Pain guide · Elbow pain

Dislocated elbow: what to do straight away, and the recovery stages after it is put back

A dislocated elbow is an emergency. It usually happens in a fall onto an outstretched hand, and the elbow looks out of place and won't move. Call 999 or go to A&E, don't try to put it back, and tell staff at once if your hand is numb, cold, white or purple. Most dislocations without a fracture are put back without an operation, and they usually heal in about 6 to 12 weeks.

Once it is back in place, moving it early, as your team advises, helped people recover faster than 3 weeks in plaster in a trial, with no more dislocations. This guide covers the warning signs, what the trials found, the usual stages from the sling to sport with 3D demos, stiffness, and how a toddler's pulled elbow differs. Hospitals manage it in different ways, and your team's protocol comes first.

4-stage exercise plan When to get help 26 sourcesUpdated 21 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E: after a fall or a blow, the elbow looks out of place, has changed shape, or you can't move it. Don't try to put it back in yourself. Support the arm in a sling or with a towel, hold an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel to it, and don't drive yourself.
Go to A&E: the hand is cold, white or purple, or the fingers are numb or won't move. The artery or nerves at the elbow may be injured. While you're recovering, if the feeling in your fingers gets much worse, or you lose feeling or can't move your fingers, contact your fracture clinic straight away, or go to A&E out of hours.
Call 999 or go to A&E: sudden, severe pain in a muscle of the forearm or hand, especially after an injury or when a cast or bandage feels too tight. It can be compartment syndrome.
While it heals, get help from NHS 111 the same day if the pain gets worse; your temperature is very high or you feel hot, cold or shivery; the cast or splint breaks or feels too tight or too loose; your fingers or hand feel numb, look swollen, or turn blue or white; or there is a bad smell or fluid coming from under the cast.
During recovery, the elbow clunks, gives way or seems to come out again, or a new deformity appears: contact your fracture clinic the same day, or go to A&E.
After an operation, oozing or pus from the wound: ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. If you feel unwell or feverish and the wound looks infected, go to A&E.
Arm pain or swelling with breathlessness or chest pain: call 999 or go to A&E, and do not drive yourself. It can be a blood clot that has reached the lungs.
Throbbing pain and swelling in the arm, with red, blue or darker skin and swollen veins: ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. It could be a blood clot.
A young child who won't use the arm after it was pulled or swung: possibly a pulled elbow, a different injury from a dislocation. It needs a doctor or nurse, usually in the emergency department, where it is usually put back.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Pins and needles in the ring and little fingers that keep coming back or don't go away, or a weak or clumsy hand: tell your team. The ulnar nerve runs behind the elbow.
The elbow isn't moving a little further each week, or has stopped improving: tell your fracture clinic or physiotherapist. Stiffness is the main long-term problem after a dislocation.
A feeling that the elbow is unstable or might slip during recovery: tell your team. It can mean a ligament injury that needs a specialist's review.
Pain that is getting worse instead of better, swelling with fingers that are hard to bend, skin that is shiny, red or very sensitive to touch, or a hand that doesn't feel like yours: contact your fracture clinic or physiotherapist promptly. These can be early signs of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and early treatment helps.
Pain that is severe or hard to manage, or you're struggling to get back to exercise or your usual activities: contact your fracture clinic.

Understand it

What it is

The elbow is a hinge between the upper arm bone (the humerus) and the ulna, with the head of the radius turning beside it. Ligaments on both sides, the joint capsule and the muscles around it hold it together. In a dislocation the joint surfaces come completely apart; in a partial dislocation (a subluxation) they separate partly.

In a simple dislocation the ligaments and capsule tear but no major bone breaks. In a complex dislocation there are fractures too, and these usually need surgery: the terrible triad is a dislocation with breaks of the radial head and of the coronoid, a part of the ulna that helps hold the joint. Most elbows dislocate backwards, in a fall on an outstretched hand with the elbow nearly straight. Contact sports are common causes, and a car crash can do it when a passenger braces against the dashboard.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

Who gets it

In US data, about 5 in 100,000 people a year dislocate an elbow, men and women about equally, most often at 10 to 19. Almost half (44.5%) of dislocations happened during sport: in males most often American football, wrestling and basketball, and in females gymnastics and skating. Being born with looser ligaments raises the risk.

