- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Elbow Joint
Gray's Anatomy (1918) plate, public domain
The elbow is a hinge joint where the humerus meets the ulna (the main hinge) and the radius (which rotates for turning the palm up and down). Three joints share one capsule: humeroulnar, humeroradial and the proximal radioulnar joint. Collateral ligaments on each side keep the hinge true, and the ulnar nerve passes behind its inner side. The elbow positions the hand in space, working with the shoulder and wrist.
Key facts
- The elbow's carrying angle (about 5-15 degrees outward) keeps swinging arms clear of the hips.
- Its hinge is not a simple door hinge — the spool-shaped trochlea makes it a 'loose hinge' with a slight spiral.
- The bony tip you lean on is the ulna's olecranon, cushioned by a bursa.
- Forearm rotation (pronation/supination) happens at the elbow and wrist radioulnar joints together.
What can go wrong
The elbow dislocates and fractures readily in falls; in children, a pulled elbow (radial head subluxation) follows a tug on the arm. Overuse at its tendon attachments causes 'tennis elbow' (outer side) and 'golfer's elbow' (inner side) — pain from the forearm muscles' origins rather than the joint itself. The superficial bursa over the tip swells visibly when inflamed (olecranon bursitis). Arthritis and stiffness follow significant injury.
Related procedures & tests
Related symptoms
Related muscles
Frequently asked questions
What is tennis elbow?
Pain and tenderness at the outer elbow where the wrist-extensor tendons attach, caused by overload and degeneration of the tendon rather than inflammation of the joint itself.
Why do children get 'pulled elbow'?
In under-fives the ring ligament holding the radius head is lax; a sudden pull on the hand can slip the head partly out (subluxation), which a clinician can usually click back with a simple manoeuvre.
Educational information only. This atlas explains normal anatomy and describes conditions in general terms; it is not medical advice and does not replace assessment by a qualified clinician. If you have symptoms that worry you, seek medical care.
