Sprain of the elbow: what is this, symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, prevention

What is a sprain of the elbow?

Sprain of the elbow – stretching or tearing of the ligaments, which unite and stabilize the elbow. Bundles – formation of connective tissue, that connect bones to each other.

Causes of elbow sprains

Sprain of the elbow may be caused by the following::

• Strong twisting hands;
• Falling on an outstretched hand
• Elbowing.

Risk factors for sprains of the elbow

Factors, that can increase the risk of sprains elbow include:

• Occupation certain sports, eg, Gymnastics or baseball;
• Poor coordination;
• Bad Balance;
• Lack of flexibility and strength of the muscles and ligaments;
• Some diseases of the joints and connective tissue.

Elbow sprain symptoms

Sprain of the elbow can cause:

• Pain, soreness and swelling around the elbow;
• Redness, feeling of warmth or bruises in the elbow area;
• Limited ability to move elbow;
• Pain when moving the elbow.

Diagnosis of elbow sprains

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and how, an elbow injury. He also will examine the elbow, to assess the stability of the hip and the severity of injury.

To run pictures of the injured area may require the following tests:

• Roentgen;
• MRT.

Elbow sprains are graded according to their severity:

• 1 degree – stretching with mikrorazryvom fabric bundles;
• 2 degree – There is a partial ligament rupture tissue;
• 3 degree – complete rupture of the ligaments of the elbow.

Treatment of sprain of the elbow

Elbow sprain treatment includes:

Ambulance

Recreation

Take time, to heal a damaged elbow. Avoid actions, that cause pain or vyvyvaût extra strain on the elbow.

Cold

Apply an ice pack to the injured area for 15-20 minutes, several times a day after trauma. Do not apply ice directly on the skin, wrap it in a towel.

Intake of analgesics

To reduce the pain your doctor may recommend the following drugs:

• Medicines, otpuskaemыe without prescription, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen;
• Local pain – creams or patches, are applied to the skin;
• Analgesics, prescription doctor.

Attention: Aspirin is not recommended for children with a current or recent viral infection.. Talk to your doctor, before you give your child aspirin.

Recovery

To help protect and sustain the elbow in the treatment process, additional support may be needed. It may include:

• Staples or waistadorn – perhaps, you will need to wear braces or a belt, to immobilize the elbow. Return to work or sports activities without authorization from the physician;
• Rehabilitation exercises to restore flexibility, range of motion and strength of elbow, as recommended by your doctor or physiotherapist;
• Surgery (rarely) – operation happens is needed for torn stitching ligaments, to prevent instability or dysfunction of elbow.

Preventing sprains elbow

Sprain of the elbow, it is not always possible to prevent. However, you can take some steps, to reduce the chance of stretching. These include:

• Wearing protective equipment and proper exercise technique during sports;
• Performing regular exercises for maintaining strength and flexibility of the elbow joint.