Nursemaids Elbow
What is a Nursemaid’s Elbow?
Nursemaid elbow is a common elbow injury, especially among young children and toddlers. It occurs when a child’s elbow is pulled and one of the bones partially dislocates, giving it another name, “pulled elbow.”
This may be also referred to it as a radial head subluxation. The injury is not often seen in kids older than 5 or 6. That’s because as children grow, their bones harden and the ligaments get tighter and thicker. This helps keep the elbow firmly in place.
Mechanism of Injury
- Catch a child by the hand to stop a fall
- Lift a child up by the hands or wrists
- Pull a child’s arm through a jacket sleeve
- Swing a child by the arms or hands
- Yank on a child’s arm to make him or her walk faster
Sometimes nursemaid’s elbow may happen if:
- An infant rolls over onto the arm
- A child uses the hands to brace himself or herself during a fall
Signs and Symptoms
- Pain or inability when attempting to use the arm
- Limited ROM
- No swelling or bruising is noted
Imaging
- XR will determine if the radial head is dislocated or if an underlying fracture is present.
Treatment
- Reduction is advised to relocated the radial head
- Supination and flexion of the elbow as demonstrated in the photo
- Child should begin to use the arm normally within 10-15 minutes of reduction
