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Bicep Tendon Repair
Bicep tendon repair is needed when the tendons attaching the bicep muscle to the arm are torn. The tendons can tear at the shoulder or the elbow. When the tear occurs at the shoulder, other parts of the shoulder can be damaged including the rotator cuff tendons.
Often referred to as a bicep tear, this condition is most commonly associated with weight lifters, but can also occur as a result of injury from falling hard on an outstretched arm or lifting something too heavy. The tendons may also just wear out and fray over time due to age or repetitive overhead sports including swimming and tennis.
Biceps tendon tears can be either partial or complete.
Partial tears do not completely sever the tendon. Complete tears split the tendon into two pieces.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- an immediate sharp pain in the bicep near your elbow, followed by bicep muscle weakness, stiffness and bruising.
- an audible snap or pop
- sudden loss of arm function, difficulty in turning the palm up or down
- a bulge on the bicep
Treatment
Treatment include:
- physical Therapy
- surgery -Several new procedures have been developed that repair the tendon with minimal incisions. The goal of the surgery is to re-anchor the torn tendon back to the bone at the shoulder or elbow. Sometimes the tendon is attached with stitches through holes drilled in the bone. Other times, small metal implants are used to attach the tendon to the bone.
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Elbow Scope
Arthroscopy is a minimally-invasive diagnostic and treatment procedure used for conditions of a joint. Originally, arthroscopy was a diagnostic tool only, used primarily for planning a standard open surgery. However, because of the development of new instruments and advanced surgical techniques, many conditions can also be treated with arthroscopic surgery.
The following are the conditions most frequently discovered during an arthroscopic procedure:
- inflammation (including in the lining of the synovium in ankle)
- pieces of loose bone and/or cartilage in the ankle
- bone spurs
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- pain
- swelling
- mechanical symptoms – locking, grinding, popping sounds in joint
Treatment
Arthroscopic surgeries involve the following:
- a general, local, or spinal anesthetic is administered
- a small incision is made in the patient's skin
- the arthroscope is inserted through the incision
- other incisions may be made to introduce other small grasping, probing, or cutting tools
- light is transmitted via fiber optics at the end of the arthroscope
- information about the interior of the joint is transmitted to a screen
- corrective surgery, if necessary, may be performed during the initial diagnostic procedure
- dressings or bandages may be applied to the post-operative area
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Humerus Fracture
A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone. When a fracture occurs, it is classified as either open or closed:
- open fracture - the bone exits and is visible through the skin, or where a deep wound exposes the bone through the skin
- closed fracture - the bone is broken, but the skin is intact
Fractures occur when there is more force applied to the bone than the bone can absorb. Bones are weakest when they are twisted. Breaks in bones can occur from falls, trauma, or as a result of a direct blow or kick to the body.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
The following are the most common symptoms of a fracture:
- pain in the injured area
- swelling in the injured area
- obvious deformity in the injured area
- difficulty using or moving the injured area in a normal manner
- warmth, bruising, or redness in the injured area
Treatment
Treatment may include:
- splint/cast
- medication (to control pain)
- traction
- surgery
Surgery may be required to put certain types of broken bones back into place. Occasionally, internal fixation (metal rods or pins located inside the bone) or external fixation devices (metal rods or pins located outside of the body) are used to hold the bone fragments in place to allow alignment and healing.
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Internal Fixation / Elbow Fracture
An elbow fracture is a break that involves 1 or more of the 3 arm bones that come together to form the elbow (olecranon). The fracture can be caused by a direct blow, by landing on the elbow in a fall, or in a motor vehicle accident. An indirect fracture can also occur by landing on the wrist with the elbow in a locked position.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Sudden, intense pain
- Swelling of the joint or in the area immediately above or below
- Inability to straighten elbow
- Bruising and tenderness
- Numbness or a cool sensation in the forearm, hand or fingers
Treatment
Surgery is usually required, especially when the fracture is compound, or open, where one or more of the bones have come through the skin
The surgeon will typically make an incision over the back of the elbow and then use different materials to help keep the bones back in place.
