Elbow Conditions

If your elbow pain is bothering you and affecting your ability to perform everyday tasks, do not hesitate to make an appointment with us. It’s better to play it safe than to keep doing the things that may cause your elbow condition to deteriorate. And with treatment, you could be feeling better fast.

At Shoulder Elbow Orthopaedic Clinic, we have a dedicated team of elbow specialist orthopaedic surgeons who will provide a detailed diagnosis and custom treatment plan for your elbow conditions.

With our four convenient locations at Mt Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Farrer Park Medical Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, and Mount Alvernia Hospital our specialist orthopaedic surgeons are ready to put you on the path to recovery.

Here are some examples of the elbow conditions we treat:

Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, results from damage and disorganised healing of the tendon over the elbow’s outer aspect that helps raise the wrist.

Repetitive wrist movements can result in increased wear and tear of the tendon over the outer aspect of the elbow. This can result in disorganised healing or even tears of the surrounding tendons and ligaments.

Alternatively, one may suffer from an acute tear which is the result of an injury. This can occur if you fall with an outstretched arm or try to lift a heavy object incorrectly. An acute tear can also happen together with other shoulder-related conditions such as a dislocated shoulder.

Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow is a condition characterised by pain and inflammation due to damage to the muscles and tendons that cross the inner aspect of the elbow. While the pain is typically centred over the elbow area, it can spread to the forearm and wrist in severe instances.

However, this condition does not only affect golfers. It can happen to any person regardless of gender, age, or choice of sport. Those who engage in vigorous activities that have repetitive hand or forearm motions are more susceptible.

Athletes engaging in bowling, baseball, golf, or tennis are usually at a high risk of developing this condition. Additionally, obese individuals, adults above 40 years, and smokers at also at increased risk of suffering from golfer’s elbow.

Elbow Instability

The elbow consists of your upper arm bone (humerus) and your forearm’s other bones, the radius and ulna. Your collateral ligaments keep the elbow joint together on both the inner and outer sides of the elbow and function to prevent dislocation.

Your two key ligaments are the lateral collateral ligament and medial collateral ligament. The muscles that cross the elbow joint also contribute to the joint’s stability.

Elbow instability, also referred to as collateral ligament injury, refers to looseness of the elbow. This occurs due to injuries or tears of the side ligaments of the elbow, which are responsible for stabilising the elbow.

Elbow Bursitis

Elbow Bursitis is also known as Olecranon Bursitis. The olecranon is a pointed bone that forms the tip of the elbow. The bursa is the fluid sac that lies between the olecranon and the skin on the elbow.

This fluid enables the skin to slide over the bone smoothly without irritation. Additionally, this layer of fluid functions as a shock absorber between the tendons, skin, bone and muscle. An unaffected olecranon bursa is flat. However, if it gets irritated or inflamed, the bursa can swell up and enlarge. This inflammation is referred to as bursitis.

Elbow Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis typically affects our load-bearing joints such as the hip, knee, and elbow. The elbow consists of three bones (the ulna, humerus, and radius) covered with cartilage that prevents the bones from rubbing directly against each other.

When this protective cartilage wears out or gets damaged, osteoarthritis of the elbow occurs. Previous elbow injuries like dislocation of the elbow or even a fracture and physically demanding outdoor activities may result in the deterioration of the protective cartilage.

Elbow Dislocation

The elbow is the joint between the arm and forearm bones. This joint is said to be dislocated when the surfaces of the three bones, ulna, radius, and humerus, are separated. Dislocation of the elbow can either be partial or complete.

Elbow dislocations are usually associated with ligament tears, tendon tears, and sometimes fractures around the elbow. Patients suffering from elbow dislocation typically experience pain and the inability to move the elbow.