Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Hand Health Resources considers Cubital Tunnel Syndrome as the second most common nerve entrapment syndrome occurring in the upper body or arm. Increased compression or pressure on the ulnar nerve in the elbow gives rise to this condition. Along with discomfort, this pathology may lead to the loss of hand functioning.

What do you understand by Cubital Tunnel Syndrome?

Ulnar nerve is a crucial nerve running through your arm and is responsible for sensation and movement of the forearm and hand as well. This Ulnar nerve passes through a tunnel of soft tissues named as ‘cubital tunnel’ that runs under a bony bump at the inner side of your elbow. The syndrome is called ‘cubital tunnel syndrome’ as it results due to the entrapment or irritation of nerve within the confines of cubital tunnel. This condition affects more men than women and the athletic performance of the athletes who are engaged in sports requiring strong hand or wrist movements. The entrapment causes tingling, numbness and pain along the inside of your arm down the ring and little finger.

What causes Cubital Tunnel Syndrome?

Usually, the syndrome occurs when the Ulnar nerve within the constricted enclosure of cubital tunnel is stretched compressed or irritated as there is a very little soft tissue to protect it. Other factors leading to the Cubital Tunnel Syndrome may include:

• Keeping the elbow bent for longer periods or repeated bending of the elbow
• Back and forth sliding of the nerve over the medial epicondyle
• Leaning on your elbow for longer periods of time
• Fluid build-up in the elbow
• A direct blow to the inside of the elbow as in the case of sports like; baseball, tennis, rugby, football etc.
• Athletic activities including repetitive overhead motions like; javelin throw, tennis serve or baseball
• Failure to warm up  and stretch properly before a sport
• Elbow fractures, bone spurs, trauma or cysts

What are the treatment options suggested to treat Cubital Tunnel Syndrome?

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome usually responds to Physical Therapy. Initially the therapists advise to modify and avoid the activities, postures and positions causing Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. Other treatment options may include:

• Therapists will advice to avoid repeated flexion, over leaning and pressurizing the elbow
• Gentle exercises may be prescribed to ease the ulnar nerve glide through Cubital Tunnel
• A therapist may recommend or customize an elbow splint to keep your arm straight
• Stretching exercises may be prescribed to achieve full range of motion
• Therapist may provide a home exercise program and educate you about proper body mechanics
• Strengthening exercises like; strengthening of muscle groups, bending and straightening of elbow, forearm movement may be prescribed
• Nerve Gliding exercises may be advised to help the arm and wrist from getting stiff
• Range of motion exercises may be prescribed to enhance the mobility without causing pain or discomfort
• Special exercises to help the Ulnar glide and the exercises that mimic your daily and work activities may be prescribed

Contact Alliance Rehab & Physical Therapy for the state of the art treatment of any of your musculoskeletal injury or problem. Our certified therapists use patient proven methods and develop customize treatment plans according to your needs and urgencies.

Alliance Rehab & Physical Therapy Clinics offer Treatments for Auto- Accident Injuries

Auto-Accidents are said to happen every 5 seconds in the United States and these figures continue to rise. Victims of auto-accidents usually suffer from skeletal, muscular, neurological and soft-tissue injuries which are not detectable initially as they do not cause much pain. So the victims ignore them and do not seek professional treatment. This causes the biggest blunder. With auto-accident injuries, immediate and specialized treatment is needed to avoid developing long term discomfort and chronic pain. A pro-active Physical Therapy treatment and Rehabilitation plan can save the victims from surgical interventions and long term reliance on medications as well.

Physical Therapy modalities while conditioning your muscles and bones also help to alleviate pain and relieve the debilitating effects of auto-accident injuries. Vehicular injuries often develop the symptoms like; back pain, whiplash, fatigue, headache, muscle-spasms, nausea, neck pain, tendinitis, shoulder pain, problems with vision, dizziness etc. Physical Therapists are experts at diagnosing, evaluating and treating these injuries. They re-align your vertebrae and help to restore your lost structural balance and treat soft tissue injuries with customized rehabilitation program.

Various structural evaluation techniques including; X-rays, Spinal Joint Movement Evaluation, Gait and Postural Analysis, Joint Range-of Motion Testing, Strength and Reflex Evaluation, CAT or CT scan and MRI are conducted and adopted to detect and correct various musculoskeletal injuries.  Physical Therapy is mainly directed towards maximizing the motion of spine, curing spinal disc, alleviating muscle spasm and improvising the muscular strength. Following Physical Therapy modalities are used to treat auto-accident injuries:

• Hands-On Therapy and therapeutic equipments are used for the vestibulo-ocular rehabilitation of the victims.
• Corrective exercises are used to stretch and strengthen the damaged muscles.
• Range-of Motion exercises are prescribed to improvise function and mobility
• Spinal Decompression therapy is employed to relieve back pain due to herniated disc or Sciatica
• Therapeutic exercises targeting and strengthening the joints are suggested.

So if you have been a victim of vehicular accident and sustained a musculoskeletal injury and want to get relief without pain-killers and surgical interventions, then Physical Therapy is the most influential treatment available.

Contact Alliance Rehab & Physical Therapy for the skilled and prompt treatment of auto-accident injuries. Our board certified therapists are specialized in diagnosing, treating and managing auto-accident whiplash injuries and have helped numerous patients to recover successfully from whiplash.