Injuries to the elbow.

Presented is an outline of the anatomy, biomechanics and function of the elbow joint, as it relates to normal and sporting activities. A variety of elbow injuries, including fractures of the olecranon, radial head and distal humerus are presented with appropriate methods of treatment. The aim to return patients to early functional activity is stressed. Soft tissue and more chronic over-use problems are briefly discussed, and a treatment regimen presented. In general, elbow injuries which involve acute fractures, dislocations and ligament injuries should be treated aggressively, in order to achieve early functional mobility. The more chronic over-use elbow problems should be viewed with a certain caution, and results are not as predictable following treatment of such injuries and over-use problems.