Elbow Specialist
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Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeons located in Shrewsbury, Toms River, & Wall Township, NJ
Baseball, tennis, and golf are three of the top sports responsible for elbow injuries, but anyone can fall on their arm or suffer a blow that results in an elbow fracture. David Dickerson, MD, and the team at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine have extensive experience diagnosing and treating elbow injuries, beginning with conservative therapies and using their exceptional surgical skill when needed for complex fractures. If you need help with elbow symptoms, call the Wall Township, Toms River, or Shrewsbury, New Jersey, office, or book an appointment online.
Elbow Q & A
What symptoms develop due to elbow tendonitis?
Elbow tendonitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, develops when repetitive activities strain your forearm muscles, causing tears and inflammation in the associated tendons.
The symptoms of elbow tendonitis develop gradually, presenting as:
- Stiffness in the elbow joint
- Pain on the inner or outer side of your elbow
- Pain that may extend down your arm
- Pain when gripping an object
- Weakness in your hand and wrists
- Tingling or numbness radiating into your hand and fingers
You don’t need to be a tennis or golf player to develop elbow tendonitis. The same injury occurs in anyone who repeatedly engages in similar arm movements during their job or other activities.
What causes an elbow sprain?
Elbow sprains primarily develop in athletes who throw, such as baseball pitchers, lacrosse players, and javelin throwers. Throwing movement puts tremendous stress on the elbow’s medial collateral ligament, leading to an overuse injury, inflammation, bone spurs, and potentially a ruptured ligament.
What are the different types of elbow fractures?
You can fracture all three bones that form your elbow, the two forearms (ulna and radius), and the upper arm (humerus). The three types of fractures are:
- Olecranon fracture, the bony tip of your elbow, which is part of the ulna
- Radial head fracture, accounts for 20% of all acute elbow injuries
- Distal humerus fracture, typically caused by a high-energy blow to the elbow
Elbow fractures cause symptoms such as:
- Intense pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Difficulty bending your elbow
- Pain when moving your elbow
- Pain when rotating your forearm
- Feeling like the joint might pop out (instability)
You may also experience weakness or numbness in your arm, wrist, or hand.
How do orthopaedic specialists treat elbow injuries?
The best treatment for your elbow depends on the type and severity of the injury:
Elbow sprains
Most patients recover from elbow sprains with non-surgical treatments, including activity modification, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid injections, and physical therapy. You may also need to wear a brace.
Elbow fractures
When the bones stay in place, your fracture is immobilized with a splint or sling until it heals. If the bones are displaced or they puncture your skin, you need surgery.
During surgery, your doctor at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine cleans the wound, repairs damaged soft tissues, removes loose pieces of bone, and stabilizes the bones with metal plates and pins.
When you need surgery to repair an elbow injury, Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine specializes in minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. The practice also offers total elbow replacement when the joint is too severely damaged to repair.
If you have symptoms of an elbow injury, call Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine or book an appointment online.
