Elbow

The Elbow

The elbow can be viewed as two joints in one: a hinge joint and a rotation joint, something like an excavation machine’s arm. The outside of the joint is held together with four groups of muscles, two large ligaments and a thick capsule.

The nerves that supply the elbow come from the neck and pass past through the armpit.

Problems in the elbow can arise from all of these areas

  • Pain can come from inside the joint, usually arthritis, or from the muscles or tendons outside the elbow such as tennis elbow, golfers’ elbow, biceps tendinitis or triceps tendinitis. elbow, biceps tendinitis or triceps tendinitis.
  • Pain combined with instability (loose feeling) is usually caused by ligament injuries of the elbow and fractures of different bones.
  • Nerves can refer pain from the neck or armpit to the elbow.
  • Pain or numbness can be felt in the hand as a result of the nerves being pinched around the elbow.

Inside (next to body) problems

  • Golfers elbow
  • Cubital tunnel syndrome
  • Ulnar nerve instability
  • Ulna humeral arthritis
  • Medial instability

Back of elbow problems

  • Triceps tendinitis
  • Olecranon bursitis
  • Posterior elbow impingement
  • Olecranon fractures
  • Triceps tendon rupture

Outside (away from body) problems

  • Tennis elbow
  • Radial tunnel syndrome
  • Radiocapitate arthritis
  • Radiocapitate instability
  • Radial head and capitellum fracture