Four requirements to maximise healing:
Dislocations Complications
Associated injuries to dislocations
Dislocation management – simple
dislocation
Early active Mx group: started active/active assisted ROM
after 2 days (within pain) but no passive ROM for first 3
weeks (sling for first 2-3 days as needed).
simple dislocation is
Elbow dislocation without associated fractures is considered a simple dislocation
Complex dislocation is
Complex dislocation management –
Radial head subluxation
(Nursemaid’s Elbow) is
Radial head subluxation
(Nursemaid’s Elbow) Mx
Radial head fracture type 1
(non-displaced or minimally displaced <2mm #
Radial head fracture management type 1
– typically conservative management.
* Short-term immobilisation (sling/brace) for 2-7 days then early ROM (especially
extension)
Radial head fracture management type 2-4
Type III might need an arthroplasty (ie. partial elbow replacement specifically a radial head replacement) if >3 fragments
Medial Epicondyle avulsion fractures S+S
MCL elbow MOI
usually a fall-, valgus force- or throwing related- injury
Valgus stress test to assess for MCL injury
elbow MCL physiotherapy management
1. Acute phase (0-72 hrs):
elbow MCL physiotherapy management
Sub-acute (2-6 weeks)
Physiotherapy management - LCL
likely to be part of a post-op management associated with a complex dislocation
Medial Instability
Medial Instability Presentation
Long-term problems of acute traumatic
elbow injuries
chronic Lateral Elbow pain conditions
Lateral elbow tendinopathy/Tennis elbow
Radial Tunnel Syndrome
Osteochondritis dissecans
chronic Medial elbow pain conditions
Medial epicondylalgia/flexor tendinopathy (golfer’s elbow)
* Little leaguers elbow (medial epicondylar apophysitis)
* Posterior impingement
* Neural entrapments
* Median nerve
* Ulnar nerve
Lateral elbow tendinopathy - what is it?
Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) is the most
common musculoskeletal disorder of the elbow
diagnosis of LET
based on the presence of pain over the lateral humeral epicondyle that may radiate distally into the forearm