Where Does it Hurt?

Elbow

Elbow: The elbow is comprised of 3 bones:  the humerus (upper arm bone), and the radius and ulna (which together make up the forearm)  and is primarily controlled by the bicep and tricep muscles. You may have bumped your “funny bone” once or twice in your life.  In actuality, you bumped the ulnar nerve.

The elbow plays a key role in positioning your hand correctly as you move through your daily life. Because of the elbow’s critical role in your body’s ability to use your hands and arms, the elbow is not only susceptible to  injury from a direct trauma but also as a result of over-compensating for injuries to other parts of your body.

Dr. Raymond Raven, our upper extremity expert, will be able to identify the injury that you are dealing with and will put a plan of care together that will get you back to your normal active self.

The following are just a few common injuries of the elbow successfully treated by Dr. Raven.

  • Fractures
  • Strains and complete tears of the tendons associated with the elbow and upper extremity
  • Sprains and complete ligament tears that create instability and elbow pain
  • “Tennis elbow” (lateral epicondylitis) and “golfer’s elbow” (medical epicondylitis)
  • Nerve entrapments
  • Neurovascular repair
  • Arthritis
  • Complex trauma involving some or all of the structures of the elbow

Dr. Raven believes that conservative care is always a better first option than surgery and regularly prescribes splinting, bracing, casting, injections, medications and therapy as immediate steps towards elbow care. But if surgery is required, Dr. Raven is also able to perform the most up-to-date surgical procedures including arthroscopy.

To find out more about elbow injuries, please visit these pages on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website: