With the elbows bent to 90 degrees and the arms out to the side, extending the elbow fully while pushing up on ...
What can I expect from an elbow arthroscopic exam?
My surgeon wants to do an arthroscopic exam on my elbow to find out what's wrong. I know this is supposed to be a simple procedure. But I seem to be the kind of person where nothing is ever very simple. Can you tell me more about what to expect? bow arthroscopy is a surgical technique used routinely now for the evaluation and treatment of many elbow problems. Since the first arthroscopic elbow treatment became available, the ways and reasons to use this tool have expanded. Now surgeons use it to...
Can you tell me what to expect with an elbow arthroscopic exam?
My surgeon wants to do an arthroscopic exam on my elbow to find out what's wrong. I know this is supposed to be a simple procedure. But I seem to be the kind of person where nothing is ever very simple. Can you tell me more about what to expect? Elbow arthroscopy is a surgical technique used routinely now for the evaluation and treatment of many elbow problems. Since the first arthroscopic elbow treatment became available, the ways and reasons to use this tool have expanded. Now surgeons use it ...
When should a person with a biceps tendon rupture have surgery?
When should a person with a biceps tendon rupture have surgery? My tear is down by the elbow and I use the arm a lot. A distal biceps rupture occurs when the tendon attaching the biceps muscle to the elbow is torn from the bone. This injury occurs mainly in middle-aged men during heavy work or lifting. A distal biceps rupture is rare compared to ruptures where the top of the biceps connects at the shoulder. It is estimated that distal biceps ruptures make up between three and 10 percent of all b...
Will I ever get my motion back after breaking my the radial head in my elbow?
I'm 61-years old, so I'm no spring chicken but I'm also no wimp and stay active each and every day. Unfortunately, last fall, I fell and broke my elbow. The radial head was broken into tiny bits and pieces. I had surgery to put it all back together and I'm still in rehab but wondering if I'll ever get my motion back. What is a realistic expectation for something like this? According to a recent update on radial head fractures published in The Journal of Hand Surgery, this type of fracture is the...
Are there restrictions on sexual activities after an elbow replacement?
I have kind of a delicate question that I haven't quite gotten the nerve up to ask my surgeon. I'm scheduled for an elbow replacement. I've done all kinds of other stuff and nothing has helped -- medications, Physical Therapy, arthroscopic surgery, etc. I've been told there are some restrictions with this implant: no lifting heavy items, no push-ups or heavy loads through the joint, no bowling. What about sexual activities? I notice it does usually require me to put my weight through my arms. Is...
Are antiinflammatories the only answer to elbow arthritis at age 35?
I dislocated my left elbow during a wrestling tournament in high school. The orthopedic surgeon put it back in place for me so I didn't have to have surgery. But then I mangled the same elbow in a motocross accident about five years ago. So now at age 35, I have arthritis worse than my grandma. I asked my doctor about an elbow replacement. She said I am 'too young' for that. She gave me a prescription for some antiinflammatories. Is that all I can do? Joint replacements are available now for the...
What will a Physical Therapist do for elbow pain and stiffness?
I had a car-bike accident eight weeks ago (I was on the bike) and I still have some significant elbow pain and stiffness. I saw an orthopedic surgeon who recommended Physical Therapy but what will the therapist do that I can't do myself? Elbow stiffness after a traumatic injury is a common problem. Treatment is decided based on whether the stiffness is coming from inside or outside the joint and which specific structures are involved.Treatment ranges from conservative (nonoperative) care to surg...
Tell me about elbow fractures
I need a quick tutorial on elbow fractures of the part of the elbow next to the body. My nephew is here visiting us for the summer and that's what the emergency room doctor told us he's got. First day here and wouldn't you know? He'll be in a cast evidently. I'll have to explain all this to his mother (my sister). Help! Falls and throwing injuries are the two most common causes of medial epicondyle (elbow) fractures in children and teens between the ages of seven and 15. The medial epicondyle is...
As a baseball pitcher, at first I had a cold sensation in my ring and pinkie fingers, now I'm not as accurate pitching. What is causing the symptons?
I've been a baseball pitcher on a local level since I was in third grade. But now in my late 30s, I'm starting to get some weird symptoms. At first, it was just a cold sensation in the ring and pinkie fingers of my pitching hand. Now I'm noticing I can't throw as fast or as accurate as I did even last season. What could be causing these symptoms and what should I do? Symptoms such as you describe could be coming from the neck, shoulder, elbow, or wrist. Pressure on a nerve anywhere along that co...
My right biceps tendon ruptured. Can this happen again?
I had the strangest thing happen to me. I was lifting my sewing machine (a 10-pound lite-sew) and my right biceps tendon ruptured. I've lifted that machine many, many times without having any problems. It's not really that heavy. The surgeon who repaired it said it was just a fluke. But now I'm wondering if it happened so easily once, could it happen again? According to a recent study, biceps tendon ruptures in both arms may not be as uncommon as was once thought. Up to eight per cent of adults ...
Should I have nerve testing due to pain and numbness in my little finger?
I work as a seamstress in a home business that supports me and my 3 kids. I've been having terrible pain on the little finger side of my hand. And I'm starting to get numbness in my ring and little fingers. I can hardly do my work. I saw a doc who wants to do nerve testing on me. Should I go for it? From the description of your symptoms it sounds like you may have a problem called ulnar nerve compression, also known as cubital tunnel syndrome or CuTS. Most people are familiar with carpal tunnel ...
Should I have surgery for funny elbow tunnel syndrome?
