FixdGearHead

Long story, short:

Weeknight ride in the park. Crashed. Landed on my elbow:


Which the fine folks at Hospital for Special Surgery we're able to mend:


Two weeks since the accident...1 1/2 weeks since the surgery. Already getting antsy. Obviously going to do my best to follow the doc and Phys Therapists advice regarding the healing & rehab...but curious if there are others out there who've experienced a break in their elbow and any insight you might have on what to expect

stonecrd

I broke the heads off of both my radials in a bike accident in 2002. I was 45 so probably a bit older than you, I had the right in a splint the left in a cast. If you can avoid a cast do so as limiting your ability to move the joint will make rehab tougher and in my case I still don't have 100% range in my rright arm. As for riding I was on the bike as soon as the cast came off. Since yours is on the Ulna it may be different, also I had no hardware.

Rhab is a lot of fun, having someone put weight on your arm as it hangs off the side of bed to stretch the joint, doing curls followed by electrical stimulation and lots of ice. First couple of weeks were hell.


Good luck

echappist

heal fast. damn...

wfrogge

I had the exact same break a few years back....


Felt fine until I went in for the operation and got a large pin to hold everything together. Took about 2 weeks before I was back on the trainer and 5 before I felt confortable enough to get back on the road. Couldnt pull or push at all so sprints/standing on the bike was out of the question until about week 7 or so. Took about a year to get full strength back in my arm. Did a "test" at 8 weeks and it showed I had decent movement and strength to the point rehab wasnt really needed......

FixdGearHead

Thanks guys.

Damn...I'm getting annoyed w/ just one arm locked up...i would go insane with Both out of commission. Fortunately the arm is in a removable splint and they have me on basic motion exercises (rotate the wrist back and forth and bending the elbow. Can bend it almost to a 45 degree point right now).


Another image for you all:

FixdGearHead

Thanks for the insight! Had roughly the same overall timing in my mind so it's nice to know I might be realistic.

wfrogge

Not too bad from the pic there... I had bruising that made my arm look like a calico cat for about 6 weeks. Out of all the broken bones I have had (leg, arm, both wrists, collarbone, toes, fingers, hands, and skull) this was the most painful of them all. Deep throbbing pain that just hurt like hell.

stonecrd

I think you will have better results being able to move the joint while you heal up. Both arms meant basic chores like eating, showing etc took a bit of effort. Since I could not really move the arm enough to eat with regular utensils I had to make extra long ones. Not something I want to repeat.

FixdGearHead

Yeah the inside of the arm looks pretty gruesome with some hemorrhaging...deep shades of purple all up the bicep.

First broken bone for me...the pain hasn't been too severe thankfully, besides just an overall ache throughout the body, prob from continually tensing up the body. The elbow itself will have a sharp pain occasionally. Did the deep throbbing pain happen early on or did that set in later?


You're giving me some much needed perspective on how annoyed I've been dealing with one arm!

wfrogge

Deep throbbing pain started a few days after the operation (after I got of the meds). If you dont have it by now it may not be an issue

ridethecliche

Heal fast. Don't worry about the fitness/riding. It comes back quick.

If you can, set your bike up on the trainer and ride one handed and just spin for a bit if it makes you feel better. Hell if psimet's teammate can race with one arm, you can probably ride the trainer with a farked elbow.

pretzelface

I'm just recovering from a similar olecranon break - mine wasn't displaced, though, and it's healing fine non-surgically. Sucks man.

Racer Ex 

Is this why you didn't win the TDF?

Heal up...

Nate552

Yesh, heal up quick!

Marko1962

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'd like to hear your experiences regarding recovery. I broke by radius and ulna on Jan 2nd this year resulting in a lot of metal work in my elbow. I'm 9 weeks post break now and find that I have a fair bit of pain when I push and pull and find that my arm cannot hold any of my weight when on the bike on my turbo. So what I'm asking is, is this a typical experience for this injury and if so how long till you were back on the bike on the road?

I'm getting desperate now and fairly depressed...

Jancouver

Ouch ... my wife broke her elbow few years back ... good luck

FixdGearHead

I feel your pain. I was off the bike entirely for about 6 weeks and then only on the trainer for about 20 minutes at a time (couldn't manage too much weight on the elbow). It was about 2 1/2 months post-surgery before I felt comfortable enough to ride outside...and for about another month after THAT, I would have some pain in the elbow after each ride. I would say it took about 4 months before I felt back to normal.

FixdGearHead

Thanks. All's well that ends well. I'm back at it now and nothing to show for it 'cept for a decent scar ;-)

Marko1962

Thanks for replying, it's want I wanted to hear the fact that you did recover and could put your weight through your previously broken elbow. ATM I can manage 30 mins on a turbo pushing a light gear and only 30 mins because I have to build up gradually as I also broke my hip in the same fall but strangely I'm not so worried about my hip as it's healing nicely, I'm am however worried about the recovery of my elbow.

wfrogge

Chicks dig scars

JohnKScott

Ouch. Heal quickly.

powpow

Marko, just do your PT and strengthening exercises and you should be fine. I broke mine about a year ago and had surgery:





I was on the trainer doing one-armed rides after about two weeks, then did my first (slow) outdoor ride at six weeks. After about 10-12 weeks I was riding close to normal (also broke my collarbone).

I did PT but I still can't straighten my elbow a year later. I still get aches and pains in the elbow when I ride, but it's usually fine for 2-3 hours. The plate is still in there, and I have no plans to take it out unless it really starts to bother me. The worst part is when I accidentally hit my elbow....................pain!

My surgeon told me I shouldn't ride for three months (ha!), so your recovery doesn't sound abnormal at all, especially with your other injuries. Just keep up the PT and do the exercises at home as well. Good luck!

Marko1962

powpow, great stuff good to see there is light at the end of the tunnel and thank you for taking the time to make such a detailed reply.

My problem I think, is that in my fall on black ice I nuked a chunk of bone that was only fit for the bin so there is a lot of mending to be done. I have a lot of metal work in there just like yourself and also cannot fully open out my arm. I also think that my Consultant is focusing more on my broken hip which is healing wonderfully and will deal properly with my elbow in time.

My physio has only given me exercises for range of movement for my elbow and that has come on great apart from being 5' short of full extension. I'm 9 weeks post break so should be ready for some exercise and reading what you said about strengthening exercises, I grabbed a very light weight and performed a few curls and behind the neck triceps extensions and my elbow felt ok doing them so I think I will lightly carry on with them and enquire of my Consultant when I see him next week what weight I can use (if he gives me permission to use weights).

Again, thanks for your reply it's greatly appreciated and encouraging.

FixdGearHead

The only PT I was prescribed was Range-of-Motion exercises too, I thought there would be more to it but it was just the basic bending of the arm and then rotating the wrist clockwise/counterclockwise...as for the strength, definitely follow your doctor's guidance on that. The last thing you want to do is get 'antsy' and create more issues. The strength will eventually come back. Right now its more important to keep up with the ROM because if that slips up, it can end up permanently limiting your range.