Arm Injuries and Disorders Introduction Your arms are made up of muscles, joints, tendons and other connective tissue. There are many injuries and disorders that can affect the arm. Some arm injuries and disorders may be treated at home. Others require medical treatment. Treatment for arm injuries and disorders depends on the problem. It may include medicines, surgery or other treatments. This reference summary explains common injuries and disorders that affect the arm. It also talks about treatment options. The Arm Three bones are a part of the arm. These include the: Humerus. Radius. Ulna. The humerus is the long bone in the upper arm. It extends from the shoulder to the elbow. The radius and ulna are two large bones in the lower arm, or forearm. The radius runs from the elbow to the wrist. It ends at the wrist, on the side of the thumb. The ulna also runs from the elbow to the wrist. It ends at the wrist, on the side of the pinky finger. Ulna Radius Humerus Muscles and tendons help the arm move. All muscles are made of an elastic tissue. Small fibers make up each muscle. Tendons are the tough cords of tissue that attach muscles to bones. They push and pull the bones in different ways. This helps the bones move. 1
Many ligaments surround the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. Ligaments are tough tissues that connect one bone to another. Ligaments stabilize and support joints. A material called cartilage covers the ends of the bones in the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. It keeps the bones from rubbing against each other during motion. There is a little bag containing a small amount of fluid called synovium between the two pieces of cartilage in a joint. Cartilage and synovium allow for smooth, painless motion in any given joint. A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion between a bone and other moving body parts. They are lined with synovial membranes. General Symptoms Symptoms of arm injuries and disorders depend on the problem. The most common symptom is pain in the arm or hand. Other common symptoms of arm injuries and disorders are: Bruising. Difficulty moving the arm. Inability to move your hand or fingers. Swelling or weakness in the wrist or elbow. Some arm injuries and disorders may also cause: Pain. Feeling of a pop or tear. Numbness in the arm, hand or fingers. Redness or tenderness at a joint. Stiff, achy joints. Visible deformity of the arm. Arm injuries and disorders can cause other symptoms as well. If you notice any of these symptoms or other changes, talk to your health care provider. Tendinitis and Bursitis Tendinitis and bursitis are common conditions. They cause swelling around muscles and bones. They commonly affect the shoulders, elbows and wrists. Tendons and bursae are found throughout your body, including the arm. Tendinitis happens when one of your tendons becomes inflamed. Bursitis happens when one of your bursae becomes inflamed. 2
Tendinitis and bursitis are usually caused by overuse. They also can be caused by repeated injury to a certain area or direct injury to a joint. People who perform activities that require repetitive motions or that place stress on joints are at higher risk for tendinitis and bursitis. Inflammation of a tendon or bursa may also be caused by: Arthritis. Diabetes. Infection. Thyroid disease. Treatment focuses on healing the injured tendon or bursa. The first step is to reduce pain and inflammation. This is done with rest, compression and elevation. Anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen can also help. Your health care provider may advise you to limit the amount of activity involving the affected joint to help with healing and to prevent further injury. Severe cases of tendinitis or bursitis may be treated with: Steroid injections around the injured area. Iontophoresis. Therapeutic ultrasound. Surgery. Iontophoresis uses an electrical current to push the medicine through the skin, directly over the inflamed tendon or bursa. Therapeutic ultrasound is a type of physical therapy in which sound waves are used to massage certain tissues. It warms deep tissues and can improve blood flow. If there is still no improvement or if a tendon is completely torn, surgery may be needed to repair the damage. After surgery, an exercise program is needed to strengthen surrounding muscles to prevent repeat injury. 3
