Elbow Care

You’ll be in good hands when you visit CentraCare for treatment of your elbow. We can connect you to an orthopedic specialist who has expert training in the type of care you need. Count on us to help you do daily tasks and enjoy activities again with less pain.

Conditions We Treat

Biceps tendon tear – When the tendon connecting the biceps muscle to the forearm is damaged from heavy lifting or other injury
Tennis elbow – Painful condition caused by overuse of the tendons on the outside of the elbow
Golfer’s elbow – Damage to the muscles and tendons that control your wrist and fingers
Elbow instability and dislocation – Pain and poor function when the ligaments are stretched after repetitive activity (throwing) or dislocation during an accident
Arthritis – Worn-out cartilage in the elbow that causes pain and poor function
Cubital tunnel syndrome or ulnar neuritis – Inflammation of the ulnar (funny bone) nerve causing numbness or tingling in the little finger and/or ring finger
Fractures

Doctors & Care Team Locations

Nonsurgical Treatments

Medication
Activity modification
Bracing
Physical therapy
Injections - If you need an injection, your orthopedic specialist may use ultrasound imaging to precisely guide the medicine to the right place, giving you more relief. Ask us about:
- Cortisone (steroid) injection – Reduces inflammation and pain with a higher dose of medication than you could take by mouth
- Hyaluronic acid injections – Use a natural lubricant to help a stiff joint move more easily
- Platelet-rich plasma injections – Deliver a high dose of platelets from your body to the site of an injury to speed up the healing process. You can receive injections in a clinic, so you don’t need to visit the hospital for treatment. That makes your care more affordable and convenient.

Surgical Treatments

If necessary, an orthopedic surgeon can:

Fix or rebuild a torn tendon or ligament, such as in Tommy John surgery
Arthroscopy – A type of minimally invasive surgery, arthroscopy is safer and causes less scarring than surgery that creates a long incision. You’ll likely go home the same day as your procedure.
Repair a fracture
Elbow replacement

Rehabilitation

Your treatment plan may begin with rehabilitation, which helps you improve your abilities and reduce pain. You might benefit from:

Occupational Therapy – Teaches you how to regain the use of your elbow for everyday tasks
Physical Therapy – Builds strength and flexibility with exercise, stretches and hands-on techniques