# Radial Head Fractures Thoughts?



## Imatk (May 21, 2008)

So I'm riding in an area I was unfamiliar with and going much faster than I should have been for not knowing the terrain. That was, in hindsight, a bad idea... but to make matters worse my gear snaps. Basically I'm pedaling air for about a half second. Never happened before and scared the crap out of me.

I look down for that quick second taking my eyes off where they should have been and blammo! Hit a bump, went airborne, and over the front... smack and both elbows broken.

My right took the majority of the force. The left, unfortunately, was also jacked up. My right was broken in a couple places and looked like like two big pieces of a jigsaw on the xray. The left was broken with a slight step out.

Anyway I'm now almost six months out from my surgery. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to feed myself, drink, wash, shave, brush teeth... and well... go to the bathroom myself 

My left arm feels fairly normal. It's not back to where it was but it's darn close. My right though... it's still very stiff. I don't have much in the way of flexion or extension.

I was wondering if anyone had similar experience and if your situation improved.

I've read that six months is about the window for the most amount of improvement... generally speaking. So now I'm obviously concerned that I may never be able to ride again.

I tried a couple times and I can ride, but it's fairly painful when I hit any kind of bump. I still can't do any kind of "pushup" with my right arm either.

Just hoping someone in here will give me some good news... like they had the same situation and it improved hehe. 

Anyway thanks for any insight.


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## Mick44 (May 13, 2008)

Glad to hear your recovering ok. It will take some time to heal completely(maybe a year or so). Reason I say this is because I suffered a right radial head fracture about 11 years ago(7/97) in the Cuyamaca Mountain riding trails in San Diego. The hills were so steep initially that you had to walk your bike up for the first mile or so then a slow steady climb. My brother and I got to the top and started haulin azz down the hill-me leading the crazed attack. I was sailin' down a bumpy off beaten rock stretch when I lost it, WHAM! I don't really remember alot because I think I got knocked out for a split second and regained. All I know is
I ate it pretty hard/fast and that my right hand and forearm twisted inward because of the force. A moment later my brother came up laughing at me.
I tried to get up to pick up my bike and thats when I knew it was broken. The next two miles downhill were hell because I could only grip lightly with alot of pain. I walked most of it and we got to the truck. Another hour to get home and 4 more hours in the ER. They shot my elbow with Marcaine and gave me Motrin. 
Diagnosis? Hairline Radial Head Fx. No cast, just a sling. I was extremely lucky to be in this good condition w/o alot of injuries. It took a few years as I recall to completely recover w/o my hand (cuniform and pisiform bones) swelling. Good luck and thanks for the story.


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## aka AK (Jan 18, 2004)

*Its' been almost a year to the day*

I smashed my radial head last year in Moab on Memorial Day. You can seach this forum for my posts; I got a lot of feedback from folks on the boards which was great.

I got lucky, my arm almost can fully extend, no surgery, just PT. Still a little stiff now and then. I was even able to ride Downieville in October last year, 4 1/2 months afterwards. I also can tell I favor my right arm and my shoulders and back is tweaked a bit because of it. I would say continue PT, religiously (sp?).

My advise, good luck and keep hope in mind. I told myself I was never going to ride again but here I am. You *got to do PT everyday*, ice it, flex...maybe you already are, its a process.


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## Okie Dokie (May 14, 2008)

Imatk,

I am not an orthopedist but I am an ER doc so might be able to help you out bit. Obviously since you had surgery on your elbow that you had plates or screws or both placed into your elbow/arm. Inherently this type of injury is much more severe than fractures that do not need surgical intervention and thus a longer recovery period.

The first thing to do is truly dedicate yourself to Physical Therapy. Any joint when immobilized for a prolonged period of time loses range of motion and throw in some metal and scar tissue and it only gets worse. Sometimes scar tissue builds up so bad (especially in shoulders after surgery) that the orthopedic surgeon will sometime take the person to the OR months after the surgery...put them under anethesia and then just crank the shoulder in all directions...and you hear the scar tissue popping. Have not seen this with elbows though as PT is usually effective enough to regain range of motion. However if it does not return you to normal or near normal, then talk to your surgeon. It is possible that the fracture was so bad that you will get back only a certain % of your normal range. Other possibilities are that after the bones are healed...sometimes having the plates and screws removed will add more flexibility.

Hopefully things will continue to get better...and in an injury such as yours I would give it at least a year before I made any real conclusions as to what you will recover. Good luck to you and get working on that arm


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## 187 (Oct 28, 2005)

This thread scares me. I fractured my radial head on 4/18 and had surgery on 5/2 with plates and crews inserted. I'm walking around with a hinged brace right now locked at 90 degrees. I'm supposed to go back in August and have the hardware removed.

Saving grace so far has been the advice provided by my Physical Therapist. Also, I'm lucky enough to have access to a hot tub which really gets the muscles relaxed and is allowing me a surprising amount of extension. Rotation of the wrist is going much slower.

I say stick with the PT and you might also try massage therapy. My muscles get really tight after being in the brace all day and it takes a heat source and 10 to15 minutes of massage to get thing moving. I ice it down after the exercises are done.

Good luck man. I'm rooting for you.


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## megafrenzy (Apr 4, 2005)

3 Weeks ago, radial head fracture, small chip. Put me in a splint for 2 weeks, took it off last Tuesday. Arm is still stiff, getting about 15 degrees of movement. They told me to keep stretching it.

No mention of any PT. Damn Kaiser. I will be calling them on Monday.

What kind of PT should I be doing to get this stiff elbow moving again?


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*I've got Kaiser as well and they insisted on PT*



megafrenzy said:


> 3 Weeks ago, radial head fracture, small chip. Put me in a splint for 2 weeks, took it off last Tuesday. Arm is still stiff, getting about 15 degrees of movement. They told me to keep stretching it.
> 
> No mention of any PT. Damn Kaiser. I will be calling them on Monday.
> 
> What kind of PT should I be doing to get this stiff elbow moving again?


In fact, they told me to get an appointment before I left the facility the day I got my cast taken off (broken wrist). I don't know if your coverage is the same as mine but you need to call as soon as possible and get on it.


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## 187 (Oct 28, 2005)

*insist on PT*

Megafrenzy

Even after surgery, screws ands a plate Kaiser didn't initially recommend PT for me. I went around the orthopedic surgeons PA (cute, but dumb) and went to my primary care Dr and had him prescribe the PT. You have to be a smart consumer with Kaiser or you will get screwed.


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## coop27 (May 30, 2007)

*pt*

if you can't get a formal referral to PT, you can do a lot on your own. Depends on what you had done - removal of bone fragment, fixed with screws, radial head replacement, any ligaments repaired? - but for a while the only thing to worry about is getting range of motion. This involves gentle flexion and extension, as well as supination/pronation of the forearm. Elbows get notoriously stiff and this is hard to ever get back. You need more range in mountain biking than most other activities. Again, your pace and when you can really start strenthening depends on what you had done.


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## miamimitch (Oct 7, 2005)

*Radial head*

Broke my self up in a crash in early May breaking my right radial and my left radial head.

Had surgery for both (Group Health) and was very lucky that I was able to have only a half cast on the right so that I was able to take care of my personal needs.

The radial fracture on the right was repaired with a plate and 6 screws and I had to go back for a second surgery to replace bent hardware.

The left radial head required 3 screws to repair. So far I am getting most of my flexion back, but have a lot of work to do on extension. So far just doing stretching 3 times a day with a 16oz hammer held at the end for 3 to 4 minutes at a time. Also doing some light swimming at the pool.

PT is my next step once healing of the injury is better and it will be my priority to working at it until I get it right.

Good luck on your recovery


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## 187 (Oct 28, 2005)

I'm almost three months out from fracturing my left radial head. I just had surgery again on 7/7to remove the plates and screws. I feel much better with the metal out but there is still a ways to go.

Doc indicated that is unlikely the arm will ever go straight again but I do hope to be able to ride before too long. I've been working on this build to keep me occupied in the meantime...


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Hi

I was wondering what anybody's progress with a Radial Head Fracture was.

I just got one and would really appreciate it to see others experience.

It happened last Sunday for me. They dropped me in a small cast for 3 days and then that was off and since then I've been asked to increase movement. Like the first poster I couldn't get a full flex but it is slowly coming. Strength is slowly coming too. I am thinking by the first week of September I should get a lot of recovery back but with some extra pushing and pulling to increase mobility.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Oh and thanks for the replies


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## 187 (Oct 28, 2005)

Flugu

I fractured my radial head in April 2008. I had two surgeries, one to screw it back together and one to remove the hardware. It is an injury that takes a while to come back from. I?o was about an inch away from full radial head replacement.

You will hear this over and over but it is absolutely critical, get into Physical Therapy and stick with it. My health care provider (Kaiser at the time) tried to tell me PT was unnecessary. I knew better and had my primary care physician order up the PT. 

