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ELBOW EXAMINATION
What’s the problem Pain Instability Stiffness Disability
Which hand? How old? Occupation Any history of injury
Assess disability Work and ADL
- Can you lift heavy weights?
- Can you reach for things in the cupboard?
- Can you comb your hair?
- Can you reach your mouth?
- Can you take care of bowel hygiene?
- Can you do hammering?
Sleep : Affected or not Pain in particular range: terminal extension or flexion Pin and tingly sensation; any weakness Any previous treatment? Medical problem? Diabetes;
A. Inspection
- Carrying angle Patient standing with arm closed to the chest with forearm supinated Angle by the axis arm to the axis of the forearm gives carrying angle
Normal: Males 7º Females 14 º
In the presence of a fixed flexion deformity of the elbow, this angle cannot be commented
- Attitude of the limb : How limb is placed?
Right side: Shoulder abducted and internal Rotation and elbow is flexed: Erb’s palsy
- Any deformity of the elbow Flexion deformity is common following elbow injury or arthritis Valgus deformity: in lateral condylar fracture or sometimes in supracondylar fractures Varus or gunstock deformity: is a classical malunion of supracondylar fracture
- Muscle wasting [Mention about FCU wasting: ulnar nerve]
- Any surgical scar, sinus
- Screening test for elbow movement:
B. Palpation
1. Tenderness Start from Lateral condyle, Olecranon, Radial head, Medial epicondyle, Biceps tendon and ulnar nerve
How to feel radial head? Elbow in flexion Feel the lateral condyle Below the lateral condyle there is a fossa In the fossa feel the radial head Confirm it by rotating the forearm
Bony relation Medial Epicondyle; tip of the Olecranon and lateral epicondyle relation
With elbow extended: They are at same level
With elbow flexed: Isosceles triangle with elbow at 90º
Ulnar stretch test : Elbow flexion; forearm Supination and wrist in dorsiflexion Provocative test for ulnar entrapment At the elbow joint
E. Instability signs Valgus and Varus with elbow in 30 º and 0 º With shoulder in internal rotation for varus test and external rotation for valgus test
Varus or valgus force is given with in 30º joint open out if there is any laxity
Driscoll’s sign Only performed if there is any instability, Mainly for postero-lateral subluxation
Technique: Patient supine and arm overhead Supination and valgus with axial compression Elbow is now flexed; at 40-70 º , the radial head is maximally subluxated Additional flexion caused a visible clunk of reduction
Chair test for Posterolateral instability : Reluctant to full extend the elbow when rising from a chair
F. Tests for Tennis elbow Cozens sign (Active): Elbow 90* ; Forearm pronate, Now dorsiflex wrist against resistance Positive when pain at lateral epicondyle
Mills sign (Passive) While palpating the lateral epicondyle The examiner pronates the patients forearm Passive flexion of the wrist fully and then extends the elbow
Resisted extension of the middle finger Resistance just distal to PIP joint of the middle finger with forearm in pronation. Positive in tennis elbow with pain at lateral epicondyle In radial tunnel syndrome: pain is 4 cm distal to epicondyle
Golfer’s elbow : Resisted wrist flexion Pain near medial epicondyle
G. Ulnar nerve screening Wasting : Interossie, FCU Sensation in little ring finger Tinel’s sign at elbow Subluxation of the ulnar nerve
Intrinsic examination:
- Test for dorsal interossie
- Test for palmar interossie
- Test for abductor pollices brevis
