The
elbow is a masterpiece of engineering. Three long bones
- the bone of the upper arm (humerus), the inner bone of
the forearm (ulna) and the the outer bone of the forearm
(radius) - meet in the middle of the arm to form a hinge
and pivot joint. The elbow allows us to move the arm
forward and backward like a door hinge, rotate the
forearm 180 degrees, and do it with grace and strength.
The elbow is responsible for
some of the power and precision we bring to the act of
throwing. In sports like golf and tennis, where the club
or racket is essentially an extension of the arm, the
elbow plays, literally, a pivotal role in delivering
propulsive force. For that reason, as many athletes can
testify, the elbow is one of our most vulnerable joints.
