Injuries to the Arm

Sports related injuries to the arm often happen due to overuse, poor technique, or poor conditioning, so with a few preventive measures the risk of injury can be reduced. Baseball player, golfers & rockclimbers are often at risk of these injuries due to the repetitive movements involved. 

COMMON INJURIES TO THE ARM INCLUDE:-

 ELBOW:- 

TENNIS ELBOW,( lateral epicondylitis) repetitive movements such as backhands in tennis, cause pain on the outside of the elbow from inflamed tendons (SEE POST ON TENNIS ELBOW) 

GOLFER’S ELBOW (medial condylitis)can arise from poor technique in golf, which causes pain & inflammation of the tendons on the inner elbow.(SEE POST ON GOLFERS ELBOW) 

TORN ULNAR (MEDIAL) COLLATERAL LIGAMENT in the elbow, this ligament stabilizes the elbow in throwing sports & racket sports

 • baseball players & throwing events such as javelin - throwing really hard resulting in sudden pain

 • footballers & wrestlers falling on an outstretched arm, causing the elbow to buckle & the ligament tears. 

WRIST:- 

• sprains –due to the wrist being forced backwards, tearing the ligament 

• fractures – due to falling on an outstretched arm, common in footballers & skateboarders 

HAND AND FINGERS:-

 • fractured fingers 

• sprains – thumb & fingers being pushed back with force eg. from a fast flying baseball or in a football tackle 

• mallet finger – torn tendon in the finger due to a force on the fingertip, causing the end of the finger to drop towards the palm 

Common in rockclimbers, football & baseball players, these injuries will cause pain & swelling & often the inability to hold things with a pincer grip

TREATMENT:-

 • depends on the specific problem

 • rest

 • ice packs 

• elevation of the injured area 

• pain medication

 • cortisone injections in severe cases of tennis elbow 

• splints to immobilise the injured part

 • cast to allow a fracture to heal

 • occasionally surgery eg. in tendon injury to restore proper function or stabilise a fracture

 PREVENTION:-

• try not to overuse your arm & know your limits

 • stop exercising if painful to avoid further damage to muscle & connective tissue & slow recovery

 • Learn proper techniques for your sport as faulty technique can lead to pain due to too much force on the elbow 

• Conditioning is important - playing a vigorous game at the start of a season without having prepared the muscles puts stress & strain on your joints. Maintaining strength & flexibility with sport specific exercises, & building endurance will reduce the risk of imbalances in the muscles 

• stretching in preparation for & following an activity