The elbow in sport : injury, treatment, and rehabilitation

Focusing on overuse elbow injuries, this text aims to give sports medicine and rehabilitation professionals the information they need to rehabilitate the athletic elbow. The authors share their experience of years of treating elbow injuries in professional athletes. They present an approach that focuses on treating the elbow as part of the whole arm strength rehabilitative programme. The book describes: the autonomy and biomechanics of the elbow, the aetiology of common overuse elbow injuries; normal anatomical adaptations of the elbow in athletes; diagnostic tests used to evaluate elbow injuries; the main components of the clinical examination; and rehabilitation concepts for the elbow. Providing an understanding of elbow injuries, the text describes specific rehabilitation methods to treat the five most common overuse elbow injuries: humeral (lateral and medical) epicondilitis; osteochondral injury (osteophytes/loose bodies); ulnar nerve dysfunction (neuritis); ulnar collateral ligament; and growth plate injury. Descriptions of surgical interventions help to enhance understanding of postoperative symptoms and guide subsequent rehabilitation. The book also contains case studies and specific rehabilitation protocols as well as interval return programmes for tennis, baseball (throwing) and golf.