I have to really pay attention to my arm. If I slack off the exercise my injured arm will become noticeably smaller than my uninjured arm in a matter of weeks. 

Good news is I'm back on the bike and with minor exception, I'm doing everything now I was doing before the injury. Let me know if there is more info I can provide. 

JB


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

187 said:


> Flugu
> 
> I fractured my radial head in April 2008. I had two surgeries, one to screw it back together and one to remove the hardware. It is an injury that takes a while to come back from. I?o was about an inch away from full radial head replacement.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this. I really appreciate it.

I'm not at the stage of displacement or even surgery. Just a fracture in the head as of yet.

I have a lot of mobility yet and I am doing some strength exercises myself. I am noticing a difference but I do want to contact the Doctor to make sure where I stand.

Cheers again.


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## miamimitch (Oct 7, 2005)

*Follow up to Radial Head Fracture*

I posted last summer about my Radial Head Fracture and I am happy to say that my recovery has been positive.

Had surgery to repair with 4 screws holding the joint together.

I still do not have complete full extention of the arm but I think I am about 90%

I have been lifting weights and streching the arm before and after to gain mobilty. I no longer have any pain and I will continue to keep working at it.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

miamimitch said:


> I posted last summer about my Radial Head Fracture and I am happy to say that my recovery has been positive.
> 
> Had surgery to repair with 4 screws holding the joint together.
> 
> ...


Hi Mitch

Is it possible you could tell me when you had your fracture, when you had surgery etc too so I could compare timelines? I also want to get back to lifting weights too and want to ascertain a feasible time for me.

Also, are you lifting the same level of weights you were prior? Or what kind of weights are you able to lift on a week on week basis?

Thanks for the reply Mitch. It's really appreciated. I've heard a lot of ambiguous things about the injury and really want to get a good hold on it to improve my recovery.


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## miamimitch (Oct 7, 2005)

My injury was in May of 2008 and after surgery to repair the elbow it was in a non movable brace for several weeks. After two weeks I was moving it gently but I had very little range with it. 

After about a month of slow stretching with a hammer for weight I was able to gain more range and add more weight.

After that I started swimming and returned to the gym and lifted light weights with high reps to regain strength. 

My strength is back to normal on both arms injured but the left with the radial fracture is still limited in extension a little and will tighten up if I do not stretch daily


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

miamimitch said:


> My injury was in May of 2008 and after surgery to repair the elbow it was in a non movable brace for several weeks. After two weeks I was moving it gently but I had very little range with it.
> 
> After about a month of slow stretching with a hammer for weight I was able to gain more range and add more weight.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mitch

Mine isn't as bad as yours but the outcome appears to be similar for most RHF's in that mobility is the key concern after healing.

I was reading up on it today and found some work on Bone Mass Density and weights. I am trying to move it as much as I can at the minute. There is some pain but mobility seems to keep it fresh and able.

It hasn't been long for me but I'm going to keep on with moving, nutrition and a little bit of weights too.

Thanks again.


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## miamimitch (Oct 7, 2005)

Make sure you go slow and light at first to make sure you do not injure yourself again.

Good luck on your recovery


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

miamimitch said:


> Make sure you go slow and light at first to make sure you do not injure yourself again.
> 
> Good luck on your recovery


Thanks Mitch.

Well at present it is slow and steady but I can't push it anyway. The response is always slow, the speed is slow and steady too. There are also movements which I can't attempt either so... there you go.

There is a slight increase in strength and some flexibility increased too - but the fragility is still evident when I move it or intend on moving it some more.

Cheers again. I'll let you know if things change.


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## Griffin_NC (Jun 16, 2009)

*4 mos and counting*

Still working on my elbow after 4 mos. I do my own PT at least twice per day and I have it to about 90% movement and have started riding again. But it continues to ache constantly. The elbow seems to be a long road on the recovery.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Griffin_NC said:


> Still working on my elbow after 4 mos. I do my own PT at least twice per day and I have it to about 90% movement and have started riding again. But it continues to ache constantly. The elbow seems to be a long road on the recovery.


Hi Griffin

Could you give a little more information regarding what kind of fracture you had please?

I'm about 70% movement, I'd say. Maybe I'm being optimistic. OK, 60% but I'm working at it and today I am a little more optimistic.

I'm trying to use it as much as is possible of light work and doing what exercises I've been told to do.

Thanks for replying mate and all the best.


