YouAreHere:Home→MedicalEncyclopedia→Elbowsprain-aftercareURLofthispage://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000679.htmElbowsprain-aftercareAsprainisaninjurytotheligamentsaroundajoint.Aligamentisabandoftissuethatconnectsbonetobone.Theligamentsinyourelbowhelpconnectthebonesofyourupperandlowerarmaroundyourelbowjoint.Whenyousprainyourelbow,youhavepulledortornoneormoreoftheligamentsinyourelbowjoint.MoreAboutYourInjuryAnelbowspraincanoccurwhenyourarmisquicklybentortwistedinanunnaturalposition.Itcanalsohappenwhentheligamentsareoverloadedduringregularmovement.Elbowsprainscanhappenwhen:Youfallwithyourarmstretchedout,suchaswhenplayingsportsYourelbowishitveryhard,suchasduringacaraccidentWhenyouaredoingsportsandoverusingyourelbowWhattoExpectYoumaynotice:ElbowpainandswellingBruising,redness,orwarmtharoundyourelbowPainwhenyoumoveyourelbowTellyourdoctorifyouhearda"pop"whenyouinjuredyourelbow.Thiscouldbeasignthattheligamentwastorn.Afterexaminingyourelbow,yourdoctormayorderanx-raytoseeifthereareanybreaks(fractures)tothebonesinyourelbow.YoumayalsohaveanMRIoftheelbow.TheMRIpictureswillshowwhethertissuesaroundyourelbowhavebeenstretchedortorn.Ifyouhaveanelbowsprain,youmayneed:AslingtokeepyourarmandelbowfrommovingAcastorsplintifyouhaveseveresprainSurgerytorepairtornligamentsSelf-careatHomeYourhealthcareproviderwilllikelyinstructyoutofollowRICEtohelpreducepainandswelling:Restyourelbow.Avoidliftinganythingwithyourarmandelbow.Don'tmovetheelbowunlessyou'reinstructedtodoso.Iceyourelbowfor15to20minutesatatime,3to4timesaday.Wraptheiceincloth.DONOTplaceicedirectlyontheskin.Coldfromtheicecandamageyourskin.Compresstheareabywrappingitwithanelasticbandageorcompressionwrap.Elevateyourelbowbyraisingitabovethelevelofyourheart.Youcanpropitupwithpillows.Youcantakeibuprofen(Advil,Motrin),ornaproxen(Aleve,Naprosyn)toreducepainandswelling.Acetaminophen(Tylenol)helpswithpain,butnotswelling.Youcanbuythesepainmedicinesatthestore.Talkwithyourproviderbeforeusingthesemedicinesifyouhaveheartdisease,highblood