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PROLOTHERAPY TREATMENT OF ELBOW LIGAMENT INJURY
Ross A. Hauser, M.D.
One of the most common
sports injuries that is seen at
Caring
Medical in Oak Park, Illinois is elbow
ligament laxity. By
laxity, I mean, the ligament is no longer able to stabilize the
elbow. The ligament that stabilizes the elbow on the lateral
side is the lateral collateral ligament, also known as the
radial collateral ligament. This ligament attaches to the
annular ligament. The
annular ligament wraps around the
radius. The medial aspect of the elbow is stabilized by the
medial collateral ligament, also known as the ulna collateral
ligament. When these ligaments are injured chronic
elbow pain,
weakness, and a decrease in athletic performance occur.
ELBOW LIGAMENT INJURY IN SPORTS
Any sport that puts significant force on the elbow has the
potential to cause injury. The most common sport to injure the
lateral collateral ligament (radial collateral ligament) is tennis.
Unfortunately, most tennis players with elbow pain are diagnosed
with
tennis elbow and given
cortisone shots. Tennis
elbow pertains to the attachments of the
wrist extensor muscles
and not the ligaments. For the person with unresolved lateral
elbow pain, a visit to a
Prolotherapist is warranted.
The annular ligament and radial collateral ligament- it is palpation of this area that elicits the positive jump sign when I examine people with lateral elbow pain.
Prolotherapy to this area causes the ligaments to tighten,
strengthen, and once again stabilize the area. This causes a
renewed strengthening in the area giving the athlete more
power. For the tennis player not only power in the forehand but
also in the back hand.
Any throwing motion whether it be the javelin, shot put,
football or baseball put tremendous forces on the inside or
medial aspect of the elbow. This is sometimes misdiagnosed as "golfer's elbow" which is injury to the muscle attachments of
the wrist flexor muscles. Prolotherapy to
the area causes a mild healing
inflammatory reaction. This
eventually causes the ligament to thicken and strengthen. For
pitchers, it means no more pain with throwing. It is common for
pitchers to note a bump of 5 10 mph on their fast ball.
PROLOTHERAPY TO RESOLVE CHRONIC
ELBOW INSTABILITY
The allopathic or traditional medical approach to chronic elbow
ligament sprains is surgery to help stabilize the area. The
problem with this approach is it is very unpredictable and the
rehabilitation time is almost always over a year.
Most chronic elbow instabilities are because the ligament
involved is stretched out. Prolotherapy can easily cause the
ligament to tighten. For the athlete in a hurry, Prolotherapy
can be done every 1-2 weeks for a few visits and then typically
the throwing motion can be started again (or whatever the sport
activity is). Typically only 3-6 visits of Prolotherapy are
needed.
PROGNOSIS IS EXCELLENT FOR FULL RECOVERY WITH PROLOTHERAPY
Most physicians who utilize Prolotherapy in the treatment for
chronic elbow instabilities note a 75-90% resumption of complete
activity in the athletes treated. Why is Prolotherapy so
successful for this condition? Typically the joints in people
with chronic elbow instability are ok and the primary problem is
with the stretched and weakened ligaments. Prolotherapy to both
attachment sites of the ligaments causes then to thicken and
tighten. Once they thicken and tighten completely, the healing
is completed. When the healing is completed the athlete again
can relive their dreams and isn't that what life is all about.
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