An olecranon fracture usually causes sudden, intense pain and can prevent you from moving your elbow. Other signs and symptoms of a fracture may include:
- Swelling over the “tip” or back of the elbow
- Bruising around the elbow. Sometimes, this bruising travels up the arm towards the shoulder or down the forearm towards the wrist.
- Tenderness to the touch
- Numbness in one or more fingers
- Pain with movement of the elbow or with rotation of the forearm
- A feeling of instability in the joint, as if your elbow is going to “pop out.”