Elbow
An elbow doctor is a specialist whose medical practice is focused on assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients with injuries and conditions of the elbow, such as tennis elbow, arthritis, and tendon injuries. Although these doctors seek out ways to treat elbow pain nonsurgically, they also have the skills and training needed to perform surgery, including minimally invasive surgery and elbow arthroscopy.
At Orthopaedic Associates, our elbow doctors, Dr. Jason Thackeray, Dr. Mark Tenholder, Dr. James Watt, Dr. David Dean, Dr. Mark Awantang, Dr. J. Ryan Cotton, Dr. Chad Mitchell, and Dr. Jack McKay, are recognized experts in the diagnosis and treatment of elbow injuries and conditions, including bursitis and cubital tunnel syndrome. Our elbow doctors have extensive training in the surgical and nonsurgical care of the elbow and are dedicated to providing you with the specialized, compassionate care you need to become stronger.
Expert Elbow Care for a Stronger You
During an exam, our doctors will ask the patient details about their elbow problem as well as perform a physical examination. They may also request an X-ray or additional tests to better understand the injury, especially if they suspect a fracture. Once they determine the diagnosis, our elbow specialists will create an individualized treatment plan specific to the patient's needs.
When our doctors and surgeons develop a treatment plan for a patient with an elbow problem, such as tennis elbow, arthritis, or a tendon or nerve injury, their first step is always to consider nonoperative treatment options first, like physical therapy. Although every patient is unique, oftentimes there is a nonsurgical treatment that can improve or even eliminate elbow pain. However, sometimes the patient's elbow issue will not respond to nonsurgical options or becomes so problematic that surgery is recommended as the best choice.
If elbow surgery is the best option for you, our board-certified and specialty-trained elbow doctors and surgeons will work with you to create a surgical treatment plan that is right for your injury or condition. Our elbow surgeons are equipped with state-of-the-art technology as well as the knowledge and surgical skills needed to treat your elbow problem and get you on the road to becoming stronger.
Having undergone extensive training, our surgeons are highly skilled and are considered experts in the following elbow surgeries and procedures:
- Arthroscopic surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Surgical fracture care
- Tendon transfer, repair, and reconstruction surgery
Signs You May Have an Elbow Injury
Common signs and symptoms you may be experiencing if you have an elbow condition or injury include:
- Pain caused by bending or straightening your elbow
- Elbow instability
- Forearm pain
- Numbness
- Pain on the outside of elbow
- Pain when picking up objects
- Pain in elbow when rotating your wrist
- Shoulder or wrist pain in addition to elbow pain
- Sore or tender forearm muscles
If you are experiencing any of the above for more than a few days or if any of them are getting worse, make an appointment to see an elbow or sports medicine specialist. The doctor or surgeon may diagnose you with one of the following injuries or conditions:
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Compressed nerve
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Dislocation
- Fracture
- Golfer's elbow, or medial epicondylitis
- Gout
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Overuse injury
- Sports-related injury
- Tendon or ligament injury
- Tendonitis
- Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis
- Ulnar collateral ligament damage
Orthopaedic Associates: The Strength of Experience
At Orthopaedic Associates, we are regional experts committed to providing patient-centered care. When you are seen by one of our experienced providers—from our upper extremity specialists and sports medicine doctors to our physical therapists and physician assistants—you can rest assured that you are receiving treatment from an experienced provider who is highly skilled in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of the musculoskeletal system.
As a team, our goal is to help you, educate you, care for you, and treat you with the same high level of care and respect we would want for a member of our own family. Throughout your entire orthopaedic experience, we will be by your side for every step—from your first appointment to your last.
If you are ready to start your journey to a stronger you with less or no elbow pain, take the first step by requesting an appointment online or calling one of our five locations: Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Niceville, Crestview, or Panama City.
