Nursemaid’s Elbow
We’ve all heard of tennis elbow, but nursemaid’s elbow? Nursemaid's elbow is a partial dislocation of the elbow, which occurs when the lower part of the arm (forearm) slips out of its normal position at the elbow joint, caused by a sudden pull on the extended arm. Nursemaid's elbow is a common condition in young children and generally affects children under the age of five. The injury occurs when a child is pulled up too hard by the hand or the wrist. It is often seen after someone lifts a child up by one arm. (For example, when trying to lift the child over a curb or high step, or when an obstinate child is forcibly pulled along or lifted by the forearm.) Swinging a young child from the arms while playing can also cause this injury. When the injury occurs, the child usually begins crying immediately and refuses to use the arm.
The child may hold the arm so that it is slightly bent at the elbow and pressed up against the stomach. The child will move the shoulder, but not the elbow. Some children stop crying as the immediate pain goes away, but continue to refuse to move the elbow. Once the elbow dislocates, it is likely to do so again, especially in the 3 or 4 weeks following the injury, so don’t wait around. Give us a call. Labels: Elbow Problems, muscular strain, pain management, physical therapy, spine and sports medicine
Posted by Spine and Sports Medicine on 12:44 PM
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Game, Set, Match
It must finally be summertime -- Wimbledon is officially underway, time for the pros to work their magic across the pond on England’s grassy tennis courts and the weekend warriors here at home to break out the rackets and start tuning up their serves. Exercising is good for you, but sometimes you can injure yourself.
Accidents, poor training practices or improper gear can cause such injuries, as can repetitive stress. Some people get hurt because they are not in shape. Not warming up or stretching enough can also lead to injuries.
There are many options available to treat your condition, from ice packs and splints to the most advanced technology. Treatment may emphasize exercises for relaxation, conditioning, restoring range of motion, strength, endurance, and coordination. Specialized treatments include heat, cold, massage, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and traction. As Dr. Kessler says, “If your pain is the result of a sports injury, we'll have you back on the tennis court or golf course in no time.”
Whether pain is all in your head or not, any athletic or bodily injury needs to rehabilitated beyond just removing pain through medications or pain relief techniques. Brian Kessler, MD says: your body needs to be brought back to its natural state of normal function, which includes pain relief, but goes far beyond it. It's being the best you can be.
Labels: Elbow Problems, Sport Injury, tennis elbow
Posted by Spine and Sports Medicine on 10:26 AM
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Who Is Tommy John and What Does He Have to Do with Elbow Pain?
In life there aren’t too many sure bets, but for thousands of New York Yankees fans, just having Mariano Rivera on the pitcher’s mound at the end of a game is about as reliable an indicator of victory as anyone could want. Often considered the greatest closer of all time, Mariano has won four World Series titles with the Yankees and is Major League Baseball’s all-time postseason leader in saves. Able to throw with pinpoint accuracy at speeds up to 97 miles per hour, Mariano seems a lock to be elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
But in 1992, if it wasn’t for Tommy John surgery, Mariano Rivera might never have even made it to the major leagues.
In 1974, Tommy John was a successful left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But in mid-season of that year he permanently damaged the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm. While it seemed unlikely he would ever pitch again, a revolutionary surgical operation performed by Dr. Frank Jobe, replaced the ligament in the elbow of his pitching arm with a tendon from his right forearm. He spent the entire 1975 season in recovery and returned to the Dodgers in 1976, winning 164 games after his surgery—one fewer game than all-time Dodger great Sandy Koufax won in his entire career.
This operation, now known as Tommy John surgery, in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body (often from the forearm, hamstring, knee, or foot of the patient), has salvaged or extended the careers of hundreds of baseball players – including the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera.
The strain of pitching can cause serious elbow problems. “The ulnar collateral ligament can become stretched, frayed, or torn through the stress of the pitching motion,” says Dr. Brian Kessler of our pain management facility. “Overuse or repeated pressure on the elbow joint can cause small tears to form in the soft tissue, particularly where the tendons anchor to bone. If a number of these tears occur over a period of time, they can cause discomfort and reduced movement of the elbow joint.”
Today, elbow injuries are on the rise as one of the most frequent sports injuries for youngsters, and elbow surgery is rising rapidly among teen pitchers. Kids are throwing harder and harder at younger ages and are working earlier to master complicated pitches like sliders, curveballs and other breaking balls – advanced pitches that put unnatural strain on young, undeveloped arms.
To combat this trend, coaches, parents and even Little League Baseball, Inc., a sanctioning body for many youth baseball leagues, recommend limiting the number of pitches thrown by young pitchers, staying away from curveballs and other breaking pitches, and instructing players on the best techniques to prevent arm injuries.
“Repetition and torque,” says Dr. Kessler. “Those are the critical elements leading to elbow problems, especially for athletes.”
For Mariano Rivera, like Tommy John, surgery was the answer for turning elbow pain into peak athletic performance. Without it, Yankee fans might never have had the opportunity to watch a sure thing -- the greatest closer of all-time.
Labels: Elbow Problems, Sport Injury, Surgery
Posted by Spine and Sports Medicine on 7:20 AM
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