Partial dislocation of the head of the radius at the elbow joint. It usually occurs in preschool children under 5 years of age.
It usually appears as a consequence of an abrupt jerk of the arm, performed reflexively by an adult to prevent the child from falling, while holding the child's hand with the arm extended.
It manifests with pain in the arm that typically increases on palpation of the elbow. Typically, the arm is held with the other hand to avoid the movement that triggers the pain. The child stops moving the arm, which remains slightly flexed with the hand facing inwards and backwards.
Diagnosis is made by clinical questioning, physical examination and radiography of the upper extremity.
It is solved by manual repositioning of the elbow bones, but this requires experience, otherwise the paediatrician should be consulted to reposition the radius in the joint.
- Krul M, van der Wouden JC, Kruithof EJ, van Suijlekom-Smit LWA, Koes BW. Manipulative interventions for reducing pulled elbow in young children. Cochrane [Internet]. 2017; (7).
- UpToDate [Internet].Waltham, Massachusetts: Fields K; 2018 [actualizada el 18 de enero de 2018; acceso el 20 de febrero de 2018]. Evaluation of elbow pain in adults.
