Elbow Contracture Release (Stiff Elbow Surgery)

Overview

When an elbow stays stiff after an injury, surgery or arthritis despite therapy and splinting, a contracture release can restore motion. Most daily activities need an arc of about 30 to 130 degrees of bending and straightening, so even modest gains can make a large difference in function ^[1].

During the operation, the thickened joint capsule is released and blocks to motion are removed, such as scar tissue, bone spurs, loose bodies and heterotopic bone. The ulnar nerve is often released or moved at the same time, because it can become irritated as motion returns. The release can be done arthroscopically through small incisions or through an open approach; in a systematic review, both improved motion, pain and function with comparable overall results, so the approach is matched to the cause of the stiffness ^{[2, 3]}.

Therapy begins immediately after surgery to keep the motion gained in the operating room, often with splints for several months.

Benefits

• Improves the ability to straighten and bend the elbow
• Reduces pain at the end of motion
• Allows removal of heterotopic bone and bone spurs

Who is a Candidate?

Elbow Contracture Release may be appropriate for patients who meet certain criteria. Ideal candidates include:

• Stiffness after fractures, dislocations or prior surgery that has not improved with therapy
• Heterotopic ossification limiting motion
• Arthritis with bone spurs blocking motion

Recovery & Rehabilitation

Motion and therapy start right away, often with splints used for several months to maintain the gains. Most improvement occurs over the first three to six months.

References

1. Morrey BF, Askew LJ, Chao EY. A biomechanical study of normal functional elbow motion. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1981;63(6):872-7. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7240327/
2. King GJ, Faber KJ. Posttraumatic elbow stiffness. Orthop Clin North Am. 2000;31(1):129-43. doi.org/10.1016/s0030-5898(05)70133-4
3. Khorram R, Ghayyad K, Vafadar R, et al. Surgical treatments of post-traumatic elbow stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2026;35(1):387-407. doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2025.05.004