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Disorders (other than fractures and dislocations) > Sports
Injuries of the Child's Elbow What Are Sports Injuries of the Elbow? If you have a child who plays sports, you know injuries can occur. Almost any injury can be a result of playing any sport. Some injuries though are related to specific sports. Sports related injuries come in one of two forms. They can be macro- or micro-traumas. Macro traumas are one-time events such as broken bones or concussions or head or neck injuries. Micro traumas are often small, unnoticed injuries that happen repeatedly. These small injuries add up and can lead to pain and in some cases, disability. Examples of micro traumas are stress fractures and symptoms that appear when the joint is overused. Causes of Sports Injuries of the Elbow? Pitching a baseball, shooting a basketball, doing gymnastic flips, playing tennis, and so on can cause an injury in your child's elbow. Even playing golf can cause one. Any participation in a sport that requires your child to use his or her elbow again and again can be a cause of injury. Prevention may be the best way to avoid such injury. For instance, in baseball or softball, a pitcher uses his or her elbow over and over. Stress is placed on the elbow from the twisting and bending backward that occurs in the windup. This stress can be on either the medial or lateral side of the elbow - or even both and can lead to inflammation and tiny tears of the tendons in the elbow. The medial side of the elbow is that side which is closest to the body when the arm hangs naturally by the side. Medial injuries can be sudden such as a fracture in the growth plate, or can occur over time. For instance, in an older child who may pitch with more strength and force, there may also be avulsion fractures or small tears through the growth plate. The lateral side of the elbow is that part which is furthest away from the body when the arm hangs naturally. Injuries to this side are often a result of bone cell death (osteonecrosis) of the capitellum. The capitellum is the radial head of the humerus (upper arm bone) where it becomes the elbow joint. As this bony part loses its blood supply, the cells die and the bone fragment becomes a loose body in the elbow joint. If this happens to a child who is under 10 years of age, the prognosis is fairly good. For older children though, surgery may often be needed. To avoid the problem it may be best to follow the advice of recent studies that suggest young pitchers throw no more than 350 pitches a week. In tennis, causes of injuries can come from holding the racket too tightly, using a racket that is too big, or not hitting the ball squarely. To minimize the risk of injury in young players, a two-hand backhand may be better. Symptoms of Sports Injuries of the Elbow? The general symptom of a sports injury to the elbow is tenderness or pain in the elbow following a sporting event. The pain may be sudden and severe if the growth plate has been fractured. Or, it may be milder and be shrugged off as a strained muscle. If osteonecrosis of the capitellum is involved, the child may say that the elbow feels like it locks in place or has a catching sensation. Treatment of Sports Injuries of the Elbow? Initial treatment of sports injuries will likely be to rest the arm for 3 to 6 weeks. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be suggested for discomfort. Following the R.I.C.E. treatment may offer some relief, too.
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