Common Sports Injury

Common Sports Injury Assignment

Body Area: Elbow

Objective: Students will be able to identify common terminology and treatments for sports injuries in a given body area.

Assignment: Students will locate a common sports injury that pertains to the current body area being studied. In your description include type of tissue (muscle/ligament) and/or bone involved using correct anatomical terminology for body parts and location. Utilize as much of the anatomical terminology that you have had experience with to this point. State weather the injury is acute or chronic.

Reference: Here are some good places to start -

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sportsinjuries.html

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/alphainjurylist.htm

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/

INJURY – Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

General Description (what muscles, ligaments, bones are involved in the injury?) –

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is caused by increased pressure on the ulnar nerve. It is the second most common peripheral never entrapment syndrome in the human body. The cubital tunnel is a fixed passageway in the elbow that protects the ulnar nerve. The roof of the cubital tunnel is padded with a soft tissue called fascia. The ulnar nerve runs underneath the medial epicondyle and the olecranon. This gap is called the cubital tunnel retinaculum. In order to allow movement in the elbow, the ulnar nerve needs to both stretch and slide through the cubital tunnel. This nerve is the most unprotected nerve in the human body. The ulnar nerve is responsible for the “funny bone” sensation. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome involves tearing or inflammation of the ulnar nerve. The pressure that causes Cubital Tunnel Syndrome can be develope...

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...e therapies are less invasive. Less severe cases of Cubital Tunnel therapy includes: avoidance of using the elbow, wearing a protective elbow pad across the olecranon, or wearing a splint during sleep. If nerve splinting doesn’t help, 85% of patients recover from some form of surgery. Surgeries like, shifting the ulnar nerve, moving the nerve under fat or muscle, and trimming the medical epicondyle, release the pressure put on the ulnar nerve. Recovery from these surgeries is fairly quick. Other treatments include medications. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce swelling. Corticosteroid injections are used to relieve inflammation and pressure on the ulnar nerve. Heat, cold, and ultrasound are beneficial to reduce the stress of repetitive exercises. If treatments like medications and physical therapy do not lessen the pain, the doctor will suggest surgery .