Common Elbow Injuries

The elbow is comprised of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Many elbow injuries are related to sporting events and overuse. The orthopedic elbow specialists at Orthopedic Urgent Care have experience diagnosing and treating tennis elbow, elbow bursitis, tendinitis of the elbow and more. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of common elbow injuries below.

 

Tennis Elbow

 

Tennis elbow is one of the most common elbow injuries Orthopedic Urgent Care treats. This elbow injury is aggravated by overuse of the forearm, arm and hand muscles and results in damage to the tendon around the elbow.

Tennis elbow is usually diagnosed through analysis of the elbow and the symptoms patients are experiencing, but x-rays rarely detect the injury. Common treatments for tennis elbow include, rest, forearm bracing, topical medications, and rarely cortisone injections and surgery.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Tennis Elbow:

 

•  Pain around the outside of the elbow

•  Worsening pain with shaking or squeezing of the hands

•  Pain when lifting objects

•  Pain with everyday tasks such as opening a lid or brushing your teeth

•  To decrease recovery time and prevent the injury from worsening, be sure to seek treatment for tennis elbow as soon as symptoms appear.

 

Orthopedic Urgent Care has a team of elbow specialists and physical therapists that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of tennis elbow.

Care has a team of elbow specialists and physical therapists that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of tennis elbow.

 

Elbow Bursitis

 

Bursitis of the elbow is caused by increased fluid retention in the olecranon bursa. This is a thin sac that creates a cushion between bone and soft tissue of the elbow, allowing the skin to move painlessly over the underlying bone.

 

When the olecranon bursa in the elbow is irritated and the thin sac fills with fluid, elbow pain and discomfort occurs.

 

Elbow bursitis is usually caused by trauma, excessive pressure, or infection to bursa. Signs and Symptoms of elbow bursitis include:

 

• Swelling

• Pain

• Excessive fluid around elbow

• Redness and warmth of elbow

 

Treatment for elbow bursitis can be surgical or non-surgical. Mild forms of bursitis can often be treated using compression wraps, anti-inflammatory medications, and change in behavior. If the bursa becomes infected or is non-responsive to other treatment options, surgery may be necessary to remove the bursa all together.

 

Elbow Conditions Treated

 

• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Elbow Contusions v. Elbow Fractures: What’s the Difference?

• Sports Injuries

• Stress Fractures

• Tommy John Surgery

• Epicondylitis – Tennis Elbow

• Types of CrossFit Injuries and Treatments

• Jersey Finger

Mallet Finger