There's nothing simple about the elbow or dislocations. What the expression "simple" elbow dislocations means is that surgery was not needed to put the elbow back in place and there were no bone fractures. But with any trauma severe enough to dislocate a joint, there can be some soft tissue damage.
Elbow Anatomy
The elbow is made up of three bones: the humerus (the upper arm bone), the ulna (the larger bone of the forearm, on the opposite side of the thumb), and the radius (the smaller bone of the forearm on the same side as the thumb).
There are also ligaments, tendons, muscles, cartilage, nerves, and of course, blood vessels in and around the elbow. Any of these structures can be stretched or otherwise damaged during the dislocation. Simple elbow dislocations heal well with few (if any) problems. Once the joint is reduced (put back in place), any residual problems may become apparent.
You may notice a slight loss of elbow motion, especially when trying to straighten the arm. There can also be altered joint proprioception (sense of position), weakness and impaired motor control. Any of these problems can make sports participation or athletic activities difficult.
Simple Elbow Dislocations
Simple elbow dislocations mostly occur during sports. Vigorous activities such as biking, wrestling, gymnastics and football can raise your risk of sustaining an elbow injury. With this knowledge, efforts can be made to prevent such injuries. The proper use of protective equipment along with education and training may reduce the incidence of simple elbow dislocations. Strengthening your elbow muscles with physiotherapy exercises can also help to reduce the risk of dislocations.
For more information on how physiotherapy can effectively help those with elbow dislocations, please contact the trained and licensed physiotherapists at Physio Med. We would be pleased to examine your elbow, and develop a personalised physical therapeutic treatment plan that specifically addresses your needs.
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