Sports Medicine

Elbow Injuries

An elbow dislocation is a major injury usually caused by a fall or trauma to the elbow. An elbow dislocation can result in bone, ligament and cartilage injury.

These injuries are typically evaluated immediately in the emergency department where the bones are relocated. After relocation, children are placed into a splint and sling.

Here at Cincinnati Children's, our sports medicine and orthopedic surgeons will guide your child's recovery and determine need for any advanced tests. Many elbow dislocations will heal without surgery intervention. 

A fracture in a child can be very different from a fracture in the same location in an adult. If the fracture involves the ends of the bone, the growth plate may be involved.

Most often the fracture is treated with casting.

If you suspect your child has a fracture you should take them to the doctor for treatment. 

Learn more about fractures.

Little league elbow is an overuse injury caused by stress to the inside of the elbow.

Symptoms of little league elbow include pain to inner elbow with pitching or throwing, swelling to the inner elbow, trouble extending the elbow completely, and decreased throwing speed and/or accuracy.

The good news is that little league elbow will often heal completely with rest and a dedicated rehabilitation program. If you suspect your child has little league elbow, a trip to the doctor is necessary to diagnose the condition and begin physical therapy.

Learn more about little league elbow.

Lateral epicondylitis is a condition where pain and inflammation arise on the outside of the elbow due to repeated stress and overuse of the muscles of the forearm. Lateral epicondylitis results from repetitive stress over the lateral epicondyle from extension and supination of the wrist, such as the backhand motion in tennis or other activities.

Call your child’s doctor if your child has increasing pain or swelling that does not go away with rest. 

Learn more about tennis elbow.

Ulnar Collateral Ligament is an injury to the ligament that stabilizes the inside of your elbow. Overuse of the elbow causes the ligament to weaken resulting in a sprain. When the injury occurs, the athlete will have pain in the elbow, catching, popping, or shifting in the joint, decreased range of motion in the joint, and loss of control and power when throwing.

If you suspect your child has an Ulnar Collateral Ligament injury, start with RICE (rest, Ice, Compression, and elevation). If symptoms persist or arm function is limited you should call the doctor.