Elbow Objective assessment

             
            bjective assessment

HIV
nocturnal pain/ drop attacks/
speaking/ swallowing problem
dizziness
cancer/ inflammatory arthritis
TB
weight loss/ fevers
less than 20/ more than 55
double vision
severe pain
spinal cord compression
significant vertebral tenderness
elbow trauma/ surgery
preceding trauma or elbow surgery
bladder/bowel incontinence
loss of feeling in both legs

Please seek medical help if any of the above apply or else confirm that you have checked that none do.


Has there been a recent accident, fall or trauma?


Has there been an onset of pain following frequent lifting or twisting the arm?


Is there a deformity anywhere?


Is the patient over 60 and affected by increased global joint swelling?


Feel the outside of the elbow, is it painful?


Feel the inside of the elbow, is it painful?


Is increased muscle tension evident?


Are there any pins and needles or numbness?


Lightly touch both arms, does it feel the same both sides?


Pick up skin and roll it between fingers…does it feel painful and tight?


Resist flexion of the wrist, is it painful?


Is there a bulge in the middle of the bicep region?


Resist extension of the wrist, is it painful?


Is there any obvious bony deformity and bruising?


Is there an obvious swelling on the bony back of the elbow?

Clinical guide (print-out version)

1. Has there been a recent accident, fall or trauma?
No = go to 2; Yes = go to 3;

2. Has there been an onset of pain following frequent lifting or twisting the arm?
No = go to 4; Yes = go to 3;

3.Is there a deformity anywhere?
No = go to 5; Yes = 12

4. Is the patient over 60 and affected by increased global joint swelling?
No = go to 5; Yes = Osteoarthritis;

5. Feel the outside of the elbow, is it painful?
No = go to 6; Yes = go to 13;

6. Feel the inside of the elbow, is it painful?
No = go to 7; Yes = go to 11;

7. Is increased muscle tension evident?
No = go to 8; Yes = go to 10;

8. Are there any pins and needles or numbness?
No = go to 10; Yes = go to 9;

9. Lightly touch both arms, does it feel the same both sides?
No = go to 10; Yes = Nerve compression

10. Pick up skin and roll it between fingers…does it feel painful and tight?
No = go to 11; Yes = Myofascial tightness;

11. Resist flexion of the wrist, is it painful?
No = go to 15; Yes = Golfer's elbow;

12. Is there a bulge in the middle of the bicep region?
No = go to 14; Yes = Biceps rupture

13. Resist extension of the wrist, is it painful?
No = go to 6; Yes = Tennis elbow;

14. Is there any obvious bony deformity and bruising?
No = go to 15 Yes = Elbow fracture

15. Is there an obvious swelling on the bony back of the elbow?
No = END Yes = Olecranon bursitis;