Elbow Spurs

Patients involved in repetitive overhead activity with work or sport generate tremendous forces in the elbow joint. These forces may lead to the formation of elbow spurs or loose fragments of cartilage or bone from the elbow joint surfaces. These chips can float through the elbow joint causing locking or catching. Patients with elbow loose bodies or spurs complain of these locking episodes as well as difficulty in fully extending or flexing the elbow. Elbow loose bodies or spurs are best diagnosed by a physical examination by an orthopaedist. Plain X-rays may identify elbow loose fragments or spurs. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be obtained to identify cartilaginous loose bodies.