Sprains and Fractures The arm can be injured in many ways, including sprains and fractures. A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones at a joint. There are many ligaments in the arm that may become sprained. Many things can cause a sprain. Falling, twisting or getting hit can force a joint out of its normal position. This can cause ligaments around the joint to stretch or tear. Sprains can happen if people: Experience a sudden blow to a joint. Fall on their arm. Twist the arm. Some people are at greater risk of getting a sprain. These people: Are overweight. Are in poor physical condition. Do not properly warm-up before being physically active. Have a history of sprains. Treatment of sprains depends on the severity of the injury. It usually involves: Resting the injured area. Icing it. Wearing a bandage or device that compresses the area. Using medicines. Later treatment for sprains might include exercise and physical therapy. Exercise helps to prevent stiffness and to increase strength. Physical therapy helps strengthen the injured area to make it more stable. A fracture happens when any one of the bones in the body breaks. Fractures may affect the bones in the arm. A broken arm can involve any of the 3 bones in your arm. These include the ulna, radius and humerus. 4
Fractures can happen at the same time as sprains in the arm. You can fracture the arm by: A direct blow to the arm, wrist or elbow. Being in a car accident or other trauma. Falling onto an outstretched arm or hand. In children, a broken arm may also be a sign of child abuse. Some fractures are very severe. They need surgery to reset them. Others can be fixed without surgery. You may need to keep the arm in one position and not allow it to move to help with healing. This is called immobilization. To help with this immobilization, the arm is put in a splint or cast. Casts are sturdier than splints. They are made of plaster or a synthetic material. Your bones may not be lined up properly. Your health care provider will move them before putting your arm in a splint or a cast. This may necessitate an operation. You may need to use a sling to support your arm while it heals. When the arm is healed, the splint or cast will be removed. You will likely need physical therapy for a few weeks or longer to help regain strength in the injured arm. Dislocations Dislocations are joint injuries that force the ends of your bones out of position. The cause is often a fall or a blow. These can happen while playing a contact sport. Other causes of dislocations include: A direct blow to a joint. Trauma to the joint, such as during a car accident. Dislocated joints often are swollen. They can be painful and visibly out of place. You may not be able to move the joint. A dislocated joint is an emergency. If you think you may have one, seek medical attention right away. 5
Treatment for a dislocation depends on which joint you dislocate. It also depends on the severity of the injury. It might include: Moving your bones back into place. Medicine. A splint or sling. Rehabilitation. When properly repositioned, a joint will usually work and move normally again in a few weeks or longer. Wearing protective gear during sports may help prevent dislocations. Avoid tripping hazards and slippery surfaces. Arthritis Arthritis is a very common condition. It happens when the cartilage and the synovium in joints is inflamed or destroyed. Arthritis in the wrist, elbow and shoulder can cause arm pain. There are many types of arthritis that can affect these joints. Osteoarthritis is due to chronic wear and tear. It is more common in older people. Osteoarthritis happens due to repetitive use of the joints. Repetitive use of the joints leads to wear and tear on the cartilage in the joint. Grinding and crackling sounds come from affected joints when they move. Post-traumatic arthritis is due to trauma to a joint. Trauma may happen during a car accident, sports injury or other types of trauma. If the synovium in a joint becomes inflamed, it and the underlying joint could end up being destroyed. This destruction can happen in rheumatoid arthritis. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system of the body attacks the synovium of the joint. This destroys the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis appears to run in some families. There is no cure for most types of arthritis. Arthritis can be slowed and controlled with various medicines that decrease inflammation in the body. Physical therapy may be used to keep joints affected by arthritis in shape. Splints are commonly used to prevent, slow down or make up for joint deformities. If other treatments do not work, surgery to fuse or replace joints may stop deformation and increase use of the joint. 6
Summary Your arms are made up of muscles, joints, tendons and other connective tissue. There are many injuries and disorders that can affect the arm, including: Tendinitis and bursitis. Sprains and fractures. Dislocations. Arthritis. Symptoms of arm injuries and disorders depend on the problem. The most common symptom is pain in the arm or hand. Other common symptoms of arm injuries and disorders are: Bruising. Difficulty moving the arm. Inability to move your hand or fingers. Swelling or weakness in the wrist or elbow. Some arm injuries and disorders may be treated at home. Others require medical treatment. Treatment for arm injuries and disorders depends on the problem. It may include medicines, surgery or other treatments. 7