Recall: Diagnosing the Radial Head

Steps for Treatment:

EASE, COMPRESSION, BARRIER

1. The patient is seated with the physician standing in front on the side of the dysfunction.
2. The physician holds the patient’s dysfunctional hand as if to shake hands.
3. The 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. Ease
   • The physician rotates the patient’s hand and forearm into pronation
5. Compression
   • 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’s left elbow (Ex: Left Pronated Radial head)
6. Barrier
   • While maintaining compression and flexing the arm, the physician moves the patient’s wrist and forearm into supination (the restrictive barrier.)
7. Release compression and return to neutral
8. Reassess

Video Tutorial: