PROLOTHERAPY TREATMENT OF ELBOW LIGAMENT INJURY
Ross A. Hauser, M.D.

One of the most common sports injuries that is seen at Caring Medical in Oak Park, Illinois is elbow ligament laxity. By laxity, I mean, the ligament is no longer able to stabilize the elbow. The ligament that stabilizes the elbow on the lateral side is the lateral collateral ligament, also known as the radial collateral ligament. This ligament attaches to the annular ligament. The annular ligament wraps around the radius. The medial aspect of the elbow is stabilized by the medial collateral ligament, also known as the ulna collateral ligament. When these ligaments are injured chronic elbow pain, weakness, and a decrease in athletic performance occur.

ELBOW LIGAMENT INJURY IN SPORTS
Any sport that puts significant force on the elbow has the potential to cause injury. The most common sport to injure the lateral collateral ligament (radial collateral ligament) is tennis. Unfortunately, most tennis players with elbow pain are diagnosed with tennis elbow and given cortisone shots. Tennis elbow pertains to the attachments of the wrist extensor muscles and not the ligaments. For the person with unresolved lateral elbow pain, a visit to a Prolotherapist is warranted.

The annular ligament and radial collateral ligament- it is palpation of this area that elicits the positive jump sign when I examine people with lateral elbow pain. Prolotherapy to this area causes the ligaments to tighten, strengthen, and once again stabilize the area. This causes a renewed strengthening in the area giving the athlete more power. For the tennis player not only power in the forehand but also in the back hand.

Any throwing motion whether it be the javelin, shot put, football or baseball put tremendous forces on the inside or medial aspect of the elbow. This is sometimes misdiagnosed as "golfer's elbow" which is injury to the muscle attachments of the wrist flexor muscles. Prolotherapy to the area causes a mild healing inflammatory reaction. This eventually causes the ligament to thicken and strengthen. For pitchers, it means no more pain with throwing. It is common for pitchers to note a bump of 5 10 mph on their fast ball.

PROLOTHERAPY TO RESOLVE CHRONIC ELBOW INSTABILITY
The allopathic or traditional medical approach to chronic elbow ligament sprains is surgery to help stabilize the area. The problem with this approach is it is very unpredictable and the rehabilitation time is almost always over a year.

Most chronic elbow instabilities are because the ligament involved is stretched out. Prolotherapy can easily cause the ligament to tighten. For the athlete in a hurry, Prolotherapy can be done every 1-2 weeks for a few visits and then typically the throwing motion can be started again (or whatever the sport activity is). Typically only 3-6 visits of Prolotherapy are needed.

PROGNOSIS IS EXCELLENT FOR FULL RECOVERY WITH PROLOTHERAPY
Most physicians who utilize Prolotherapy in the treatment for chronic elbow instabilities note a 75-90% resumption of complete activity in the athletes treated. Why is Prolotherapy so successful for this condition? Typically the joints in people with chronic elbow instability are ok and the primary problem is with the stretched and weakened ligaments. Prolotherapy to both attachment sites of the ligaments causes then to thicken and tighten. Once they thicken and tighten completely, the healing is completed. When the healing is completed the athlete again can relive their dreams and isn't that what life is all about.