Ulnar Collateral ligament sprain

The elbow joint is described as a “hinge joint” and is formed by three bones namely the humerus, radius, and ulna. Along with the surrounding musculature, this joint is supported and strengthened by two ligaments, the Ulnar and Radial Collateral Ligament

The Ulnar collateral ligament is fan shaped and very strong. It is located on the inner side of the elbow joint between the medial epichondyle and the upper inner aspect of the ulnar. This ligament prevents excessive valgus stress through the elbow joint and is commonly injured in sports which involve overhead throwing such as javelin and baseball etc.

Unlike many ligament sprains, this injury often occurs as a result of repetitive throwing although can occur as a result of trauma such as secondary to an elbow dislocation. Overtime, repetitive throwing leads to pain and instability of the elbow joint which is especially apparent during the acceleration phase of throwing when the arm is taken back behind the body prior to releasing the ball.

Treatment of an Ulnar Collateral ligament sprain

In the early stages of care, it is important to ascertain the extent or grade of the ligamentous injury through both orthopaedic testing by your healthcare professional and possibly with the aid of an MRI scan. It is also paramount to follow the standard first aid advice of RICE i.e. rest, ice (make sure that the ice is covered), gentle compression and elevation of the joint.  The rest from any throwing sports will help give the ligament time to heal.

In grade one and two sprains, it is more common that patients will undergo conservative treatment initially which will frequently consist of soft tissue work, ultrasound, elbow mobilisation and rehabilitation exercises. In more severe cases, surgery may be considered a more suitable option to restore stability to this joint.

If you are an athlete keen to return to a throwing sport, it would be strongly recommended to get your throwing technique assessed once you have recovered from this injury to help ensure that this injury does not recur and also to help allow optimal performance to be achieved.

If you would like any further information regarding this injury, please do not hesitate to contact us at our EC2 clinic.