Types of Elbow Sports Injuries

Athletes use their bodies as part of the job. A healthy elbow is needed in most sports for throwing, hitting, swinging and catching. Unfortunately, injuries happen that could limit an athlete's prowess.

  1. Types

    • The elbow can suffer injuries of different types and degrees. These include bursitis, fractures, numbness and tingling, tendinitis and torn ligaments.

    Prevention

    • Prevention depends on the sport, but there are tips that can be followed no matter what you're playing. For example, tennis elbow is caused by repetitive stress on muscles and tendons, according to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM). The society recommends choosing and maintaining the appropriate equipment, conditioning for the sport by stretching and strengthening the muscles used and warming up before playing.

    Identification

    • Identifying the nature of the injury differs from sport to sport, but pain is universal. See a doctor or trainer if your elbow hurts, even if the pain is minor. Other symptoms are bruising, loss of motion, redness and swelling,

    Expert Insight

    • A 2002 study by the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) showed a correlation between the number of pitches thrown in youth baseball and the risk of elbow and shoulder pain, according to the USA Baseball Medical and Safety Advisory Committee. In November 2008, the committee made recommendations for the number of pitches a youth player should throw per game, week, season and year.

    Fun Fact

    • The ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction used to repair a torn elbow ligament is often called Tommy John surgery after the former major league baseball pitcher on whom it was first performed by Frank Jobe in 1974.