Tennis elbow is very common. It occurs most commonly on the outer side of your elbow, but may also occur on the inner side, and occasionally even in the back of the elbow. When it occurs on the inner side of the elbow it’s called “golfer’s elbow,” but it’s really the same problem. The problem is tendon over-use, leading to tendon breakdown. This is called tendinosis, which means tendon degeneration. We used to call it tendinitis, which means tendon inflammation, but we now know that this is incorrect. The pain comes from the breakdown and degeneration of overused tissue, not from inflammation. more
Distal biceps tears occur most commonly in men aged 40-60 years old, especially those engaged in manual labor, athletics or weight lifting. The biceps usually tears with a painful pop when lifting or moving heavy objects. Tenderness, swelling and bruising often occurs. The torn biceps muscle retracts upwards, towards the shoulder. Elbow flexion (bending) and supination (turning your palm up, such as while using a screwdriver, etc) become painful and weak. Without surgery, there is a permanent loss of 30% loss of elbow flexion strength and a 40% loss of supination strength and endurance. Most patients wantto have the biceps tendon fixed to regain their strength. If surgery is performed within 3-4 weeks, normal strength and endurance of the muscle is usually regained. After 4 weeks, surgery can still be done, but scarring and muscle retraction may lead to some stiffness and weakness following repair. more
Olecranon Fractures: Isolated displaced fractures of the olecranon are usually fairly straightforward injuries that require surgical fixation. I believe that plate fixation is best for most olecranon fractures. Early motion can usually be started and these fractures usually do very well following surgical fixation. more
Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries: MCL injuries occur most commonly in throwing athletes. Most non-throwing athletes, recreational athletes, and even professional football players who tear the MCL do not require surgical treatment. In throwing athletes, the MCL is an important ligament about the elbow, and usually needs to be repaired in order to allow the athlete to return to his previous level of athletics. If the MCL tears with an acute ‘pop’ an MRI with dye in the joint (MR arthrogram) will usually be ordered to confirm the diagnosis. If the MCL is torn in a high-level thrower, it should probably be repaired or reconstructed. In the absence of a pop, at least 3 months of nonoperative treatment, including strengthening the muscles about the elbow, should be tried to see if surgery can be avoided. more
Elbow arthritis can be due to osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis), post-traumatic arthritis (after a fracture or dislocation) or due to rheumatoid arthritis (a systemic, inflammatory disease). Elbow arthritis can limit function, cause pain, and lead to serious impairment of the arm. more
