Elbow Flashcards
What is the normal carrying angle of the elbow?
5-15 degrees
What do you check for when observing the elbow?
Bumps/Bruises/Redness/Scars/Swelling/Muscle Wasting/Discoloration/Alignment
Where do you palpate on an elbow?
ANTERIOR – Antecubital Space Distal biceps tendon
LATERAL – Lat epicondyle – common extensor tendon – tennis elbow
POSTERIOR – Olecranon
MEDIAL – Medial Epicondyle – site of common flexor tendon (Golfers elbow Teres) Cubital Tunnel (ulnar nerve compression site)
What are potential causes if you see any anomolies in observation?
Dislocation, Fracture, Instability issue can all affect Carrying angle or present with bumps, bruises. Swelling – very obvious with Olec Bursitis
What are the Ranges of Motion of an elbow?
Flexion, extension, Supination and Pronation
What are normal ROM degrees for elbow flexion?
130-150 degrees
What are the normal ROM degrees for elbow extension?
-6-10 degrees
What are the normal ROM degrees for elbow pronation?
75-80 degrees
What are the normal ROM degrees for elbow supination?
80-104 degrees
What is the common name for an elbow injury that occurs in young children?
Toddler’s elbow
What is Toddler’s elbow?
radial head subluxation - annular ligament gets stuck in the joint space
What are the elbow special tests?
Valgus and Varus ligamentous stress tests
How is the patient/dr positioned when performing a valgus/varus test?
Patient lying down - put elbow in around 30 degrees of flexion. Stabilise this with putting their arm close to your ribcage under clinicians arm and this keeps it stabilised so you can use both hands.
Which direction does valgus force move?
Force moves lateral to medial
What direction does varus force move?
Force moves medial to lateral
How do you perform valgus test?
Place the patient’s hand under your arm and close to rib cage in 30 degrees of flexion.
With that arm, stabilise just above the elbow and with the other hand, open pact, push the elbow lateral to medial.
How do you perform a varus test?
Swap hands to valgus - stabilise under the elbow, closer to the wrist and push with open hand medial to lateral just above the elbow itself
How do you perform medial posterior rotation?
Keep patient in the same position as you would a valgus/varus test. Stabilise the humerus and then hold just above the elbow with other hand (thumb down, fingers underneath)
Movement is moving the upper part of the forearm medially
How do you perform lateral posterior rotation?
Keep patient in the same position as you would a valgus/varus test and medial posterior rotation. Movement is the opposite direction to medial posterior, performing this laterally.
What would there be for Medial instability to be an entity?
Significant injury - bone injury