Sources 5, 1

How it's recognised

A complete dislocation is extremely painful, the elbow looks deformed and may be twisted, and you can't move it. A partial dislocation causes pain moving the elbow, bruising on the inner or outer side, and a feeling of it shifting. X-rays confirm the dislocation and any fractures, before and after it is put back.

Sources 1, 2

The nerve and blood vessel checks

An artery and three major nerves cross the elbow. A hand that is cool, white or purple suggests the artery is injured, and a numb hand or fingers that won't move suggest a nerve injury. Staff check the pulse at the wrist, feeling and movement before and after putting the elbow back.

Afterwards, some pins and needles in the ring and little fingers are common. If the feeling gets much worse, or you lose feeling or movement in your fingers, contact your fracture clinic straight away, or go to A&E out of hours.

Sources 1, 6, 2, 7, 8

Stable or unstable

Once it is back in, the doctor checks whether it stays in as the elbow moves. One that slips out again before the last 30° to 45° of straightening is considered unstable, and surgery to repair the ligaments may be considered.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rarely needed at the time. When it is used, it shows widespread soft-tissue damage, and doctors reading the scans agree poorly about which ligaments are torn, so the examination, not the scan, guides treatment.

Sources 3, 9, 1

How it usually goes

Simple dislocations usually heal in about 6 to 12 weeks. Dislocating again is rare: none of the 100 people in the main trial did, residual instability was under 2% in reviews, and 2.3% of 4,878 adults in a population database needed surgery to stabilise the elbow, usually within a month.

Stiffness is the main problem, and straightening usually comes back last. About 7 years after a simple dislocation, 56% of 110 adults noticed some stiffness and 62% some pain, though their arm function was good and only 8% felt it was a little unstable. One review cites a median loss of 8° of straightening at a year, and 1.2% of the adults in the database later had surgery for stiffness.

Sources 7, 10, 3, 11, 12, 2

Children

A young child who won't use the arm after it was pulled or swung usually has a pulled elbow: the head of the radius slips out of its ligament. It is a different, minor injury that a doctor or nurse puts back, and it is less common once children reach school age.

In older children, 30% to 50% of breaks of the bony bump on the inside of the elbow (the medial epicondyle) come with a dislocation. Two recent trials of these breaks, when displaced, found arm function at a year about the same with or without surgery. A fragment trapped inside the joint still needs an operation, and the fracture team decides.

Sources 13, 14, 15

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Moving early after a stable simple dislocationStrong evidence

In the FuncSiE trial, 100 adults with a simple dislocation either started moving the elbow within days, with a pressure bandage and a sling for 5 to 7 days and physiotherapy from day 2, or spent 3 weeks in plaster. At a year, arm function was the same. At 6 weeks the early group had less disability and more movement (an arc of 121° against 102°), and went back to work sooner (10 days against 18). Nobody's elbow came out again. Average costs at a year were about half (€3,624 against €7,072), though that difference could be chance.

Other studies agree. Across 29 studies (5,765 people), 83% had good or excellent results with early movement, against 78% after 2 weeks or more of immobilisation. In 42 adults, a sling and early movement gave more excellent results (19 against 10) and a quicker return to work than about 2 weeks in plaster. A German review found the same long-term results either way and an earlier return to work after early movement, though a short spell of immobilisation eased pain at first, and early movement hurt more in the first week in FuncSiE. A 2024 review called early functional treatment the first choice, but a Cochrane review in 2012 found too few trials to be sure, so the case rests mainly on one good trial.

Sources 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 3, 9, 21

How early movement is done: one trial's protocol, small case series and expert adviceEmerging evidence

The FuncSiE trial's physiotherapy started lying on your back with the shoulder raised so the elbow points at the ceiling, the upper arm kept close to the body and steadied by the other hand. You gently turn the palm up and down, then bend and straighten the elbow, limiting how far you straighten it at first, as your team advises. After 3 weeks the exercises moved to sitting and standing. This is one trial's protocol: the trial compared early movement with plaster, not one way of exercising with another.

In this overhead position, gravity helps hold the joint together. In a case series of 27 people who used an overhead protocol from the first week, the elbows ended up moving from 6° to 137°, and none came out again. In 20 naval cadets who started moving straight away without a sling, movement came back nearly in full within about 19 days, and 1 elbow dislocated again. An expert team advises avoiding strain on the outer side of the elbow early on; in practice that means not letting the upper arm hang out to the side (our explanation). These are small studies without comparison groups, and expert opinion.

NHS trusts differ too. One uses a sling for comfort and no cast, with a specialist check at 10 to 14 days; others use a temporary half-cast until the fracture clinic at 1 to 2 weeks, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes 1 to 3 weeks in a splint or sling. Your team's protocol comes first.

Sources 16, 22, 23, 3, 7, 8, 24, 1

Surgery: for complex or very unstable dislocationsEmerging evidence

Dislocations with fractures, including the terrible triad, often need surgery to restore the bones and ligaments; some surgeons wait 1 to 2 weeks for the swelling to settle. For a simple dislocation that stays in place, repairing the ligaments hasn't been shown to beat non-surgical care: in the only trial (30 people), results were the same, and reviews find similar outcomes. Reviews suggest surgery for very unstable elbows: ones that slip out again within the normal range of movement, or have severe ligament damage on both sides.

Later surgery is uncommon: in 4,878 adults, 2.3% had an operation to stabilise the elbow (at a median of 1 month) and 1.2% for stiffness (at a median of 9 months).

Sources 1, 2, 21, 9, 3, 11

Getting back to sportEmerging evidence

In a review of 9 studies of athletes, 99.3% returned to sport, on average about 9 weeks after the injury without surgery and 16 weeks after surgery, and between 60% and 100% returned at the same level. The studies were small and of low quality. One NHS trust advises no contact or racquet sport, such as rugby, netball or tennis, for 3 months.

Sources 4, 24

Children's inner-elbow fractures, with or without a dislocationStrong evidence

In the SCIENCE trial, 334 children aged 7 to 15 in 59 hospitals in the UK, Australia and New Zealand with a displaced break of the inner elbow bump had either surgery or non-surgical care. Arm function at a year was about the same, whether or not the elbow had dislocated, and 24 children against 3 had further operations; the authors concluded that non-surgical care should be the default. A Finnish trial of 72 children found the same function either way, and all returned to sport at a median of 2 months. A fragment trapped in the joint still needs surgery.

Sources 15, 14

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Bearable, settling within 30 minutes to 2 hours, never forcedEmerging evidence

NHS leaflets after a dislocation say you may feel a mild to moderate stretch but shouldn't push into pain, and that you repeat an exercise only if it doesn't increase the pain. The FuncSiE trial moved the elbow within the limits of pain.

Our broken elbow guide's rule, from NHS fracture leaflets, fits too: some discomfort is normal, but it should be bearable and settle within about 30 minutes to 2 hours, without the elbow getting hot or more swollen. Never force it, and keep any help from the other hand gentle.

Stop an exercise and tell your team if the elbow feels as if it is slipping, clunks or gives way (our addition). Your team's limits on the sling, the cast, how far to move and weight through the arm come before any pain rule.

Sources 7, 8, 16

The exercise plan: 4 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

The first days: protect it, and keep the hand, wrist and shoulder moving (as your team allows)

As your team allows, from the day it is put back. Use the sling or half-cast as advised; in one NHS trust the sling is for comfort only and comes off to wash, dress and exercise. Rest the elbow for 1 to 3 days, but keep the fingers, wrist and shoulder moving gently. Use a cold pack for up to 15 minutes every few hours, keep the arm raised on pillows when resting, and lift nothing heavier than a cup of tea.

Ball squeeze demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBall squeezeBeginner · Other / check instructions

Squeeze as hard as is comfortable, hold 5 s, 10 times, 4 to 5 times a day · A soft ball or rolled socks. An NHS leaflet's dose

Harder: Band finger extension

Tendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises)Beginner · No equipment

4 to 6 of each position, holding each 5 s, up to 4 times a day · An NHS hand-therapy leaflet's dose

Harder: Ball squeeze

Wrist & forearm flow demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWrist & forearm flowBeginner · No equipment

Wrist bending and straightening, 10 times, 4 to 5 times a day · Leave out the palm turns while you're in a half-cast. An NHS leaflet's dose

Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Breath reach demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBreath reachBeginner · No equipment

5 slow breaths, lifting the arms as high as is comfortable, a few times a day · Support the injured arm with the other hand; the elbow can stay bent or in the sling

Neck CARs (controlled articular rotations) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoNeck CARs (controlled articular rotations)Beginner · No equipment

Gentle nods, turns and tilts, 5 of each, a few times a day · Editorial dose

Harder: Rabbit pose (Sasangasana)

Move on when: Your team says the elbow can move. That was from day 2 in the main trial and within the first week in one NHS trust, or after the fracture clinic review at 1 to 2 weeks where a half-cast is used.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Protected movement (often weeks 1 to 3, as your team allows)

As your team allows. Little and often, 4 to 6 times a day. Start with the lying overhead bend and straighten (written steps in the notes below), and turn the palm up and down with the elbow tucked at your side. Keep the upper arm close to your body, and don't push up through the hand from chairs or the bed. Limit how far you straighten the elbow at first, as your team advises. A mild to moderate stretch is fine; pain is not.

3D demoWrist & forearm flowBeginner · No equipment

Palm up and palm down with the elbow at your side, bent to a right angle, 10 times, 4 to 5 times a day · NHS leaflets' dose (10 to 15 times in one)

Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Elbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoElbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion)Beginner · No equipment

Once your team allows it sitting or standing: within the range your team allows, without pain, 10 to 15 times, 5 to 6 times a day · The main trial moved to sitting and standing at 3 weeks. An NHS leaflet's dose

Harder: Dumbbell biceps curl

3D demoBall squeezeBeginner · Other / check instructions

Hold 5 s, 10 times, 4 to 5 times a day

Harder: Band finger extension

3D demoTendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises)Beginner · No equipment

4 to 6 of each position, up to 4 times a day

Harder: Ball squeeze

Move on when: The elbow moves a little further each week, there is no feeling of slipping, and your team says you can exercise sitting and standing without the overhead position, often at about 3 weeks.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Regain full movement (often weeks 3 to 6, as your team allows)

As your team allows. Gentle, frequent stretching towards full range, holding the ends of the movement, never forced. Straightening usually comes back last. Keep lifting light until about 6 weeks.

3D demoElbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion)Beginner · No equipment

Hold 15 to 30 s at each end, up to 10 times, once or twice a day · The move page's dose

Harder: Dumbbell biceps curl

3D demoWrist & forearm flowBeginner · No equipment

Palm up and palm down with a 5 s hold at each end, 10 times, 3 times a day · An NHS leaflet's dose

Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Table slide (seated forward reach) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTable slide (seated forward reach)Beginner · A bench or box

10 slow slides with a 10 to 20 s hold at the far end, 1 to 3 times a day · Let the forearm slide forward so the elbow straightens. The move page's dose

Easier: Pendulum exercise (Codman's pendulum) · Harder: Overhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench)

Overhead triceps stretch demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoOverhead triceps stretchBeginner · No equipment

3 gentle holds of 20 to 30 s · For bending. Skip it if it brings on tingling in the ring and little fingers. The move page's dose

Harder: Overhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench)

Wrist circles demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWrist circlesBeginner · No equipment

10 slow circles each way, once or twice a day · Editorial dose

Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Move on when: Movement is close to the other side, or still improving week by week, and your team allows strengthening, often from about 6 weeks.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 4

Strength, weight through the arm, and back to sport (often from about 6 weeks, as your team allows)

As your team allows. 2 to 3 strength sessions a week, with light weights building slowly, and keep the stretches going. Weight through the arm, such as push-ups, planks, cartwheels and breakfalls, comes last, once the elbow straightens comfortably and your team allows it. One NHS trust advises no contact sport for 3 months. These doses are editorial.

Dumbbell biceps curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell biceps curlBeginner · A dumbbell

0.5 to 2 kg, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, slowly

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Incline inner biceps curl

Dumbbell triceps kickback demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell triceps kickbackBeginner · A dumbbell

Light, 2 sets of 10 to 15

Harder: Dumbbell skull crusher (lying triceps extension)

Dumbbell forearm rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell forearm rotationBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

A light dumbbell held at one end, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Reverse wrist curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoReverse wrist curlBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

Light, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Wall push-up demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWall push-upBeginner · A wall

2 sets of 10, then incline push-ups as it gets easy · Once the elbow straightens comfortably and your team allows weight through the arm

Harder: Push-up

Farmer's carry demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoFarmer's carryBeginner · A dumbbell + A kettlebell

Light, 3 carries of 20 to 30 m

Harder: Suitcase carry

Move on when: Movement is full or close, strength is close to the other side, there is no pain or feeling of instability, and your team agrees. Build sport skills back gradually; in grappling sports and gymnastics, practise falls and weight-bearing skills last.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Typical timings, which your team may change

These come from NHS trust leaflets, and they differ. Your team's protocol comes first.

Sling or cast: a sling for comfort and no cast in one NHS trust; a temporary half-cast until the fracture clinic at 1 to 2 weeks in others. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes 1 to 3 weeks in a splint or sling.
Moving the elbow: when your team says, from the first days to about 2 weeks after it was put back.
Lifting: nothing heavier than a cup of tea for 6 weeks, in one NHS trust's advice.
Contact and racquet sports such as rugby, netball and tennis: not for 3 months, in another NHS trust's advice.
Healing: usually about 6 to 12 weeks, though stiffness can last longer.
Rest and sleep: keep the arm raised on pillows when resting early on, and sleep propped up on pillows for the first nights.
Driving: not in a sling. Drive once you can turn the wheel and do an emergency stop without pain or hesitation, and your insurer covers you.
Smoking or vaping slows healing, and stopping matters most in the first 2 weeks.

Sources 7, 8, 24, 1

The lying overhead bend and straighten (written steps)

An NHS trust and the main trial's protocol both use this position, because gravity helps hold the joint together. Start only when your team says the elbow can move.

1. Lie on your back with a pillow under your head.
2. Raise the injured arm so the elbow points at the ceiling, keeping the upper arm close to your body rather than out to the side, and support it with your other hand.
3. Slowly straighten the elbow to lift the hand towards the ceiling, as far as is comfortable, limiting how far you straighten it at first, as your team advises.
4. Slowly lower the hand back towards the pillow, bending the elbow as far as is comfortable.
5. Repeat 10 times, 4 to 5 times a day. The trial also turned the palm up and down gently in this position, starting palm down with the forearm resting on the forehead.
6. If your shoulder won't allow this position, lie with the arm resting by your side and bend and straighten the elbow there.

Sources 7, 16

Keep the upper arm close to your body early on

The protocols exercise with the upper arm against the body and avoid strain on the outer side of the elbow, which in practice means not letting the upper arm hang out to the side (our explanation). Stand up using your legs rather than pushing up through the hand (our suggestion).

