2/14/2017
Inspection Physical Examination of the Elbow • Inspection – elbow is a subcutaneous joint – deformity, effusion and atrophy easily detected Elbow • Carrying angle the – women 2-5 degrees > men of – changes with flexion / extension “ ”
Exam • Lateral dimple
– loss of lateral dimple indicative of effusion Anthony A. Romeo, MD Professor, Department of Orthopedics • Posterior mass Head, Section of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
Rush University Physical President-Elect, American Shoulder Elbow Surgeons – olecranon bursitis Team Physician, Chicago White Sox and Bulls Chief Medical Editor, Orthopaedics Today
Elbow Physical Exam
Exam Strategy Elbow Elbow • Divide elbow into 4 quadrants the the
– Anterior of of – Lateral – Posterior Exam Exam – Medial • Examine each quadrant sequentially Physical Physical
Anterior Elbow
Anterior Elbow • Often Vague Pain Elbow Elbow the the • Humeral Stress Reaction of of • Biceps tendinitis • Cervical Radiculopathy Exam Exam
• Thoracic Outlet • Median Nerve Compression Physical Physical
1 2/14/2017
Venous Effort Thrombosis TOS Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Pronator Syndrome Humerus and Median Nerve Palpation Physical Exam • Forearm percussion test Elbow Elbow • NEGATIVE Phalen’s Test/ the the Cubital Tinel’s of of • Weak thenar muscles • Anterior interossei muscles Exam Exam (FPL, FDP) spared Physical Physical
Median Nerve
Palpate Median Nerve Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
2 2/14/2017
Biceps Biceps Hook Test
• Palpate biceps • Hook test Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Hook Test Lateral Elbow Elbow Elbow
• Lateral epicondylitis the the
of of • Capitellar OCD
• Radiocapitellar arthritis Exam Exam • Synovial plica
Physical Physical • Contusion – hit by pitch
Symptoms Lateral Epicondylitis
• Tender ECRB • Pain with resisted wrist and long finger extension • Lateral elbow pain Elbow Elbow
• Painful wrist flexion the the of of • Painful resisted extension Exam Exam • Decrease grip strength Physical Physical
3 2/14/2017
Lateral Epicondylitis Radiocapitellar Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Plica Plica Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Posterior Elbow Elbow Elbow the the
• Triceps tendinitis of of • Posterior/posterior medial impingement • Loose body Exam Exam • Olecranon stress fracture/reaction Physical Physical
4 2/14/2017
Bounce Test Arm Bar Test Elbow Elbow
the the
of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Ulnohumeral Chondromalacia Medial elbow Elbow Elbow • UCL tear the the • Stress reaction of of
• Flexor Strain Exam Exam
• Medial epicondylitis • Ulnar nerve • Snapping triceps Physical Physical
Flexor Pronator UCL Injuries Presentation
Physical Examination
Elbow Elbow • UCL tenderness to
palpation the the of of
• Pain / apprehension / instability valgus Exam Exam
stress • Moving valgus stress test Physical Physical
5 2/14/2017
UCL Injuries UCL Injuries Presentation Presentation
Physical Examination Physical Examination • UCL tenderness to
Elbow • UCL tenderness to Elbow
palpation palpation the the • Pain / apprehension / of of
• Pain / apprehension / instability valgus instability valgus stress Exam Exam
stress • Moving valgus stress • Moving valgus stress test test Physical Physical O’Driscoll et al AJSM 2005 Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Milking Maneuver Milking Maneuver Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
6 2/14/2017
Moving Valgus Stress Test Moving Valgus Stress Test Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Ulnar Nerve Ulnar Nerve Compression Hypertrophy of the medial head of triceps Subluxation Glousman RE, et al, 1990 • 16% of pop ulnar Elbow Elbow nerve instability the the • Repetitive throwing of of causes repetitive nerve instability - Exam Exam neuritis Physical Physical
Ulnar Nerve CASE Snapping Triceps CASE: Snapping triceps Under-diagnosed • Unrecognized Elbow Elbow dislocation of med
the head of triceps cause the of of
of failed ulnar nerve transposition Exam Exam
Spoinner et al J Neurosurg Physical Physical
7 2/14/2017
Ulnar Nerve Physical Examination
• Palpate Elbow Elbow • Assess the the of of
subluxation • Tinel’s sign Exam Exam
• Flex, abd, pron Physical Physical
Ulnar Nerve Ulnar Nerve Physical Examination • Elbow Flexion Test – With wrist extended, hyperflex elbow and Elbow Elbow maintain flexion for 30 the the seconds of of – Assess for pain, numbness, tingling Exam Exam
• Critical to discern UCL,
Physical VEO and flexor/pronator Physical issues Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
8 2/14/2017
8 months s/p TJ surgery
Post UCL Reconstruction Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