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## Griffin_NC (Jun 16, 2009)

*Fractures*

I was fortunate and didn't do a full displacement of the radial head. There were two 1/2" cracks on each side of it. They didn't put my arm into a cast and started me on light PT about 3 days after the accident. They also gave me a shot in the elbow to reduce the swelling quickly. I was at about 80% movement after the first 30 days. Since then it's been very slow getting the rest of the movement back. It does seem like a rollar coaster some days though. I'm betting about 6 months to full recovery at the moment.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Griffin_NC said:


> I was fortunate and didn't do a full displacement of the radial head. There were two 1/2" cracks on each side of it. They didn't put my arm into a cast and started me on light PT about 3 days after the accident. They also gave me a shot in the elbow to reduce the swelling quickly. I was at about 80% movement after the first 30 days. Since then it's been very slow getting the rest of the movement back. It does seem like a rollar coaster some days though. I'm betting about 6 months to full recovery at the moment.


Thanks Griffin

What you're saying is quite reassuring. I am going to be into Physio myself soon but in the mean time I am doing some movement and getting something back but I've also get pain too. I guess this is partly down to me pushing it since I want more movement back...

Cheers again. Finding out more about it gives some indication as to the nature of the injury and what type of healing and recovery is occurring.

Regards


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

187 said:


> Flugu
> 
> I fractured my radial head in April 2008. I had two surgeries, one to screw it back together and one to remove the hardware. It is an injury that takes a while to come back from. I?o was about an inch away from full radial head replacement.
> 
> ...


Hi there man

I was just wondering regarding your recovering.

I have seen some significant changes recently. I am out of the sling and can flex completely, almost albeit with some pain.

Extension wise it is a bit off still. I have been able to push it until it's 10 degrees off but that was with some real pain for a few days.

I was wonder then, how far are you with in terms of extension considering you were told it won't get back to that. I am starting Physio next week by the way.

Regards


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## yeeper (May 29, 2008)

I had the pleasure of radial head fracture myself:

2 months ago: Road bike ride. Brand new Look 555 with about 30 miles on it to replace my '93 Trek with 25,000 miles and 3 dozen races on it. A one-in-a-million chance of nicking a stick with my front wheel and putting it perfectly in the spokes. The carbon fork shattered and I went over the handlebars hard. Brand. New. Bike. Grrrrrrr.

Anyway, I put out my right hand for impact. Cracked the radial. That was 7/11/09. The orthopedic surgeon cut off the ER's cast and said no surgery - only PT. I did 6 weeks of PT and have pretty much all range of motion back.

I haven't ridden since the crash. I've been building up my new frame: Look 565 this time (there was a tiny patch of cracked paint behind the head tube of the 555 meaning the the frame was damaged in the crash.) and I'm also itching to take out the Stumpjumper. 

Question to anyone else who had gone through this: How long until I can safely ride on the elbow? The doc said 2 months, but I work as a camera man and have put alot of weight/work on this arm in the last month - I don't want to over stress it any more. It is still sore and putting miles on the trainer definitely irritates it. Is the pain something to ice after a ride, or am I risking further damage at this point? I'm running out of DVD's to watch while on the trainer. (BTW - on the old reliable Trek.)

Thanks!


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

yeeper said:


> I had the pleasure of radial head fracture myself:
> 
> 2 months ago: Road bike ride. Brand new Look 555 with about 30 miles on it to replace my '93 Trek with 25,000 miles and 3 dozen races on it. A one-in-a-million chance of nicking a stick with my front wheel and putting it perfectly in the spokes. The carbon fork shattered and I went over the handlebars hard. Brand. New. Bike. Grrrrrrr.
> 
> ...


Well... do you still have pain in any form from it? If you do then I'd maybe wait a while although my Physio tells me the pain is not damaging all that much. It is still a weak area, well it is for me.

I had mine about 2 or 3 weeks after you and it still gives me bother. I've only had 2 weeks of physio yet though but it still has it's problem.

Have you really got full range of motion back? I mean without pain? You can fully extend it and flex and rotate it without pain and to every extreme? If so - then that is quite amazing.

Good luck with the riding. You could ask some of the guys here. Maybe go on some straight roads and see how it feels. Tie it up a little, I mean with some support. It should help.

You could try PMing some of the guys above for more advice.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi....regarding radial head fracture.

I am the mother of a racer from Seattle...first name of Tim.

Anyway, I thought maybe I could ask all of you about my radial head fracture.

8/22/2009 date of injury. hard cast for five days then half cast splint and sling that I used for two weeks, doing range of motion, palm up, palm down.... for past 10 days splint only.

