Am I At Risk of Developing Elbow Arthritis?- Dr Andy Wee

 

What Is Elbow Arthritis?

Elbow arthritis is a type of osteoarthritis that affects the joint between the upper arm bone and two bones of the forearm. It can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the elbow joint.

What Causes Elbow Arthritis?

Elbow arthritis is caused by the wear and tear of the elbow joint over time. It can also be caused by injury to the elbow joint, such as from falling on an outstretched arm or repetitive movements like golfing or tennis playing.
The most common causes of elbow arthritis include:

• Age-related wear and tear of joints (osteoarthritis) in people aged 50 years old and above
• Repetitive trauma injuries such as falling on an outstretched arm

Who Is At Risk For Elbow Arthritis?

As you might have guessed, elbow arthritis is more common in older people. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t get it if you’re young! In fact, some people who develop the disease are as young as 20 years old.

The risk of developing elbow arthritis increases with age–particularly after age 50 or 60. Men are also more likely than women to develop the condition; this may be due to differences in body weight or muscle mass between men and women (muscle mass helps support joints).

People who perform repetitive motions with their elbows — such as athletes who play tennis or golf — are at greater risk for developing elbow arthritis because these activities put stress on the joint over time.

Diagnosis of Elbow Arthritis

The diagnosis of elbow arthritis is made by a doctor based on the following:

• Physical examination. The doctor will examine your arm and ask you to move it in certain ways. This helps him or her determine if there are any problems with the joint movement, pain when moving the arm, and stiffness in the elbow.
• Imaging tests (X-rays). These can show signs of bone damage or inflammation in the joint space between bones. X-rays also help determine if there is any arthritis present in other parts of your body such as hips or shoulders that may contribute to pain at night when sleeping on one side for long periods of time

Treatment Options for Elbow Arthritis

There are a few options for treating elbow arthritis, including:

• Non-surgical treatments. These include physical therapy and medication.
• If you have severe elbow arthritis that does not respond to non-surgical treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Prevention of Elbow Arthritis

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Avoid activities that put excessive strain on the elbow joint, such as lifting heavy objects or playing sports that require repetitive throwing motions.
• Strengthening exercises can help to reduce pain and improve range of motion in your elbow, especially if you have weak muscles around it (such as those in your forearm). For example:
  • Use an elastic band to perform wrist curls by gripping one end of the band with both hands and holding it straight out in front of you at shoulder height; then slowly bend both wrists up until they are parallel with each other before relaxing them back down again
  • Perform bicep curls by gripping dumbbells or soup cans filled with sand or water, holding them at arm’s length away from your body with palms facing forward; then bend elbows until they’re 90 degrees out from shoulders

 

Dr Andy Wee is skilled in arthroscopy of the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle, and has performed over two thousand arthroscopic procedures over the last 10 years. He has performed over a thousand ACL Recontruction and meniscus surgeries alone, and has treated many national athletes with sports related knee, shoulder and elbow injuries with arthroscopic surgery.

Interested to learn more about arthroscopic (keyhole) meniscus repair for your condition? Call us at +65 6247 7958 to make an appointment to see Dr Andy Wee today!