Sunday arm usually occurs in children under 5 years old. It is more often seen in girls than in boys. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this condition. Radius head subluxation or a Sunday arm is a partial dislocation (slight subluxation) of a bone in the elbow joint. It often happens due to a quick pull on the arm of a child. For this reason we are going to tell you everything you need to know about Sunday arms in children. So pay attention!
A Sunday arm with children
A Sunday arm is a common injury in small children that can occur around the age of learning to walk (around 15 months old) to around 5 years old. In general, children get a Sunday arm by a strong jerk on the bones in the forearm. Usually this injury is the result of an adult holding the child’s hand as they try to get away. It is unusual for children older than 5 years to suffer from this injury because their joints are much stronger.
On the other hand, a fall is the second most common cause of this type of injury. In short, it is a condition that is caused by pulling your child’s forearm while his arms are extended. Consequently, a slight dislocation of the elbow bone can occur and prevent your child from bending his arm completely. After a trauma to this hinge joint, the head of the spoke leg is dislocated . The result is that every movement is painful in the affected limb.
You also need to know that this type of injury is more common on the left arm. This is probably because most healthcare providers are right-handed. As a result of the pain, the child starts crying and refuses to move his or her arm. The child holds the arm stiff and close to his or her body. Home Invader Vandalizes 12 Of Billy Joel’s Precious Motorcycles. Perhaps the child supports the forearm on the abdomen with a slight elbow bend. After the child has been examined, the nurse or doctor replaces the elbow. This injury does not cause long-term consequences for the child.
What are the symptoms?
Normally, the ligaments hold the spoke bone in place, but a sudden fall or jerk can stretch the ligament too much. This partially causes the bone to slip out of the ligament. In most cases, children with a Sunday arm cry immediately after the trek. It is also likely that they will not use the affected arm at all.
Therefore, if you think your child has had a Sunday arm, you should seek medical help immediately. For example, you can consult the doctor on duty or visit the emergency department of a hospital. Remember that the longer the bone stays in place, the more painful and difficult it will be to re-align the bones. It will therefore take longer for your child to fully recover.
Unfortunately, the procedure to move the arm bones in the joint is painful and frightening. However, it only takes a short moment. After the doctor has moved the bones of the joint, the spoke bone will return to its place. If it is difficult for some reason to put the elbow back in place, or if your child is still not using the injured arm, you should have an X-ray taken. This will check if there may be other injuries because it can also be a fracture.
What precautions should families take at home?
As soon as the medical help treats the Sunday arm, the child must be able to resume normal activities. However, if the elbow remains partially dislocated for a long time, the child may need to take painkillers for one or two days. Follow the nurse’s or doctor’s recommendations to gradually relieve the pain. If your child still hasn’t made full use of his arm the next day, you should go back to the doctor. The medical aid will re-evaluate the arm. Remember that the injury will not have long-term consequences for the child if medical assistance treats it quickly and properly.
To prevent a Sunday arm in children, be careful not to lift your child by the forearms or wrists. On the contrary, the best way to lift a child is from the armpits. It is recommended that you learn the correct way to lift your child and hand it over to the other people who regularly take care of him. Finally, we remind you that some children are more troubled by a widened elbow. It can even happen more than once. A stretched elbow can return several times with children with particularly loose joints.
Warren James is the lead editor for Diving Daily. Warren has written for many publications including the New York Daily News, Vanity Fair and Yahoo. Warren is based in New York city and covers issues affecting local communities. In addition to following the day-to-day life of the Big Apple, Warren also has a passion for martial arts.