Inability to move elbow normally

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Inability to move elbow normally

You may not be able to move your elbow normally after an injury because of pain or swelling. Pain may occur when the limb or joint is used. You may have limited range of motion because of swelling.

If a joint is unstable or you can't use your arm normally, the supporting ligaments and tendons may have been injured or a bone may have been fractured. Trying to move the joint may cause severe pain. A child will protect or refuse to use his or her arm if it has been significantly injured.

If movement of an injured elbow causes pain, protect the elbow. You may need to use a splint or sling.

A total inability to bend or move a joint can be caused by nerve damage, a ruptured muscle, or a torn tendon. Loss of function that is not caused by pain may indicate damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves and requires medical treatment.

Decreased movement may also be caused by osteoarthritis, elbow bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or lupus.

Severe decrease in movement (locking) occurs when something gets caught in the hinge of the elbow joint and does not allow the arm to straighten, bend, or rotate completely. This can be caused by:

• A free-floating piece of bone (from a fracture or osteoarthritis), cartilage, or foreign object in a joint (loose body). A piece of bone from the upper arm (humerus) or the lower arm (ulna or radius) may become caught in the elbow joint after an injury or from overuse of the elbow and may lose its blood supply and break loose (osteochondritis dissecans).
• A dislocated elbow.

Be concerned if a young child carefully protects an injured elbow or refuses to use his or her arm. The child may have a fracture, the lower forearm bone (radius) may be out of place, or the child may have stretched ligaments around the elbow (nursemaid's elbow). This typically occurs when a child is jerked, lifted, or pulled by one arm. If you think that your child's injury may have been caused by abuse, tell your health professional.

Credits

Last updated:	April 03, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer