Radioulnar Joint Pain

Radioulnar joint pain means your wrist or elbow hurts. The radius and ulna are the two bones of the forearm that rotate around one another to turn the palm up or down. When there is joint pain, these actions and many daily activities may become difficult.

Distal and Proximal Joints

• There is a distal (far away) and proximal (near) radioulnar joint. Distal is the wrist joint while proximal is the elbow joint. You may experience pain in both. Since these joints perform together, understanding the cause of your pain is important.

Causes

• According to American Family Physician, a journal produced by the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are mechanical, systemic and neurological causes of radioulnar pain. You may have a fracture (mechanical), a metabolic disorder (systemic) or ulnar nerve compression (neurological) as reasons.

Diagnosis

• Undergo a thorough physical examination, an assessment of your medical history, X-rays, and other diagnostic tests like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to properly diagnose radioulnar joint pain. Additionally, your doctor may do various maneuvers to test for radioulnar pain like the supination lift test (lifting up on an object).

Treatment

• Traditional treatment options include rest, cold and heat therapy, braces, medication, physical therapy and surgery. Alternative options may be acupuncture (thin needles inserted into energy centers) and magnetic therapy (use of magnets to speed up healing).

Prevention/Solution

• If you are involved in repetitive motions like using the computer mouse for long periods of time, these constant movements can cause radioulnar pain. Check that your workstation is ergonomically appropriate (ergonomics is the science of equipment design and function) to prevent pain.