Elbow carrying angle - excessive; Excessive carrying angle of
the elbow; Cubitus valgus When your arms are held out at the
sides and your palms are facing forward, your forearm and hands
should normally be about 5 to 15 degrees away from the body.
This is the normal "carrying angle" of the elbow. This angle
allows your forearms to clear the hips when swinging your arms,
such as during walking. It is also important when carrying
objects. Certain fractures of the elbow can increase the
carrying angle of elbow, causing the arms to stick out too much
from the body. This is called an excessive carrying angle. If
the angle is decreased so that the arm points toward the body,
it is called a "gunstock deformity." Because the carrying angle
varies from person to person, it is important to compare one
elbow with the other when evaluating a problem with the carrying
angle. - The information provided herein should not be used
during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment
of any medical condition. - A lic