Classification Of Elbow Stiffness

Stiffness is a clinical disorder that affects the patient's function of the entire upper limb. Many classifications systems have been developed for elbow stiffness based on the plane of motion, severity, etiology, prognosis or anatomical location. A new classification, the Stiffness types and Influencing Factors (S.T.I.F.) Classification System, is proposed as treatment algorithm to guide the surgical treatment and the preferred operative approach (open or arthroscopic). INTRODUCTION: Stiffness is a clinical disorder that affects the patient's function of the entire upper limb. It can be caused by a variety of elbow disorders. The most common cause is post-traumatic; this category also includes burns, head injuries and elbow surgeries. However, elbow stiffness also can be caused by atraumatic etiologies, such as osteoarthritis, inflammatory joint disease, ulnar nerve entrapment, tumor, infection, metabolic disease (e.g., hemophilia) and congenital conditions (arthrogryposis). Being able to classify elbow stiffness is critical to understanding the etiology and planning the treatment strategy. CLASSIFICATION: Many classification systems have been developed for elbow stiffness.