What are elbow sports injuries?
The upper limb has so many functions in our daily lives and the normal function of the shoulder and elbow plays a significant role in almost every sport. Whether it is for volleying in tennis, throwing the ball in football or making a tackle in rugby, the need for an individual to be pain-free, maintain range of movement, stability and power in a joint are essential to their ability to be involved in and compete in sports. This is paramount to an individual in maintaining their own physical, mental and in some cases financial health. Injuries can occur from attritional causes and also from acute sport-related trauma.
What are the symptoms of elbow sports injuries?
Symptoms in the elbow can vary from instability of the elbow (more regularly seen with contact sports and secondary to previous injuries) to tennis elbow and biceps pain from upper body training and elbow fractures in cyclists and jockeys. The symptoms will be injury specific. However, the net result prevents the patient from training, playing, competing and being at their peak when it comes to sporting performance.
How is it diagnosed?
It is diagnosed by taking a careful history and performing a detailed examination. Detailed assessment of the patients sporting needs and requirements will be undertaken. Associated imaging including X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI and CT scans will also be utilised.
How is it treated?
Activity modification is an extremely important component of treatment, including looking at the frequency of training and the training regimes undertaken in order to lower the risk of recurrence and ensure that the individual is optimising their body’s potential. We achieve this by close working relationships with all of our physiotherapy network, as this is essential to improve longevity.
For acute injuries, the aim of our team is to get individuals safely back to their chosen sport with limited delay. We strive to get patients back to the same level of sport they were enjoying prior to any sporting injury.