I now have swelling again..just been using the sling...do you think I could have broken again?

Thanks
A supportive mother of your sport


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Wow......one week ago I had a (horrific) road bike wreck. Doing about 30, looked down for a second and veered into a curb. Went OTB and hit the ground where there happened to be a culvert, so instead of sliding along the pavement, I came to a rapid stop. 

Lots of rash, and I learned two days later that I had a radial head fracture on my right. Doc said it was 1.5mm wide, looked to be about 1.5" long on the Xray. Same deal, no cast just work moving it. I am still in pain every day, but today was the first day without advil. I am probably working it too much. I hope to be back on the bike in 2-3 weeks, pending a good dr visit. 

Range of motion gets better daily, but it is still quite painful to do palms up/down. 

Also have shoulder pain now, should have mentioned that at docs office, but did not notice it with the arm.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Matt...just the same except how it occurred. I was sitting on the top of the steps at cabin and probably caught heel behind first step when I stood up....basically flew over five steps and landed directly on the concrete below...crossing my arm in front of me probably prevented worse injuries.

My fracture is identical to yours at 1.5 mm...slight distraction. My elbow did lock at 90 degrees.. that has improved. 

It still hurts. still taking Advil. Hard for me to touch my face...It may have been immobile too much of the day in the 2nd week.. not sure. or maybe an age factor. Keep your fingers moving...and if you think your wrist hurts even a little bit have it x-rayed too or re- x-rayed if it already was done.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

forgot to mention..see a PT..I did therapy on my own and think I probably pulled a tendon in my hand. Also, your should probably have your shoulder x-rayed. If you have a sling keep the elbow strap behind your shoulder and not in front...seems to help me with the shoulder pain.


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Ya.....still can't come close to touching my face. I can finally use a spoon with my right hand though. Not easy...

How long did it take for you to get all healed up? 

How old are you....I'm 25. Ill post back here after my return visit to the Orthopedic's office.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Matt. My son is 28, close to your age.... I am 56...may be why it is taking me longer to heal. My fracture was "healed" on x-ray at 4 weeks, but was told last week to still be careful, still no solid callus formation yet. I have hit my elbow a couple times and it scares me. 

I am really sorry I did not insist on professional physical therapy and instead just had the orthopod say "do this do that, etc". I also have heard that occupational therapy is beneficial in helping to hold pen, etc. 

Your accident does sound horrific, but I must say you are much further than I was at 1 week post injury. I find it hard to understand exactly how much exercise the MD wants me to do.

I will be anxious to hear what your ortho says.


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## yeeper (May 29, 2008)

Update on my injury:

I went on my first ride since my 7/11 accident yesterday. The ortho doc said no riding for 2 months following the accident. Even if movement is back and pain is down, that is alot of force going through that joint while riding. I'm a cameraman and work came up at week 5 that had me shooting for 2 straight weeks - that really aggravated it and I decided to add another 2 weeks to waiting to ride. 

Patience. I'd rather do some time on the indoor trainer than risk compromising the healing process. My rides the last two days have been road rides and I'll keep off the mtb until another couple weeks, due to the increased amount of shock put into the arms.

Matt - I would definitely give it a lot more time than 2-3 weeks to return. The main instructions from my ortho and physical therapist were keep stretching, flexing, and improving range of motion - but keep all weight off it.

-Geo


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

I have to go out so will reply in detail when I return.

Leen - I don't think you've broken it again but only an Orthopaedist will be able to answer that. The swelling is normal and is basically the swelling covering the injury and also from movement (which you need to do to stop it getting worse).

If you are still concerned, then it is best to see the Orthopaedist. The Physio is more exercise and rehab based, the Orthopaedist can assess injury and stuff.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

leen321 said:


> forgot to mention..see a PT..I did therapy on my own and think I probably pulled a tendon in my hand. Also, your should probably have your shoulder x-rayed. If you have a sling keep the elbow strap behind your shoulder and not in front...seems to help me with the shoulder pain.


You can't keep x-raying because of radiation poisoning. I think you're supposed to have one ever 6 months only and only if it's serious you can have another.

The Orthopaedist or your Doctor could send you to somebody who could assess an injury without an X Ray.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

yeeper said:


> Update on my injury:
> 
> I went on my first ride since my 7/11 accident yesterday. The ortho doc said no riding for 2 months following the accident. Even if movement is back and pain is down, that is alot of force going through that joint while riding. I'm a cameraman and work came up at week 5 that had me shooting for 2 straight weeks - that really aggravated it and I decided to add another 2 weeks to waiting to ride.
> 
> ...