Sources 16, 3, 22

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Trying to put it back in yourself	The NHS advises against putting a dislocated joint back yourself, and the nerves and artery need checking first.	Support the arm, and go to A&E or call 999.
Keeping it in the sling or plaster longer than advised	Early movement gave a faster recovery in a trial with no more dislocations, and holding the elbow still for more than 2 to 3 weeks is linked with lost movement.	Follow your team's timing, then move little and often.Try: Elbow bend and straighten (elbow range of motion)
Forcing the elbow straight, or letting someone push it	NHS leaflets advise a mild to moderate stretch only, never into pain.	Gentle, frequent sessions, and the lying overhead straighten.Try: Table slide (seated forward reach)
Letting the upper arm hang out to the side early on	It strains the torn ligaments on the outer side of the elbow.	Exercise with the upper arm against your body, or lying with the elbow pointing at the ceiling.
Pushing up through the hand from chairs, the bed or the floor	It loads the healing ligaments before they are ready (our reasoning).	Stand up using your legs.Try: Sit to stand from a chair
Push-ups and planks before the elbow straightens comfortably	Full weight through a straight elbow comes last.	Wall push-ups first, once your team allows.Try: Wall push-up
Dips	They load the elbow at full bend under your whole body weight.	Light triceps work in the last stage.Try: Dumbbell triceps kickback
Contact sport, grappling or gymnastics too soon	One NHS trust advises waiting 3 months, and athletes returned at about 9 to 16 weeks on average.	Walking, cycling and the last stage's strength work meanwhile.Try: Stationary cycling
Carrying shopping or lifting more than a cup of tea in the first 6 weeks	One NHS trust sets that limit while the elbow heals.	The other hand, and small, light loads.

Routines to follow

Wrist and forearm routine

Wrist mobility and forearm strength for desk work, climbing, push-ups and handstands.

10 minBeginner7 movesA wall, A dumbbell

Grip strength workout: squeezes, curls, carries and hangs

A 20-minute grip session: warm up the wrists and fingers, train the hand and forearm muscles, then carry and hang to load your grip the way everyday life does.

20 minBeginner10 movesOther / check instructions, A band

Joint care workout: move and strengthen every joint

A 25-minute session for healthy joints: slow circles to take every joint through its range, then a strength circuit for hips, knees, ankles, shoulders and grip.

25 minBeginner13 movesA wall, A bench or box

Push-up progression workout

Work up to full push-ups: wall, incline and knee push-ups, then the floor push-up and harder variations.

15 minBeginner8 movesA wall, A bench or box

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

What should I do if I think I've dislocated my elbow?

Call 999 or go to A&E, and don't drive yourself. Don't try to put it back; support the arm in a sling or with a towel, and hold a wrapped ice pack to it. Tell staff straight away if the hand is numb, cold, white or purple.

How long does a dislocated elbow take to heal?

Usually about 6 to 12 weeks. Stiffness can last longer: years later, about half of people still notice some stiffness or aching, though most use the arm normally.

Will I need a cast or a sling?

It depends on your hospital. Some use a sling for comfort and no cast, others a temporary half-cast until the fracture clinic at 1 to 2 weeks. Your team's plan comes first.

When should I start moving it?

When your team says, often within the first days to 2 weeks for a stable simple dislocation. In a trial of 100 adults, moving early gave a faster recovery than 3 weeks in plaster, with no more dislocations.

Will I need surgery?

Usually not, for a simple dislocation that stays in place. Surgery is for dislocations with fractures, elbows that won't stay in, or very unstable ones.

Why can't I straighten my elbow?

Straightening is usually the last movement to come back after a dislocation, and some people lose a few degrees for good. Gentle, frequent exercise helps, and forcing it doesn't. If it stops improving, tell your team.

Will it dislocate again?

It's uncommon: none of the 100 people in the main trial did, and about 2% needed surgery for instability in a large database. A clunk or giving way during recovery needs a same-day call to your team.

When can I go back to sport?

When movement and strength are close to normal and your team agrees. In studies, athletes returned at about 9 weeks on average without surgery and 16 weeks after it, and one NHS trust advises no contact sport for 3 months.

When can I drive?

Not while you're in a sling. You can drive when you can turn the wheel and do an emergency stop without pain or hesitation, and your insurer covers you.

Is tingling in my fingers normal afterwards?

Some pins and needles in the ring and little fingers is common. If the feeling gets much worse, or you can't feel or move your fingers, contact your fracture clinic straight away or go to A&E.

My toddler's elbow seemed to pop out when I pulled their arm. Is that a dislocation?

Usually it's a pulled elbow, where a forearm bone slips out of its ligament, and the child holds the arm still by their side. It needs a doctor or nurse, who can usually put it back quickly, and it's less common once children reach school age.

What is a terrible triad?

A dislocation with breaks of the radial head and of the coronoid, a part of the ulna that helps hold the joint. It is unstable and usually needs surgery, and recovery takes longer.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.