19 May Did you know that swinging a toddler by their hands can dislocate their elbows? 

Did you know that swinging a toddler by their hands can dislocate their elbows? 

The forearm is made up of two long bones called the radius and ulna bones. The radius bone is along the thumb side of the forearm, while the ulna bone is along the little finger side of the forearm. A strong, stretchy band called a ligament normally holds the radius bone in place, but after a fall or a sudden pull, the ligament can be overstretched and the radius bone partially slips out from underneath the ligament, resulting in a “pulled elbow” or a dislocated elbow. 

A dislocated elbow is a common injury among children under the age of five. It is caused by a sudden pull on a child’s lower arm or wrist, for example when a child is lifted up by one arm. It can also happen when a child falls. In most cases, when the elbow is dislocated, the child will cry immediately after the sudden pull, and not use the injured arm at all. Their arm may simply hang by their side.

If you think that your child has a dislocated elbow, you should seek immediate medical treatment from a GP or at a hospital emergency department.  The longer the elbow has been out of place, the more painful  and difficult it is to put it back into place, and the longer it takes to fully recover. A dislocated elbow will not cause any long-term damage to your child if treated promptly and appropriately.

Some children are more likely than others to get a dislocated elbow. It can happen more than once, and it may occur several times in children who have particularly loose joints or low muscle tone.

Prevention is always better than cure, so DON’T pick up or swing your child by the lower arms or wrists and teach others the correct way to pick up your child by placing their hands under your child’s armpits around their chests.

If you have any concerns about your child after a fall, if you notice your child is not moving their arms naturally, reach out to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists at My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio. 

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