I haven't ridden and I don't think I will for a while. Winter is coming soon and I will also need to get my fitness back soon too.

It aches regularly. Most movement makes it ache - fast movement is not possible but when I do it struggles for a while.

I am thinking with what I've heard it will take probably months to a couple of years before I get any normalcy.

I also get a clicking sound too.


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Yeeper.....Maybe my fracture was not as severe as yours....at least that's what I am hoping. The Orthopedic that I am seeing is a good family friend and has a really good reputation in the community. I am pretty sure he would have had me do PT if he thought the injury was bad enough. At least I hope.......

I'm having a hard time with it, mostly because I'm a farmer and a lot of my time is spent using that arm. I just hope I don't screw it up and have permanent limited range....

On a side note.....I run now that I can't ride, and nearly ate it today while running. I'd like to think I would have the presence of mine to pull in that injured arm, but I dunno. Luckily my feet caught me.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

mattsteve said:


> Yeeper.....Maybe my fracture was not as severe as yours....at least that's what I am hoping. The Orthopedic that I am seeing is a good family friend and has a really good reputation in the community. I am pretty sure he would have had me do PT if he thought the injury was bad enough. At least I hope.......
> 
> I'm having a hard time with it, mostly because I'm a farmer and a lot of my time is spent using that arm. I just hope I don't screw it up and have permanent limited range....
> 
> On a side note.....I run now that I can't ride, and nearly ate it today while running. I'd like to think I would have the presence of mine to pull in that injured arm, but I dunno. Luckily my feet caught me.


I'm not sure where you are in the world but in the UK your GP (Family Practitioner) will send you to a Physio.

I have talked to a lot of people regarding the injury and all of the guys I spoke to, told me to see a Physio and it has helped in a lot of ways.

I would consider taking this option and also talking to the Orthopaedist and later Physio about the work your are doing.

I put a bandage over my elbow by the way. I had a really strong bandage which helped support the arm while it healed. It does help.


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## hoogie (Jun 26, 2009)

i fell off my road bike at about 0.5mph about 15-16 years ago ...

i was quite lucky in that the doc in er was a cyclist and knew exactly what to look for when i told him what happened ... fractured my left radial head, complete with step etc ...

it took ages to free up and stretch the muscles out again after a few weeks being bandaged up ... as a operational firefighter it meant a few months off work too ...

i don't know what really happened, but i was in so much pain and frustrated with it not straightening out, doctors even put in a steroid injection directly into the elbow and were looking at possible srugery to remove the radial head itself ... then i woke up one morning and it was more relaxed and much freer ...

i was trying to stretch the muscles myself at home by putting palm on the wall with elbow on hip and using body weight to push the arm straight, and i was also doing some low level kayaking which i could do without too much pain or restriction ... dunno what would happen if i fell out though ...

over the years it has still given me a bit of trouble on occasion, but that could be an age thing too [am 48yo presently] ... if i lay on it for too long then it really starts to ache too, same if i hammer on a trail that is too rocky/rooty and if i use a rigid instead of front shocks ...
it also aches a bit if it is too cold on occasions ...

what worked for me was to keep it warm [warm water baths really helped] and to keep it moving ... but then mine was quite minor compared to what i have read here!

in hindsight, i cycletoured with a guy who had both radial heads removed following a motorbike accident and he really had a limited range of movement in both of them, and rode hunched over his bars cause he couldn't straighten out his arms at all ...

good luck, hope it improves soon!


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

hoogie said:


> i fell off my road bike at about 0.5mph about 15-16 years ago ...
> 
> i was quite lucky in that the doc in er was a cyclist and knew exactly what to look for when i told him what happened ... fractured my left radial head, complete with step etc ...
> 
> ...


Hi Hoogie

Thanks for your experience, it's really appreciated.

I am only 2 months out (on my 8th week right now) and I do feel this is a long term thing i.e. it will give me some pain, some discomfort over the years. At present I am working at minimalising with Physio and such which is helping but I have realised how obscure the injury is because it's in a complex area so will just accept it play around over the years.

Anyway cheers again.


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Update....I went today for another visit with my doc. His wife caught me opening a car door with the bad wing and thought I may have damaged it doing other such things. Took pix and it looks like everything is coming together nicely (2 weeks post incident). He said that I should let it rest as best I can for another two weeks and then start more aggressive PT (at home, I hope). So that's the plan, I hope to be back on the bike in a month at the absolute latest. I did ride it around a bit, albeit one handedly. Probably being foolish with the injury but whatever. Glad I read this thread.....I tricked myself into thinking that since a cast was not called for, it was not that serious of an injury.....when in terms of long term issues, it is probably more serious than a complete break of the arm. 

