Dislocated Elbow Injury: When Can You Get Back to Normal?

A small number of people won’t return to pre-injury range of motion

A dislocated elbow occurs when the elbow bones no longer connect. It is a common injury in adults and children and often happens in tandem with bone fractures (breaks) and additional nerve and tissue damage. Falling onto an outstretched hand is the most common cause of this type of injury.

This article discusses the diagnosis process, treatment options, and potential recovery time for a dislocated elbow.

Physical therapist supporting unrecognizable female with elbow exercises.

Zorica Nastasic / Getty Images

Resetting a Dislocated Elbow 

The elbow is made up of a hinge joint and a ball-and-socket joint, enabling these two unique motions:

  • Hinge joint: The hinge function allows you to bend and straighten your arm.
  • Ball-and-socket joint: The ball-and-socket function allows you to rotate the palm of your hand to face up or face down.

A dislocated elbow can damage any bones, muscles, ligaments, and tissues that enable the elbow to perform these functions. The longer the elbow remains out of the joint, the more damage can occur.

Elbow dislocations rarely go back into their joints on their own and should be immediately evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider to prevent permanent impact on nerves or function. Don't try to reset your elbow at home.

When you see a healthcare provider, they will work to restore the joint and ensure proper alignment. Before doing so, they'll likely do a physical examination to assess blood flow and look for any nerve damage. Some providers will order an X-ray to visualize the dislocation and identify broken bones.

The Two Types of Dislocated Elbows 

The two types of elbow dislocations are:

  • Posterior dislocation occurs when there is a significant force on the palm that resonates toward the elbow, such as falling with your hand stretched out to catch yourself, and the elbow joint pushes backward (posterior). This is how most elbow dislocations occur.
  • Anterior dislocation is less common and results from applying force on a flexed elbow, such as falling to the ground when the hand is pulled up near the shoulder. In this case, the elbow joint pushes forward (anterior).

X-rays are helpful to determine the type of dislocation and to identify any broken bones. Depending on the injury, a healthcare provider might order a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to ensure there is no damage to nerves or ligaments.

Signs and Symptoms of Dislocated Elbow

A dislocated elbow usually occurs with trauma. General signs and symptoms of a dislocated elbow include:

  • Significant pain in the elbow area
  • Obvious deformity around the elbow joint
  • Inability to move the elbow
  • Bruising and swelling around the elbow
  • Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand (indicative of nerve damage)

Dislocated Elbow Treatment Without Surgery 

Healthcare providers prefer to treat a dislocated elbow using what's known as a closed reduction technique. A closed reduction means that the elbow can be relocated without surgical incisions.

Before the closed reduction procedure, a healthcare provider will administer medications to help relax you and address the pain from the injury.

Once the elbow is relocated into the correct spot, a healthcare provider applies a splint (the most common is a posterior long arm splint) to keep the elbow in place. The goal is to prevent elbow extension, which can cause it to dislocate again. The elbow is usually splinted at a 90-degree angle of flexion.

The splint remains in place for one to three weeks. A physical therapist may assess your range of motion and prescribe exercises to help prevent elbow range of motion loss.

Dislocated Elbow Treatment With Surgery 

Depending on the severity of your dislocation and the success of the closed reduction, you may need surgery. If any of the following are true for you, a healthcare provider may recommend surgery:

  • Your elbow remains unstable with a slight extension,
  • Your bones are not correctly aligned.
  • Your ligaments need repair after a closed reduction.

Complex elbow dislocations can make it challenging to maintain joint alignment. In these cases, a healthcare provider may recommend an assistive device, such as an external hinge, to help prevent repeat dislocations.

It is essential to follow up with healthcare providers regularly after surgery. Most surgeons will recommend physical therapy after surgery to assist with early range-of-motion exercises to support the recovery process.

Recovery Time After Initiating Treatment

Recovery time after an elbow dislocation can vary. The total time depends on the stability of the elbow after closed reduction or surgery.

Most healthcare providers will encourage you to initiate active motion exercises to regain as much range of motion as possible. Limiting how long your joint is immobilized will help prevent stiffness in the joint, scarring, and inhibited range of motion. Generally, healthcare providers don't recommend immobilization for more than a few weeks.

When to Resume Normal Activity 

Resuming regular activity often depends on the type of treatment for the elbow dislocation:

  • Closed reduction: For closed reductions, the injured elbow is splinted for five to ten days. During that time, you may engage in physical therapy to assist with early motion activity and help to prevent loss of range of motion. It is often acceptable for people with a closed reduction to start light duty use within two weeks after their injury.
  • Surgical reduction: After surgery, your elbow may be placed in a brace that allows for a gradual increased range of motion. It is essential to maintain controlled movement to prevent loss of range of motion. Usually, the elbow can fully extend within six to eight weeks after injury, although it could take up to five months.

Talk to your healthcare provider to determine when it's safe for you to resume normal activity.

Summary 

Elbow dislocations generally occur due to trauma and are painful and marked by swelling and obvious joint deformity. Most healthcare providers who treat these injuries prefer to relocate the elbow using a closed reduction. You may need surgery if they cannot relocate the elbow using closed reduction. Generally, a provider recommends physical therapy to support recovery and ensure range of motion.

6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. National Library of Medicine. Elbow dislocation.

  2. American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Elbow dislocation.

  3. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Elbow dislocation.

  4. Radiopaedia. Elbow dislocation.

  5. Medline Plus. Closed reduction of a fractured bone.

  6. Ortho Bullets. Elbow dislocation.

Pam photo

By Pamela Assid, DNP, RN
Pamela Assid, DNP, RN, is a board-certified nursing specialist with over 25 years of expertise in emergency, pediatric, and leadership roles.