Panner's disease happens from temporary changes in the capitellum. The capitellum is the outside bone of the elbow at the end of the upper arm bone (the humerus).
Healing can take time, but most teens with Panner's disease recover with no lasting problems.
Panner's disease causes elbow pain around the outside part of the elbow. The pain usually gets worse with activity, such as throwing a ball, and becomes better with rest.
The elbow also may be stiff, swollen, and hurt to touch.
Panner's disease is caused by stress on the capitellum and the surrounding cartilage. The stress is usually from repeated motions in sports, such as throwing in baseball or tumbling in gymnastics.
Panner's disease usually happens in:
To diagnose Panner's disease, health care providers:
Usually no other testing is needed. Sometimes an MRI is done to look at the bone in more detail.
A teen with Panner's disease needs to avoid all activities that cause pain so the bone can heal. This may mean taking a break from sports.
The health care provider may also recommend that you:
Sometimes, if the pain does not go away after a few weeks, a teen may need to wear a cast or splint to keep the arm still during healing.
Teens with Panner's disease usually need to take a break from sports. When playing the sport no longer causes pain, they can try it again. This is usually only a few weeks, but sometimes can take months.
Bones are very good at healing and rebuilding. Over time, the injury to the upper arm bone completely repairs itself. Most teens with Panner's disease have no problems after they heal. Very rarely, someone can have trouble straightening the arm all the way.
Reviewed by: Alvin Wei-i Su, MD
Date Reviewed: 14-01-2019