Glad I am young and a fast healer. 

Hope you all get healed up as well...!


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## hoogie (Jun 26, 2009)

i only had a bandage wrapped around the elbow, then the nurse put the arm in a smallish sling and wrenched it up. was just a bit achey till then and when she wrenched it up it hurt like sh*t!


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

.I am glad you had a good x-ray report and MD visit. Go for the professional therapy if offered. I see the ortho on Thurs...unsure about how it will turn out. My elbow feels unstable.. I have been wearing the sling more often even though I am 5 weeks out. I am pretty sure I have done too many exercises too soon. When I wake up in the morning I cannot close my fist. It takes a few hours then it is okay...seems to be more my wrist, but I am not sure. I totally agree with you...this type of break is definitely a long-term and harder to heal injury then maybe a long bone. 

Hope you are allowed professional PT... The more I think about it the more irritated I am with my ortho that he just expects 60 seconds of instruction to take the place of a professional several times a week. Will write on Thurs


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Good luck, Leen. The more I read on this topic, the more it sounds like there can be a pretty good range of damage according to the individual accident characteristics.....Just be glad you don't have to go in for surgery....ugh.

Look up online PT and you can probably do a decent job on your own...


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Matt..the good news for me is that my fracture is totally healed and my flexion is normal and extension only off 7 degrees.. I do have some bad news. Remember how I said my arm was bothering me. I have reddish/blusish fingers with quite a bit of pain..kind of shiny skin. I have a complictaion from the fracture called CRPS complex regional pain syndrome. I guess it is pretty uncommon and happens mainly in women. Basically my nerves decided not work in my arm. There are several stages...I am in stage 1 and it is totally reversible. I have professional therapy several times per week and do therapy everyday at home. 
Thank you...
I am glad your fracture is healing well. I wish you the best.


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## inkdtrails (Oct 16, 2009)

*left radial head fracture*

Im new to both the forums and mountain biking (2 mos) i got into mountain biking to enjoy the freeride aspect of it... long story short, i fractured my left radial head 1 week ago. Im in a sling now for 10 days and have an appt to see the Dr. again on monday.

Just wanted to comment and say thanks to everyone for posting useful information about this injury and what i can expect to recover.

Ive always been active in sports, skating and broken a lot of bones... this injury, by far seems to be the most nagging and frustrating.

Thanks Again everyone... i enjoy the reading.


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## Bushman (Nov 29, 2004)

Okay - this thread is depressing, so here goes. Fractured radial head on 8th Dec 09 road cycling - girl clips my back wheel with her front wheel and I hit the deck at 6mph with arm outstretched. Was riding my 5 day old Specialized Tarmac SL!!! Luckily that was not damaged. 

No displacenment initially. 2 weeks later I have 1.5mm displacement. 3 weeks later - no change & signs of recovery. at 7 weeks I go to PT and he starts manipulating the elbow which was VERY painful. After 3 weeks of getting nowhere and increased pain after manipulation PT referrs me to specialist. She requests another X-Ray and now I have 5mm of displacement and no signs of the bone healing??!! She referrs me to another "specialist" whom I have yet to hear from.

I have approx 50% movement I recon so it's rather depressing. Now I haven't heard back from specialist/ PT/ hospital and no one knows whether I should have surgery or what. 

:madman: :madman:


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi Bushman.

You are right, this thread is depressing. You are two months out with no real treatment plan. If you live close to a Teaching University I would get copies of all my chart notes, PT notes, digital x-rays, etc and make an appt ASAP with a orthopedic hand specialist (they do shoulder on down). My radial head fracture is very similar to yours, just a bit less. I am still doing therapy and will tweak my elbow and it hurts like crazy (like tonight, felt fine scrubbing the skin and you would think I just broke it all over, but I have RSD as you may have read above as a result of this fracture---rare..do not worry about getting it). I have read almost everything I can find and realize this is a tricky fracture even if a tiny fracture or minimally displaced. Therapy seems to be what most agree on. Palm up/palm down, but I would not do this unless instructed by physical therapist. I got the run around similar to you, but it only hampered my recovery. So my main advice to you is be advocate for yourself in your care and do not let anyone keep you from getting the treatment/care/therapy that you need, especially if you are only at 50% movement. BTW therapy can hurt, but it should not hurt to the point of tears...too much too soon can cause more damage. My therapist specializes in hand/arms/shoulders only. My best to you...Kathleen


