How a sprained elbow occurs
Whether it’s from throwing something too hard one too many times, banging the elbow against a hard surface, or just sleeping on it the wrong way, a sprained elbow can often put a stop to most of our daily activities, with pain to boot.
Before treating such an issue, it’s important to make sure you know the problem. Sprained elbows usually have some or all of the following symptoms:
- Mild to moderate pain in the elbow itself.
- Reduced range of motion. You find bending and straightening the elbow difficult and painful.
- Swelling, bruising and redness.
- A popping sound when moving the elbow, often accompanied by discomfort.
Most elbow sprains are minor to moderate. However, if you have increasingly severe pain, distinct swelling, loss of feeling in the arm, severe discolouration, or complete immobility of the joint, seek immediate medical help. These are signs that your elbow may be seriously injury.
Treating a sprained elbow
An elbow sprain occurs when the muscles in and around the joint become overstrained, leading to pain, inflammation, swelling and reduced mobility.
The principles of RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) are by far the most effective at treating these injuries.
However, there are specific ways to apply each method to get the best recovery for the elbow itself, both for treating it now and preventing it in the future.
Step 1: Rest
Even though it’s not used directly often, the elbow is indirectly involved in almost every movement of the hand.
For this reason, resting the elbow means avoiding the use of the entire arm. Where possible, use the other hand, but put a bandage or wrap around your wrist to remind yourself of the injury when you go to use that hand.
Step 2: Ice
Icing the elbow itself is a great way to reduce swelling and inflammation, especially within the first few hours of injury.
However, using ice packs or a cold compress can help for up to two weeks after a sprain in managing the symptoms.
EpiTrain Elbow Brace
Step 3: Compress
Compression is one of the best ways to manage muscle pain and inflammation while speeding up the recovery process.
Using bandages or a sleeve can help relieve these symptoms; however, medical—grade compression has been clinically shown to be much more effective in this regard.
Step 4: Elevate
When resting it, try and keep the elbow raised up on a higher arm rest or benchtop. This will help reduce inflammation and swelling, minimising pain and helping recover the joint, especially at the end of the day.
