Elbows

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    SPECIALTIES / CONDITIONS TREATMENT & CARE

    We rely on our elbows to function properly every day, so when pain and irritation starts it can seem overwhelming. Depending on the cause, that pain can last for hours, days or years. Common causes of elbow conditions include overuse injuries, degenerative conditions and trauma or injury. Following through on our mission of compassion and expert care, we are dedicated to helping you overcome your injuries and conditions and return you to your active, healthy lifestyle.

    Additional areas we serve:

    Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, West-Seattle, Sammamish

    Renton, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Burien, Northgate | Issaquah

    Every person is different, so symptoms of conditions may present differently for different people. Symptoms also vary depending on the condition, its severity, location and other factors. Luckily, we have many sports medicine physicians and orthopedic surgeons ready to help.

    • Arthritis
    • Baseball injuries
    • Distal bicep tendon tear or rupture
    • Fractures
    • Growth plate injuries
    • Loose bodies
    • Sports injuries
    • Tendinitis
      • Golfers elbow
      • Tennis elbow
    • Ulnar collateral ligament
    • Ulnar nerve compression
    • Arthroscopic surgery
    • Fracture care
    • Injections
      • Cortisone
      • PRP
    • Loose body removal
    • Non-operative and conservative treatment
    • Tommy John Surgery VIDEO ►
    • Ulnar nerve release/ transposition

    INFO / FACTS ABOUT YOUR ELBOW

    BONES OF THE ELBOW

    Three bones meet to form the elbow: The humerus, the ulna and the radius. The humerus is the bone in your upper arm, and the part of the humerus that meets the elbow is called the distal humerus. The ulna and the radius are the two bones that make up the forearm.

    If you were to hold your hand out with your palm facing upwards, the ulna would be on the inner, or medial, side while the radius would be on the outer, or lateral side. The ulna is the larger of the two forearm bones, with a bony prominence at the elbow called the olecranon. The olecranon and the distal humerus form the hinge-like humeroulnar joint, which allows for bending and straightening movements.

    The end of the radius that meets the elbow is called the radial head, and it meets the humerus to form the humeroradial joint, which acts similar to the hinge-like humeroulnar joint. The radial head also articulates with the ulna to form the proximal radioulnar joint, which allows for rotating movements of the forearm, for example when you have your wrists turned down to type.

    SOFT TISSUE IN THE ELBOW

    Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues work together with the bones in the elbow to allow for easy and pain-free movement. The ends of the bones in the elbow are covered in a smooth cartilage so that movement is possible with minimal friction.

    If you were to stretch your arm out and bend your wrist back so that the palm of your hand is pointed away from you, the muscles you would use are called the extensor muscles. The extensor muscles are in charge of pulling the wrist back and they join together to attach to tendons at the elbow. These tendons connect the extensor muscles to your lateral epicondyle, a bony bump on the outer side of your elbow.

    When you bend your wrist so that your palm is facing toward you, you are using what are called flexor muscles. These flexor muscles join together to attach to the common flexor tendon near the elbow. The tendon attaches on the inside of the elbow at a bony mass called the medial epicondyle.