Source: Robert E. Sallis, MD. Kaiser Permanente, Fontana, California, USA
The elbow is a hinged joint that involves the articulation of 3 bones: the humerus, radius, and ulna. It is a much more stable joint than the shoulder, and because of that, the elbow has less range of motion. The elbow and its structures are prone to significant injuries, particularly with repetitive motion. Lateral and medial epicondylitis (also called tennis elbow and golfer's elbow) are two common diagnoses and often occur as a result of occupational activities.
When examining the elbow, it is important to remove enough clothing so that the entire shoulder and elbow can be inspected. It is important to compare the injured elbow to the uninvolved side. A systematic evaluation of the elbow includes inspection, palpation, range of motion (ROM) testing, and special tests, including maneuvers to evaluate ligamentous stability and stretch tests to accentuate pain caused by epicondylitis.
1. Inspection
Examination of the elbow is best done by following a stepwise approach with the patient in a sitting position. It is important to have the patient remove enough clothing so that that surface anatomy can be seen and compared to the uninvolved side. The exam should begin with inspection, looking for asymmetry between the involved and uninvolved elbow. Next, palpation of key structures is done, looking for tenderness, swelling or deformity.
This is followed by assessing ROM, first actively and th
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