These include:
- pins/wires
- screws only
- plates and screws
- sutures ("stitches") in the bone or tendons
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Tennis Elbow
Lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow, is characterized by pain on the outside (lateral side) of the elbow. The pain is caused by damage to the tendons that bend the wrist backward away from the palm. Tennis elbow, as the name implies, can be caused by the repetitive force of the tennis racket hitting balls in the backhand position. The forearm muscles, which attach to the outside of the elbow, may become sore from excessive strain.
But it can also be caused by other repetitive motions, including
- gripping, lifting
- acute injury (heavy lifting)
- gardening
- typing
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- pain may be felt along the outside of the forearm and elbow
- the pain may increase down to the wrist, even at rest, if the person continues the activity that causes the condition
- pain may also persist when the arm and hand are placed palm-down on a table and the person tries to raise the hand against resistance
Treatment
Treatment for tennis elbow includes stopping the activity that produces the symptoms and also may include:
- ice pack application (to reduce inflammation)
- strengthening exercises
- anti-inflammatory medications
- bracing
- corticosteroid injections
- surgery
Surgery for tennis elbow may involve:
- cutting (releasing) the tendon
- removing inflamed tissue from the tendon
- epairing (reattaching) tendon tears
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Tommy John Surgery
Tommy John surgery, or ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a torn ligament in the elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body (often from the forearm, hamstring, knee, or foot). The procedure is common among collegiate and professional athletes in several sports, most notably baseball.
In the elbow, the ulnar (collateral and the lateral collateral ligaements connect the humerus to the ulna and keep it tightly in place as it slides through the groove at the end of the humerus. These ligaments are the main source of stability for the elbow. They can be torn when there is an injury or dislocation of the elbow. If they do not heal correctly the elbow can be too loose or unstable. The ulnar collateral ligament can also be damaged by overuse and repetitive stress, such as the throwing motion.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- pain in the elbow during and after throwing activities.
- numbness and tingling in the hand due to stretching of the ulnar nerve at the elbow.
- a popping sound heard when making a pitch
Treatment
The surgery is named after Tommy John, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who was the first professional athlete to successfully undergo the operation in 1974.
Using the athletes own tissue (autograft), a ligament is reconstructed and woven in a figure-eight pattern through tunnels that have been drilled in the ulna and humerus bones Many times during reconstruction, the ulnar nerve will need to be moved in an effort to keep it from being irritated during throwing. This tissue is then secured in the bone with either screws or sutures depending on the surgical method employed.
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Ulna Fracture
A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone. When a fracture occurs, it is classified as either open or closed:
- open fracture - the bone exits and is visible through the skin, or where a deep wound exposes the bone through the skin
- closed fracture - the bone is broken, but the skin is intact
Fractures occur when there is more force applied to the bone than the bone can absorb. Bones are weakest when they are twisted. Breaks in bones can occur from falls, trauma, or as a result of a direct blow or kick to the body
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- pain in the injured area
- swelling in the injured area
- obvious deformity in the injured area
- difficulty using or moving the injured area in a normal manner
- warmth, bruising, or redness in the injured area
Treatment
Treatment may include:
- splint/cast (immobilizes the injured area to promote bone alignment and healing to protect the injured area from motion or use)
- medication (to control pain)
- traction
Traction is the application of a force to stretch certain parts of the body in a specific direction. Traction consists or pulleys, strings, weights, and a metal frame attached over or on the bed. The purpose of traction is to stretch the muscles and tendons around the broken bone to allow the bone ends to align and heal.
- surgery
Surgery may be required to put certain types of broken bones back into place. Occasionally, internal fixation (metal rods or pins located inside the bone) or external fixation devices (metal rods or pins located outside of the body) are used to hold the bone fragments in place to allow alignment and healing.
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.