Loose Bodies (Elbow)

Loose Bodies (Elbow)

  • Overview
  • Symptoms
  • Treatment

    • What are loose bodies in the elbow?

    Loose bodies are small pieces of bone or cartilage that move within the elbow joint. They can interfere with normal joint motion and may cause catching or locking. 

    Common causes include: 

    • Prior elbow injury 

    • Cartilage damage 

    • Arthritis 

    • Osteochondral injuries 

    • Repetitive throwing or loading 

    What are the symptoms of loose bodies in the elbow?

    • Locking or catching 

    • Elbow stiffness 

    • Pain with motion 

    • Swelling 

    • Loss of range of motion 

    How are loose bodies in the elbow treated?

    Treatment may include: 

    • Rest from aggravating activity 

    • Ice after activity for swelling or pain 

    • Activity modification 

    • Anti-inflammatory treatment 

    • Physical therapy in mild cases 

    Surgical Treatment 

    Surgery may be recommended depending on the injury, symptoms, activity level, and response to non-surgical care. Surgical options may include: 

    • Elbow arthroscopy: Removing loose fragments through small incisions using a camera and specialized instruments. 

    • Joint debridement: Removing inflamed tissue or smoothing rough cartilage that may be contributing to symptoms. 

    • Treatment of the source: Associated cartilage injury may also be treated if needed.

    Sports Medicine at U-M Health

    Do you have a sports injury that's affecting your performance or ability to play? Learn more about our sports medicine care and how to make an appointment with one of our experts.

    Explore Sports Medicine at U-M Health

    News & Stories
    Man holding UM flag on UM football field, athletics
    News Release

    U-M Board of Regents approves construction of Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute

    The University of Michigan Board of Regents has authorized the Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute project, clearing the way for a 100,000-square-foot facility that will serve as the hub of University of Michigan Health’s growing statewide sports medicine network.
         brain scans and doctors white coats pointing
    Health Lab

    A concussion expert and football father discusses why he values teamwork over zero-risk

    U-M Health’s Jonathan Lifshitz, Ph.D., discusses why his work with concussions hasn’t changed his stance on his sons playing contact sports
         pink and blue mixed in close up
    Health Lab

    Why tendons heal so poorly and how researchers hope to fix them

    Michigan Medicine researchers are studying why tendon injuries heal poorly, using tiny “microtendons” and new discoveries about how tendons attach to bone to explore better treatments.
         Bill and Sally Martin stand affectionately with their arms around each other. They appear to be in a high open tower above a city.
    Philanthropy News

    A Gift to Benefit All: Bill and Sally Martin’s Visionary Support for Sports Medicine

    With strong ties to U-M athletics, Bill and Sally Martin have made a gift to kickstart fundraising for the Nathan and Catherine Forbes Sports Medicine Institute at the University of Michigan.
         women looking at model hand in front of poster and computer on table next to them
    Health Lab

    Rethinking how clinicians learn to feel disease

    For most doctors, learning to recognize swollen joints begins in the classroom. A clinical assistant professor in Michigan Medicine's Division of Rheumatology saw a gap in how to distinguish subtle swelling in joints, thus creating a hand simulator to help.
         hands of xray finfers with red spots
    Health Lab

    Treating arthritis of the hands

    Arthritis of the hands, wrist and fingers can be unbearable, but a doctor says you don’t have to live in agony.