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Clinical Examination and Scores

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The Elbow

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Abstract

Along with a detailed patient history, the clinical examination of the elbow is the first important step in order to make proper diagnosis and treatment decisions. Careful scrutiny can reveal bony alterations, angular deformities, soft tissue swelling and muscle atrophy. The main structures to be palpated are the epicondyles, the ulnar nerve, the olecranon bursa, the radial head, the arcade of Fröhse, the lacertus fibrosus and the distal biceps. A standard position to evaluate the range of motion is mandatory to obtain reliable results. Several specific tests are available to investigate medial, lateral, anterior and posterior symptoms: these tests have to be performed correctly in order to be effective and preserve their accuracy. Finally, to perform a thorough elbow examination, the physician must not forget structures like the cervical spine, the shoulder and the wrist. In the era of evidence-based medicine, accurate tools for assessing preoperative physical examination and clinical results are mandatory: both physician-administered and patient-administered scores are available, and also some non-elbow-specific scores can be useful.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mauriziano-Umberto I Hospital, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy

    Davide Blonna

  2. II Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department, University of Turin, Orthopaedics and Traumatology Center, Via Zuretti 29, 10100, Turin, Italy

    Filippo Castoldi

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  1. Davide Blonna
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  2. Filippo Castoldi
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Policlinico di Modena, Shoulder and Elbow Unit, D. Cervesi Hospital, Cattolica, Italy

    Giuseppe Porcellini

  2. Rizzoli Institute, Bologna, Italy

    Roberto Rotini

  3. Terme di San Petronio - Antalgik, Bologna, Physiomedica, Faenza, Italy

    Susanna Stignani Kantar

  4. Shoulder Team, ForlìCio - Collegio Italiano Osteopatia, Parma, Italy

    Silvia Di Giacomo

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Blonna, D., Castoldi, F. (2018). Clinical Examination and Scores. In: Porcellini, G., Rotini, R., Stignani Kantar, S., Di Giacomo, S. (eds) The Elbow. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27805-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27805-6_4

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