Elbow Arthrosis

The term arthrosis is used to describe the group of chronic degenerative diseases. These are characterized by wear and tear of the joint cartilage, which can occur on the one hand as a result of natural wear and tear during the aging process and on the other hand as a result of certain traumas. In the long term, these changes in the cartilage also affect the bone, which can lead to pain, swelling, tension and, in the worst case, to restricted movement and deformation of the joint.

In principle, such arthrosis can develop in any joint of the human body, but it is most frequently found in the hip or knee joint. Arthrosis of the elbow (elbow arthrosis) is usually the result of an accident, for example a broken elbow. Strong strain on the elbow joint over a longer period of time also promotes elbow arthrosis.

Furthermore, malpositions of the bones within the elbow joint (for example, cubitus varus and cubitus valgus) can contribute to the development of arthrosis. In general, men are affected somewhat more frequently and age is also a risk factor, since the signs of wear and tear are already more pronounced here than in younger persons. As a rule, elbow arthrosis is first noticed through pain.

At the beginning, this pain only exists from time to time for a few days and then disappears completely for a certain period of time. In the course of time, however, the pain-free episodes become increasingly rare and shorter, the pain becomes stronger and partly starts to radiate into the forearm and/or the shoulder. While these complaints initially occur almost exclusively during movement, they are eventually noticeable at rest.

Characteristically for an elbow arthrosis, there is also a stiffness of the joints, which is particularly noticeable in the morning. A restriction of the mobility of the elbow joint can occur when small pieces of bone or cartilage become detached in the course of advanced arthrosis and are present freely in the joint. The restriction of movement is also promoted by the frequent swelling of the elbow.

In many patients, a classic crunching sound can also be heard during movements in the joint. In most cases, the diagnosis of elbow arthrosis can be made relatively reliably by means of X-rays, since the X-rays can show very typical changes. The appropriate therapy of an elbow arthrosis always consists of two pillars.

On the one hand the pain should be treated with medication. Painkillers from the antirheumatic group (non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs: NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, are particularly effective in this clinical picture. These not only relieve the pain, but also counteract any inflammatory reaction in the joint.

In addition, physiotherapeutic measures are of particular importance in osteoarthritis. It is important for the patient to find a good middle ground by not moving and loading the joint excessively, but still sufficiently. For this reason, exercises should at least initially always be performed under the supervision of a doctor or physiotherapist.

It is advisable to train the muscles of the forearm through special exercises in order to stabilize the joint and support it in its movements. For this purpose, aids such as ligaments, grip devices or therapy balls can be used. In the case of an acute relapse, it can also be useful to cool the painful joint.

Only if all these measures fail to improve the pain even after a long period of time and the elbow joint has still not regained its full range of motion, or if there are very pronounced deformities, should surgery be performed. An operation can be performed open or by arthroscopy. Depending on the findings, the cartilage surface is smoothed, the joint surfaces are cleaned, loose fragments of cartilage or bone tissue are removed and/or adhesions are loosened. In extreme cases, as with any other joint, the elbow joint can be removed and replaced by a prosthesis. Due to the different treatment options for elbow arthrosis, almost all patients can achieve a considerable reduction of symptoms and often even freedom from symptoms.