What is Dislocation of the Elbow?
The elbow is the place where arm (the humerus) and the lower arm (the ulna) join. A dislocation involves the separation of the joint by stretching or tearing of the ligaments. A functioning elbow joint is capable of both mobility and stability, displaying an elegant combination of the two. Because the joint is basically stable, it requires considerable force to dislocate the elbow. For this reason, as many as one third of all elbow dislocations involve fractures to the elbow bones. Dislocation of the elbow is the most common type of dislocation injury in children. In adults, it is second only to shoulder dislocation, and occurs most often in men. Dislocation injuries are frequently associated with bone fractures or damage to surrounding muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Causes of Dislocation of the Elbow? Nearly half of these injuries are the result of sports activities, often to adults between the ages of 25 and 30. Posterior dislocations of the elbow are most frequently caused by a fal
