Initial Assessment
The initial assessment of the patient presenting with an elbow injury should consist of a history, the key points of which include the:
- Mechanism of injury (particularly important in paediatric injuries when non-accidental injury should be considered)
- Onset and location of pain
- Associated symptoms, including sensory disturbance and proximal or distal limb pain
- History of previous elbow injury
Learning-bite
The history of the injury should be taken prior to examination.