What is Tennis Elbow, AKA Lateral Epicondylitis or Lateral Epicondylalgia?This condition is considered an overuse condition that results from a tendinopathy of the extensor muscles of the forearm into the common extensor tendon. The common extensor tendon originates at lateral epicondyle which is bony prominence that can be seen on the outside of the elbow. TheContinue Reading »
Elbow surgery to reconstruct a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is a common procedure performed on athletes who engage in overhead throwing activities, such as baseball, tennis and volleyball, and gymnastics. In these activities, the UCL can be stretched, torn or otherwise damaged from the constant stress of overhead motion. To mend a torn UCL, aContinue Reading »
The term “country club elbow” evokes pleasant images of green lawns, polo shirts and tall glasses of iced tea. Unfortunately, this moniker refers to a far less pleasant condition: the combination of tennis elbowand golfer’s elbow—a chronic, painful syndrome associated with the two sports. The condition can cause a shooting pain down the forearm andContinue Reading »
If you have fallen on an outstretched arm and fractured your elbow, you want to know how long it will take to get the joint functioning again. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer.In the elbow, the upper arm bone, or humerus, meets the two bones of the forearm, the radius and the ulna. This createsContinue Reading »
A common type of elbow injury in athletes, a radial head fracture tends to occur when a person falls on an outstretched hand. In this case, the radial head—located at the end of the bone—breaks in a way that makes realignment a challenge. Some patients may require a step after radial head removal, whereby anContinue Reading »
One approach used in a rehabilitation program, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses an electric current to stimulate muscles to contract. Electrical impulses are thought to interrupt messages sent by pain receptors from the nerves to the brain. If the brain does not receive these messages, it does not recognize pain, and you do notContinue Reading »
NO! At least one recent study doesn’t support that idea. The University of North Carolina’s Department of Exercise and Sports Science performed a study ,funded by a grant from the Yawkey foundation, that attempted to answer the question of whether “curve balls” or “breaking” balls lead to increased chance of pitching arm injuries. Over the course ofContinue Reading »
Arthritis may be a joint disease, but strengthening the muscles is an important component in its treatment. That is because a leading cause of limited movement in people with arthritis—especially, for instance, knee arthritis—is the weakening of surrounding muscles, rather than pain, dysfunction or abnormalities in the joint itself. This raises an important question: IsContinue Reading »
Total elbow replacement refers to a surgery that creates an artificial joint. Damage to your elbow can initially occur from badly broken bones, severely torn tissues, a tumor in or around the elbow, or osteoarthritis, or unsuccessful previous surgery. Your normal elbow joint is comprised of two bones—the humerus in the upper arm and theContinue Reading »
One of the major advancements in sports medicine in the last 35 years, surgical repair of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is named for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, the first person to successfully undergo the procedure in 1974. John returned to the mound two years later. This procedure, invented and pioneered by Dr.Continue Reading »