Recall: Diagnosing the Radial Head

Steps for Treatment:

NEUTRAL, COMPRESSION, EASE

1. The patient is seated with the physician standing in front on the side of the dysfunction.
2. Physician holds patient’s dysfunction hand,  as if to shake hands.
3. Physician’s other hand supports the patient’s dysfunctional elbow which is flexed at 90 degrees, and monitors the patient’s radial head, with the thumb anterior to the radial head.
4. Neutral
   • Physician places patient’s wrist and forearm on the dysfunctional side in neutral position.
5. Compression
   1. The physician then introduces  a gentle compressive  axial vector force from two sources
      1. A slight posterior force on the radial head with the thumb
      2. With their hand “Shaking hands” with the patients  -this force is directed from the wrist towards the patient left elbow (Ex: Left Pronated Radial head)
6. Ease
   • While maintain compression, the forearm is moved into pronation for tissue relaxation
7. Hold Compression for 3-5 seconds
8. Release compression and return to neutral
9. Reassess

Video Tutorial: