Dislocation of the elbow

Dislocation of the elbow means that the joint between the end of the ulna - the bone on the inside of the forearm - and the humerus has come out of place, usually following a fall on to the out stretched arm with the elbow slightly bent. The end of the ulna, called the olecranon process, ends up being pushed behind the end of the humerus, and the elbow swells and can't be straightened. It may be possible to put the joint back into position (a process called reduction) without the aid of anaesthesia, but delay makes this less likely.
 
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