- WIPE, blah blah 🙂
- “Take vital signs”
- Position: anatomical position
- Proper exposure: of both upper limbs
- General inspection of the pt and surroundings (walking aids)
- Look:
- Front:
- Carrying angle (15°)
- Varus\valgus deformities
- Muscle wasting
- Sides:
- Scars
- Swelling \ cysts
- Olecranon bursitis
- Limited \ hyper-extension
- Back:
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Gouty tophi
- Psoriatic plaques
- Front:
- Feel: (first ask pt if they have pain?)
- Temperature
- Elbow joint: epicondyles, radial head, ulnar olecranon process
- Comment on tenderness and bony\soft swelling
- Move:
- Active + passive + against resistance: flexion, extension, pronation, supination
- Special tests:
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): flex elbow 90° + pronate + extend wrist against resistance
- Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis): passively extend and supinate elbow + extend wrist
- Valgus\Varus stress test: flex elbow 30°
- Tinel’s sign (cubital tunnel syndrome): tap ulnar N. near medial epicondyle + ask if there’s pain\tingling in the ulnar N distribution (medial 1 and 1\2 fingers)
- Neurovascular:
- Pulses
- Reflexes
- Joint above + joint below
Download the PDF version: here