I've had all the tests and it's for sure I have that funny elbow tunnel syndrome. I'm scheduled for surgery but still wondering if I should do it or not. Is there any way to tell ahead of time if the surgery will work? The symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome are very similar to the pain that comes from hitting your funny bone. When you hit your funny bone, you are actually hitting the ulnar nerve on the inside of the elbow. There, the nerve runs through a passage called the cubital tunnel. When ...
My son has been complaining of elbow pain and he is pitching for his team.
I took my 13-year-old son in to see a specialist because he was complaining of elbow pain and it was affecting his pitching for his team. The surgeon poked and prodded until I was sure if the kid didn't already have a problem, he would develop one. Is all this type of hemming and hawing around really necesary? I'm just wondering. Any time a young person (and especially an athlete) injures his or her elbow, an accurate diagnosis is absolutely essential to providing the best treatment. Whether the...
My left elbow popped and I cannot straigthen it. What should I do?
I was pulling weeds in my garden by yanking on them with both hands when I heard and felt a pop in my left elbow. It swelled up and when that went away I find I can't straighten my elbow all the way. It just feels stuck. What could be causing this? What should I do? Most likely you will want to see a medical doctor -- either your primary care physician or an orthopedic surgeon. A proper examination is needed to identify the cause of your joint blockage. The fact that there was an audible popping...
What is simple dislocation?
What is a "simple" dislocation? That's what the surgeon called our 10-year-old son's elbow dislocation from skate boarding. It didn't look simple and it certainly didn't feel simple to our son. So I'm curious where this term came from. The term simple elbow dislocation may be a bit of an oxymoron (contradicting terms). As you said, there's nothing simple about the elbow or dislocations. What the expression "simple" elbow dislocations means is that surgery was not needed to put the elbow back in ...
What results can I expect for surgery for elbow osteoarthritis?
I am considering surgery for a bad case of elbow osteoarthritis. I'd like to know up front what to expect before going this route. What kind of results do people get? What happens down the road? In almost all cases, doctors recommend nonsurgical treatment first for any joint osteoarthritis. Surgery is usually not considered until it has become impossible to control your symptoms. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is to help you manage your pain and use your elbow without causing more harm.But if...
What's the best treatment for osteoarthritis in my elbow joint?
Over the years I have come to depend on your service for advice for my family but now I need some help for myself. I had an X-ray to find out why my elbow was stiff and locking up on me. Looks like I have some osteoarthritis in that joint with some bone spurs and a thinner joint space. What is your best advice for me for treatment? Osteoarthritis is caused by degeneration of the articular (surface) cartilage of a joint. Degeneration is wear that happens over time. Doctors use the term degenerati...
Is it time to have surgery for tennis elbow?
How can you tell when it's time to have surgery for tennis elbow? I'm just not getting better on my own or with therapy. There's no easy answer to this question but we can offer you some things to consider when making the decision. First, there are two types of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): acute inflammatory and chronic degenerative.Treatment may vary depending on the underlying pathology. For example, steroid injection or other antiinflammatory medication is more appropriate in the acu...
Should I have steriod injections for tennis elbow?
I've heard you shouldn't have steroid injections for tennis elbow anymore. But that's what my PA has suggested. Should I do it? Steroid injections are no longer routinely recommended for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). But there are times when a physician or physician's assistant (PA) may make this recommendation.Steroid injections have fallen out of favor for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis but are still used by some physicians in certain carefully selected patients. The disadvanta...
Is it a common hereditary problem that all our children dislocated one of their elbows?
Every single one of our four children have dislocated one of their elbows in the last two years. Fortunately they were the kind that could be popped back in place easily. We can hardly believe this has happened so many times but wonder if there's some genetic defect that can account for it. They were all activity-related (sports mostly). Is this a common hereditary problem or just a fluke? The elbow is the second most commonly dislocated joint in adults (after shoulder dislocation). But children...
Surgery for a bad case of elbow osteoarthritis
I am considering surgery for a bad case of elbow osteoarthritis. I'd like to know up front what to expect before going this route. What kind of results do people get? What happens down the road?" In almost all cases, doctors recommend nonsurgical treatment first for any joint osteoarthritis. Surgery is usually not considered until it has become impossible to control your symptoms. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is to help you manage your pain and use your elbow without causing more harm.But i...
Is it time to have surgery for tennis elbow
How can you tell when it's time to have surgery for tennis elbow? I'm just not getting better on my own or with therapy. There's no easy answer to this question but we can offer you some things to consider when making the decision. First, there are two types of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): acute inflammatory and chronic degenerative.Treatment may vary depending on the underlying pathology. For example, steroid injection or other antiinflammatory medication is more appropriate in the acu...
What's Making My Ring and Little Finger Go Numb
Two microsurgeons use this case study of a fellow physician (anesthesiologist) to explain the diagnostic process of cubital tunnel syndrome or CubTS. Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects the ulnar nerve where it crosses the inside edge of the elbow.The symptoms are very similar to the pain that comes from hitting your funny bone. When you hit your funny bone, you are actually hitting the ulnar nerve on the inside of the elbow. There, the nerve runs through a passage called the cub...
Can a 9-year-old non-golfer have Golfer's Elbow?
Have you ever heard of a nine-year-old having golfer's elbow? Our daughter has been complaining about elbow pain for months. We finally took her into see the pediatric orthopedic specialist and that's the diagnosis. She doesn't even play golf! Elbow, wrist, thumb, and hand problems are fairly common -- and they affect people of all ages from young to old. Many are the result of overuse syndromes. Overuse syndromes refers to pain, tenderness, and dysfunction from tissue damage caused by repetitiv...