Greetings community of steemit, in this post I bring you a topic of interest for all: th nanny's elbow.
How many of us have children, nieces, grandchildren or cousins that we hold by the hand at some point and, often, we even lift them by embracing them?
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It is common belief that this simple action does not represent any danger to the child, which is not entirely true. Although children are very elastic and with great mobility and flexibility, their joints have not been completely formed so they are vulnerable to injuries with daily activities like these.
In this case, the elbow is affected; the articulation of the elbow consists of 3 bones: the humerus (arm), the radius and the ulna (forearm), in turn the latter are joined by a ligament that allows our forearm to turn on its axis.
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The nanny's elbow occurs when the head of radius leaves partiality his place at the elbow , injuring a ligament called the annular ligament of the radius. This is the product of an executed movement that takes place in the arm when it is pulled with the hands and / or the wrist, producing subluxation or partial dislocation of the elbow, giving rise to the phenomenon known as painful elbow or nanny's elbow. that commonly occurs in Children under 5 years. This generates a moderate to strong pain that limits and even makes it impossible for the child to mobilize the elbow and the entire limb.
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Once this happens, it is important not to try to return to the site of this bone, as it could cause serious injuries, such as torn ligaments, cartilage damage or even fractures that may require surgical treatment. this why the care must be performed by trained personnel, with the orthopedic surgeon acting as a corrector for a quick recovery.
The recovery process is practically immediate and after a few minutes the child stops feeling pain and can mobilize his arm without limitations. However, analgesics are indicated for rest and recommendations to prevent it from happening again and fully recover its function. Sometimes it is necessary to use an immobilizer for 1 week or more depending on the case to allow the affected ligament to heal.
Remember that once this event has occurred, the risk of it happening again increases considerably.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- In the taking of children under 5 years old, perform it by the armpits and not by the hands as shown in the previous images.
-Avoid games that involve children holding hands and stretching them.
-In children under 2 years of age, be careful that the arm is not behind the back when sleeping.
-From the presentation of symptoms, take it to the nearest health center as soon as possible.
-Don't try to correct the position yourself that can cause more damage.
Remember, with any doubt consult an expert