The elbow is colloquially referred to as the region between the upper arm and forearm, where, in addition to important nerve tracts and vessels, the elbow joint is located. An elbow fracture is a fracture of the elbow joint, or the adjacent structures. The term is not clearly defined medically.
In practice, however, in most cases it is a fracture of the olecranon, the hard, bony extension of the ulna. The olecranon describes the end section of the ulna (or ulna), and is considered the hardest and most stable bone in the body. Nevertheless, a fracture of the olecranon can occur after traffic or sports accidents, for example, due to its exposed position.
The olecranon is of particular importance because this is where the tendon of the triceps muscle starts. We need the triceps to stretch the arm in the elbow joint, among other things. If you sit up in an armchair, you need triceps on both sides and are dependent on an intact olecranon.
Causes
The causes of an elbow fracture can be varied and depend on the age of the patient. In almost all cases of younger patients, the fractures are caused by traffic accidents or sports accidents. The elbow is considered to be one of the hardest bones on the body next to the knee, which many martial arts take advantage of.
However, our bones are not made of reinforced concrete, and an unfavorable load, such as a fall on the outstretched arm, can lead to the Olecranon being blown off. While in this case the fracture extends across the entire width of the ulna, a fall on the bent elbow is more likely to result in invoicing, or “shattering” of the olecranon. In all cases, the elbow joint itself may also be affected and result in a restriction of mobility.
Just as sports and traffic accidents are typical for young patients, simple falls on the elbow are the rule for older patients. The causes are then usually multifactorial: reduced vision, taking medication, and general circulatory weakness lead to more falls in old age. As the bone structure changes with age and osteoporosis is not uncommon, bones break much more easily than in younger years. Although the statistics are led by the classic femoral neck fracture, the elbow fracture after a fall is not uncommon in old age. Therefore, in old age it is especially important to remove any possible stumbling blocks in the home and to make sure that the medication is properly adjusted.