First Lady Michelle Obama shares tips on parenting with moms and other audience members in a WebMD Town Hall meeting in Miami, Florida.
Information and Resources
Broken Elbow
Broken Elbow Overview
Elbow injuries are common in both adults and children. Early recognition and treatment of an elbow injury can reduce the risk of complications and later disability. Any serious injury of the elbow deserves medical attention.
- Your elbow is a complex joint formed by 3 bones:
- The humerus is a single bone in your upper arm that runs from your shoulder
to your elbow.
- The radius and ulna, bones of your forearm, run from the elbow to the
wrist.
- Ligaments, muscles, and tendons maintain your elbow's stability and allow
joint movement.
- The humerus is a single bone in your upper arm that runs from your shoulder
to your elbow.
- A normal elbow joint allows these motions:
- Flexion, or bending
- Extension, or straightening
- Rotation, turning your palm up and down
- Flexion, or bending
- Serious injuries, such as fractures (a bone break) and
dislocations, can damage the bones and other structures of your elbow,
resulting in problems with movement, blood vessel function, and nerve function.
In children, fractures can affect the growth and development of the bones. This
is because children have many bone "growth centers," a part of the bone
where bone growth takes place. As bone growth continues throughout childhood,
if one of these "growth centers" is involved in a fracture, it can
affect bone development.
- An elbow fracture is a break that involves 1 or more of the 3 arm bones where they work together to form the elbow joint.
Broken Elbow Causes
You can injure your elbow in a variety of ways, from overuse (athletic injuries) to an acute traumatic event (a fall or direct blow). Some common events that result in elbow fractures are these:
- When you fall backward off a snowboard, for example, you may attempt to
brace the fall with your arm outstretched and your hand open.
- High-energy trauma can occur in an automobile or motorcycle
collision.
- A direct blow on the elbow can cause a break when you fall off a skateboard
or bicycle and land directly on an elbow.
- Sideswipe injury occurs when an elbow is struck while you are resting your
elbow out an open car window.
- Any other direct injury to the elbow, wrist, hand, or shoulder can affect the elbow too.
Broken Elbow Symptoms
If your elbow shows any of the following signs you may have a fracture or
another injury that needs medical attention.
- Swelling of your elbow or in the area immediately above or below your
elbow
- Deformity of your elbow, or the areas near your elbow
- Discoloration, such as bruising or redness of your elbow
- Difficulty moving your elbow through its complete range of motion
- Flexion and extension: You should be able to bend your elbow so that you
can touch your shoulder with your fingertips. You also should be able to fully
straighten your arm.
- Inward and outward rotation: When holding your arm at your side with your
elbow flexed (bent) at 90°, you should be able to rotate your hand outward so
that your palm faces the ceiling. In this same position, you should be able to
rotate your hand inward so that your palm faces the floor.
- Flexion and extension: You should be able to bend your elbow so that you
can touch your shoulder with your fingertips. You also should be able to fully
straighten your arm.
- Numbness, decreased sensation, or a cool sensation of your forearm, hand,
or fingers
- Three major nerves-the median, radial, and ulnar nerves-travel through your
elbow. A serious injury may damage these nerves.
- Many blood vessels also pass through your elbow. These important vessels
may become injured or compressed when trauma or swelling occurs.
- Three major nerves-the median, radial, and ulnar nerves-travel through your
elbow. A serious injury may damage these nerves.
- A cut, or open wound, on the elbow after a traumatic injury
- Severe pain after an elbow injury
- A "tight sensation" in the area of your elbow or forearm
WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth
Top 12 Health Topics-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Top 12 Videos-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Hot Topics
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them
- Surprising Headache Triggers
- Safe Ways to Lose Weight Fast
- Counting Carbs When You Use Insulin
- Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments
- CML: How It Affects Your Body
- 6 Sex Mistakes Men Make
- Dupuytren's Contracture: What You Need to Know
- Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
WebMD Video: Now Playing
FROM CBS NEWS
Study: "Gaydar" might be real
Subjects saw photographs of gay and straight men and women devoid of hair, makeup and ears, and predicted their sexual orientation at an above average percentage
More from CBS News:
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Advertise With Us|WebMD Corporate|Medscape Reference|eMedicineHealth|RxList|Medscape|MedicineNet|BootsWebMD
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.