Elbow

Elbow treatments

Elbow problems can disrupt even the simplest tasks. At One Health, we focus on giving you the expertise, treatment, and ongoing support to regain your freedom of movement and reduce your pain.

Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain or restricted movement, our experts use advanced techniques and modern treatments to help you regain your quality of life. This page explains more about our elbow treatments, so you’ll understand what to expect.

Common conditions

Elbow problems can result from injury, overuse, or wear and tear. By combining modern technology with our knowledge, we can diagnose conditions and decide on the most suitable treatment path.

We diagnose, manage, and treat a variety of elbow conditions, including tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, trauma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Popular treatments

We offer modern surgical procedures so you can return to your regular activities. The treatments we offer include:

• Elbow replacement for arthritis and degenerative diseases
• Elbow replacement for someone following a bad injury or trauma

Preparation

When you have an elbow replacement, you should arrange transport to and from the hospital leading up to the operation, as you won’t be able to drive afterwards. You might also give friends or family notice of the operation so they can book time off, as you may need someone to help with daily tasks.

You should pack any medicines you’re taking, toiletries, nightwear, and comfortable clothing to bring to the hospital. The day before your operation, you can eat and drink as usual. On the day of your operation, you may be able to have an early morning drink, but you must check this with your healthcare team. You must not smoke after midnight on the day of the operation.

Risks and complications  

As with any surgery, elbow surgery has risks and can lead to complications. You should always discuss the specific risks with your surgeon.

Risks can include:

• Infection in the joint or the wound. The risk is low, but if your elbow becomes more painful, swollen, red, or oozing, or you have a fever, contact your outpatient department
• There is a low risk of nerve injury, which can cause pins and needles, weakness, or reduced sensation in the hand
• Bleeding during surgery
• A haematoma. This often resolves on its own. If it doesn’t, you may require a small operation to remove it to avoid infection
• Bones around the elbow may break after or during surgery. Further surgery may be needed to resolve this
• Implant failure
• Stiff elbow joint and reduced movement
• Ongoing pain

Recovering from Elbow Treatments

Elbow treatment recovery times vary. However, the wound should heal, and the swelling subside within two weeks.

Recovery includes post-operative care. Following the surgery, you may have a numb arm. When the local anaesthetic wears off, it’s important to take medication to keep the pain under control. Pain relief will help you move the elbow joint and perform your physiotherapy exercises.

The wound will in a waterproof dressing when you leave the hospital. You’ll be given spare dressings to take home. These are removed around 10-14 days after your operation. Wearing a sling in the first two weeks can help aid recovery and make you more comfortable, though you don’t need to wear this all the time.