Everyone has had a minor elbow injury. You may have bumped your “funny bone” at the back of your elbow, and experienced shooting numbness and pain. Maybe your elbow has become sore after activity. Elbow injuries can be minor or serious and may include symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, weakness, or decreased range of motion.
Injuries are the most common cause of elbow pain. Some people may not recall having had a specific injury, especially if symptoms began gradually or during everyday activities.
Most elbow injuries in children occur during activities such as sports or play, or are the result of accidental falls. The risk for injury is higher in contact sports such as wrestling, football, or soccer; or high-speed sports such as biking, in-line skating, skiing, hockey, snowboarding, or skateboarding. Elbows, forearms, wrists, hands, and fingers are the most affected body areas. Any injury in a child or teen that occurs near a joint may injure the growing end (growth plate) of long bones and will need to be evaluated.
An acute injury may be caused by a direct blow, a penetrating injury, a fall; or by twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending the elbow abnormally. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on a joint or other tissue, often by overdoing an activity or through repetition of an activity.
The following links from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and selected topics from the Hand and Wrist Sections, developed in partnership with the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, will take you to descriptions of some of the conditions and treatments we specialize in at San Francisco Shoulder, Elbow & Hand Clinic and what you can expect during the process.
- Elbow (Olecranon) Bursitis
- Osteoarthritis of the Elbow
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
- Golfers Elbow / Medial Epicondylitis
- Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at the Elbow (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome)
- Adult Forearm Fractures
- Biceps Tendon Tear at the Elbow
- Distal Humerus Fractures of the Elbow
- Elbow Dislocation
- Elbow Fractures in Children
- Forearm Fractures in Children
- Olecranon (Elbow) Fractures
- Radial Head Fractures of the Elbow
- Recurrent and Chronic Elbow Instability
- Throwing Injuries in the Elbow in Children
Enlaces en Español
- Fracturas de los codos en los niños (Elbow Fractures in Children)
- Fracturas del antebrazo en los niños (Forearm Fractures in Children)