Pulled Elbow
Date issued: February 2025
For review: February 2027
Ref: A-550/NB/ED/Pulled Elbow v2
PDF: Pulled Elbow.pdf [pdf] 263KB
What is a pulled elbow?
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It means that one of the bones in the elbow (the radius) is not lined up
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It is not the same thing as a dislocation
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It can happen at any time on either arm until your child is about 7 or 8 years old
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It can happen if your child’s arm gets accidentally pulled or if the child lands on it awkwardly.
What is the treatment?
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The doctor or practitioner can usually make the bone go back in its proper place
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This means that he or she has to move the elbow and it may be painful for a short period
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Normally your child will be able to use their arm fairly soon after this.
Should I give my child painkillers?
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Yes. You can give your child medicine such as paracetamol (e.g., Calpol) and/or Junior Ibuprofen (e.g., Nurofen) to relieve any pain.
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Paracetamol: Give amount recommended on box regularly every four to six hours, a maximum of four doses a day
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Ibuprofen: Give amount recommended on box regularly every eight hours, a maximum of three doses a day. Side-effects sometimes occur with anti-inflammatory painkillers. The most common problem in children is that they can make asthma worse, so they should be used under instruction from a doctor in children with asthma. They can also cause inflammation of the stomach, and rarely kidney problems
Is there anything I shouldn’t do?
For a few days do not pull on the child’s arm, e.g., during play or when holding their hand whilst walking
Will they need a follow-up appointment?
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No, but please come back to the Emergency Department if:
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Your child’s elbow is still painful after a day or so or they stop using it
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You are worried about them
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You think it has happened again.
