Can you partially dislocate your elbow

After treatment, most people recover fully within 6 months and have little or no loss of motion in the elbow. Nursemaid's elbow often can be prevented by not pulling on a child's arm or lifting a child by the arms. Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. Search KidsHealth library.

More to Know The elbow is both a hinge joint and a ball-and-socket joint, allowing the lower arm to extend and rotate in relation to the upper arm. Elbow injuries in the child or adolescent athlete. Adams JG. Pediatric orthopedic emergencies. In: Emergency Medicine: Clinical Essentials. Saunders Elsevier; DeLee JC, et al. Loss of elbow motion. What treatment is indicated for the common pediatric upper extremity fractures? Rochester, Minn. Schweich P. Proximal fractures of the forearm in children.

Browner BD, et al. To determine how to treat your elbow pain, your physician will ask you for a complete medical history, have you describe your symptoms and how the injury occurred and conduct a physical examination.

In a complex elbow dislocation, surgery may be necessary to repair ligaments and bone alignment. After surgery, the elbow may be protected with an external hinge. This helps protect the elbow from dislocating again. If nerve or blood vessels were injured, additional surgery may be necessary. Learn more about hand, wrist and elbow at OrthoIndy. Your well-being is important to us.

Click the button below or call us to schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists. Your doctor will examine the arm for damage to blood circulation and nerves and the diagnosis is usually backed up by X-rays to assess the extent of the damage.

Treatment involves slowly pushing the arm back into the joint — a process called reduction. Regular physiotherapy is usually enough for a full recovery although, if you are experiencing long-term instability in the joint, you may need to have surgery.

Elbow dislocation and subluxation. What is an elbow dislocation or subluxation? Causes Acute trauma to the arm, for example when falling onto your hand when it is outstretched, can cause the humerus, radius and ulna bones to become wrenched from the elbow joint resulting in a dislocation or subluxation.