Post UCL Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
54 Cohen, MS. Elbow Instability: Surgeon’s Management. Rehabilitation of the hand and upper extremity. 6th edition. Elsevier. Philadelphia, PA. 2011
9 2/14/2017
UCL Injuries Presentation
Physical Examination Elbow Elbow • UCL tenderness to
palpation the the
of of
• Pain / apprehension / American Journal or Orthopedics, 2015 instability valgus Exam Exam
stress • Moving valgus stress test Physical Physical
UCL Injuries UCL Injuries Presentation Presentation Physical Examination Physical Examination • UCL tenderness to
Elbow • UCL tenderness to Elbow palpation palpation the the • Pain / apprehension / of of • Pain / apprehension / instability valgus stress instability valgus • Moving valgus stress Exam Exam stress test • Moving valgus stress test Physical Physical O’Driscoll et al AJSM 2005
Ulnar Nerve Compression Hypertrophy of the medial head of triceps Glousman RE, et al, 1990 Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
10 2/14/2017
Ulnar Nerve Subluxation Test Ulnar Nerve
Subluxation • 16% of pop ulnar Elbow Elbow nerve instability the the • Repetitive throwing of of causes repetitive nerve instability - Exam Exam neuritis Physical Physical
Ulnar Nerve CASE Snapping Triceps CASE: Snapping triceps Under-diagnosed • Unrecognized Elbow Elbow dislocation of med
the head of triceps cause the of of
of failed ulnar nerve transposition Exam Exam
Spoinner et al J Neurosurg Physical Physical
Ulnar Nerve Physical Examination
• Palpate Elbow Elbow • Assess the the of of
subluxation • Tinel’s sign Exam Exam
• Flex, abd, pron Physical Physical
11 2/14/2017
Ulnar Nerve Ulnar Nerve Physical Examination • Elbow Flexion Test – With wrist extended, hyperflex elbow and Elbow Elbow maintain flexion for 30 the the seconds of of – Assess for pain, numbness, tingling Exam Exam
• Critical to discern UCL,
Physical VEO and flexor/pronator Physical issues Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
8 months s/p TJ surgery
Post UCL Reconstruction Elbow Elbow the the of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
12 2/14/2017
Post UCL Physical Exam: Palpation
• Lateral – lateral epicondyle Elbow Elbow – radial head the the
• Medial of of – medial epicondyle – ulnar notch / ulnar nerve Exam Exam
Physical Physical American Journal or Orthopedics, 2015
Netter FH. Atlas of Human Anatomy, 4th Edition. Elsevier, New York, NY. 2006.
Physical Exam: Palpation
• Posterior – triceps – olecranon tip Elbow Elbow • Anterior the the – biceps of of – common flexor muscle group Exam Exam – median nerve Physical Physical
76 1.Ruland, R. T., Dunbar, R. P. & Bowen, J. D. The biceps squeeze test for diagnosis of distal biceps tendon ruptures. Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 128–131 (2005).2.Ramsey, M. L. Distal biceps tendon injuries: diagnosis and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 7,
Physical Exam: Motion Physical Exam: Motion
• Motion occurs in two axis • Flexion - extension – flexion - extension – Normal: 0 - 140 degrees ± 10 degrees – forearm supination, pronation – Functional: 30 - 130 degrees Elbow Elbow
• Check for: • Forearm Pronation – supination the the • Measured from neutral of – crepitus of
– end points: painful? – Control shoulder abduction ° ° Exam Exam – Normal: pro75 sup 85
• soft - suggests soft tissue • solid- suggests bony block – Functional: pro/ sup 50° – active versus passive motion Physical Physical
13 2/14/2017 Elbow Elbow
the the
of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical
79 Jupiter et al. The Assessment and Management of the Stiff Elbow. AAOS Instructional Course Lectures, Volume 52, 2003
Physical Exam: Strength Physical Exam: Stability
• Flexion / extension & pronation/supination • Difficult to examine strength testing: – especially with painful elbow – conducted against resistance – Need relaxed patient Elbow Elbow
– forearm in neutral : key • Valgus instability assessed with: the the – humerus in full external rotation of – elbow flexed 90 degrees of
• Extension strength ~ 70% flexion strength – forearm in supination Exam Exam • Supination strength ~ 15% > pronation • Varus instability assessed with: • Dominant ~ 5 - 10% > nondominant – humerus in full internal rotation • Forces magnified ~ 10x from hand to elbow – forearm in pronation Physical Physical – Lever arm
Elbow Specific Maneuvers
1. Elbow ROM and Ulnar Nerve Subluxation Test
Elbow 2. Valgus Stress test Elbow
the the 3. Milking Maneuver of of
4. Moving Valgus Stress Test Exam Exam
Physical Physical
84 Netter FH. Atlas of Human Anatomy, 4th Edition. Elsevier, New York, NY. 2006.
14 2/14/2017
Valgus Stress Test Elbow ROM & Ulnar Nerve Subluxation Elbow Elbow
the the
of of
Exam Exam
Physical Physical Elbow
the
of
Exam
Physical
15