Success Story Saturday: Treating the Elbow

Body Part: Elbow
Diagnosis: Status post ulnar nerve transposition

I worked with a patient who was status-post right ulnar nerve transposition (moving of the ulnar nerve to decrease nerve entrapment). Patient’s symptoms were severe neural tension of the right upper extremity causing numbness and tingling into fingers. At the end of her initial evaluation, which I observed the senior therapist, I performed 15 minutes of treatment addressing superficial fascia of the right upper extremity. Treatment included working on the posterior thoracic cage and scapular region to allow for greater shoulder blade mobility. My intent was to attain scapular posterior depression for sitting and standing postural efficiency. After that short treatment patient reported that she was feeling better and noted fewer symptoms into her fingers. Subsequent treatment sessions included continued soft tissue and joint mobilization work to her neck, anterior chest, thoracic region, scapular region, and entire right upper extremity. Patient also has been taught proper posture for sleeping, sitting, standing and also reaching and lifting per core first strategy principles. Currently, the patient complains of occasional discomfort to right elbow at incision site, usually after a long day of working with her children at school. She is so pleased with her functional gains made in therapy that she will continue therapy with us and has even set up her next surgery sooner than she expected she would (she will be undergoing a left ulnar nerve transposition).

hands Success Story Saturday: Treating the Elbow