About Nursemaid's Elbow ... Toddlers and preschoolers are at risk for a common elbow injury called nursemaid's elbow. This happens when a ligament slips out of ...[SkiptoContent]FindcareatNemoursChildren'sHealthDoctorsLocationsSharetoFacebookSharetoTwitterSharetoPinterestShareviaEmailKidsHealth/forParents/Nursemaid'sElbowNursemaid'sElbowReviewedby:MelanieL.Pitone,MDLargertextsizeLargetextsizeRegulartextsizePrintAboutNursemaid'sElbowToddlersandpreschoolersareatriskforacommonelbowinjurycallednursemaid'selbow.Thishappenswhenaligamentslipsoutofplaceandgetscaughtbetweentwobonesoftheelbowjoint.Sometimesitgetsunstuckbyitself.Inmostcases,ahealthcareprofessionalgetstheligamentbackinplacebydoingaquick,gentlemoveofthearm.Achildwithnursemaid'selbowhassomearmpainwhentheinjuryhappens,butitdoesn'tcauselong-termdamage.CausesNursemaid'selbow(alsocalledpulledelbow)usuallyhappensinkids1to4yearsold.Theirligaments(theelastic-likebandsthatholdbonestogether)areabitloose.Soitcanbeeasyforaligamentintheelbowtoslipintothejointandgetstuck.Nursemaid'selbowcanhappenwithjustasmallamountofforce.Forexample:Pullingachildupbythehandscanputstressontheelbows.Neverpickupatoddlerorinfantbythehandsorwrists,butliftunderthearmpits.Swingingatoddlerbyholdingthehandsorwristscanputstressontheelbowjointandshouldbeavoided.Jerkinganarmwhenpullingatoddleralongorquicklygrabbinghisorherhandcanmaketheligamentslip.Alwaysbegentlewhentakingachildbythehand.Breakingafallbyreachinganarmoutforprotectioncanoverextendtheelbow,causingtheligamenttoslip.Rollingoverinanawkwardway inacrib,bed,oronthefloorcancausenursemaid'selbowininfantsandveryyoungchildren.Askidsgetolder,theligamentstighten.Mostwon'tgetnursemaid'selbowaftertheyturn5yearsold,thoughitcanhappenuptoage6or7.SignsandSymptomsAchildwithnursemaid'selbowwillnotwant tousetheinjuredarmbecausemovingitispainful.Heorshewillkeepthearminastraightpositionorwithaslightbendintheelbow.Theinjurywon'tbeobviousbecausenursemaid'selbowdoesn'tcausedeformityorswelling.Anarmorelbowinjurythatc