of the elbow. This can lead to tearing of tendons and ligaments. Sometimes, small pieces of bone can break off. This may affect how the bone grows. Surgery may be needed if a piece of bone breaks or if a ligament is torn. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Allow your injury to heal before you do slow movements.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop your arm on pillows to help with swelling.
- Compression ¢ ˆ ’ An ACE wrap can be wrapped lightly around the injured area for support and to ease swelling.
- Brace or neoprene sleeve for support and swelling
- Exercises
What follow-up care is needed?
The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits. The doctor may send your child to physical therapy. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Children younger than 18 should not take aspirin. This can lead to a very bad health problem. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
Your child may need to rest for a while. Your child should not do physical activity that makes the health problem worse. Your child should not do any pitching if there is any pain at the elbow. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- There are guidelines on how many pitches a child should throw in a week. Be sure to count all pitches in a game and practice for the weekly limit. These guidelines come from the U.S.A. Little League and the American Sports Medicine Institute.
- 7 to 8 years old: 50 pitches a day or 75 pitches a week
- 9 to 10 years old: 75 pitches a day or 100 pitches a week
- 11 to 12 years old: 85 pitches a day or 115 pitches a week
- 13 to 16 years old: 95 pitches a day
- 17 to 18 years old: 105 pitches a day
- Warm up slowly. Start with tosses or soft throws first and then slowly add to the speed.
- Work with a trained pitching coach to make sure your child is not putting too much stress on the inside of the elbow.
- Players should take 3 months off each year from sports like baseball and volleyball. They have a lot of overhead arm movements.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Pain or swelling gets worse
- Health problem is not better or your child is feeling worse
Helpful tips
Using ice after an activity may help lower pain and swelling. Never ice before stretching. ‚
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my child's pain.
- I can tell you how many pitches it is safe for my child to throw.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has more pain or swelling.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00328 ‚
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine ‚
http://www.sportsmed.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Patient/Sports_Tips/ST%20Baseball%2009.pdf ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