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## cmazzulla (Feb 16, 2010)

*Meee Tooo!*

I am a dirt/street bmx guy but I actually hurt my elbow in a motox accident, about 4.5 months ago. I was training for supercross and I had a bad get off which put me in ICU for a list of things and the elbow pain/swelling was on the list. I insisted that there was a problem but the Dr. said it was not broke and had clear x-rays..... a month ago I am still in pain and am not getting much better so I saw two specialists and both said that I had a radial head fracture that had become displaced and both said that it needed to be screwed together initially. I am having constant pain still and I will be going in for a cartilage cleanup surgery and a possible ulnar nerve re-location. One Dr. said that it probably wont be worth Fixing the displacement???. I have broken many bones and this is definitely the most complicated by far. Good luck to you guys.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

So sorry you have a radial head fracture. Often they are not "caught" at first, but will show up on plain films in 7-10 days. I transcribe radiology reports and I have typed ulnar fat pad sign is indicative of elbow fracture in the case of acute trauma.. I would guess you had at least one fat pad that had edema. But cannot go back. They do not always do surgery for a radial head fracture. I did not have surgery, but it still bothers me even after 6 months. I really believe in physical therapy. If you are close to a teaching university I would go there for another opinion if you do not feel comfortable with what you are being told. The best to you. Let me know how you are doing.


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Bushman said:


> Okay - this thread is depressing, so here goes. Fractured radial head on 8th Dec 09 road cycling - girl clips my back wheel with her front wheel and I hit the deck at 6mph with arm outstretched. Was riding my 5 day old Specialized Tarmac SL!!! Luckily that was not damaged.
> 
> No displacenment initially. 2 weeks later I have 1.5mm displacement. 3 weeks later - no change & signs of recovery. at 7 weeks I go to PT and he starts manipulating the elbow which was VERY painful. After 3 weeks of getting nowhere and increased pain after manipulation PT referrs me to specialist. She requests another X-Ray and now I have 5mm of displacement and no signs of the bone healing??!! She referrs me to another "specialist" whom I have yet to hear from.
> 
> ...


I'm really sorry to hear about this. This doesn't appear to the way things go.

I think my history is above but it's 6 to 7 months for me so I can tell you where I am at.

I have full flexion (like a bicep curl) but with a little pain, sharp pain. While extension is just 5 degree off. I can't hold things with it for a long time but it is healing but slowly.

I think in your case mate it should be plastered up first and I am wondering why it hasn't been plastered up. You have displacement and minimal movement. You need at least a plaster to let the bone heal. The Physio can play around with it later!!! I mean, I was in a plaster at first and then asked to move it as much as possible. I had no displacement but I was in a plaster. I'm confused as to why they didn't plaster you with a displacement. If you look online, you will find that displacement leads to a plaster.

Maybe you need to see somebody who gives a damn.

Keep us informed on what happens!!

and the bestest of luck!


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

leen321 said:


> Hi Bushman.
> 
> You are right, this thread is depressing.


But there is a future. If anything this thread highlights how you should really try and get this thing looked at properly.

I keep thinking, without the responses I got from this thread, I wouldn't have had physio, I wouldn't have had the support either.

This is a complicated injury and the online support is important for ambiguous injuries like this.

It was really annoying and upsetting for me as well. I was out of sync for about 2 months, but it started to improve in time.

Stick with a programme and never underestimate any pain is what I say.

Oh and I do recommend Calcium/Magnesium supplements too!!


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## Calhoun (Nov 11, 2008)

Like most replies I had a Radial Head Fracture on my right arm. It sucked. 

I took a week off the bike. My physical therapist told me no biking, so I found another therapist. The stretches and exercises seem silly, but they are a huge help. Sometimes my elbow will feel stiff or my wrist will hurt, but I just go back to the basic exercises and it all gets better. It has almost been one year since my wreck and I am on the bike with no limitations. Well almost no limitations... I am having a hard time commiting to steep downs (I was on a steep down when I wrecked.) I even did the 24hrs of Old Pueblo and my arm did not bother me at all.


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## seank (Feb 21, 2010)

*I have gained no upward motion 2 months out any thoughts?*

I has my radial head replaced on january 4 th 2010 since then I have gained 22 degrees downward and none upward. The surgeon had never preformed this surgery before and he said its possible the stopper may be to big. He said lets hit therapy for another six weeks then he can numb it and try to manually move it. If he cannot then the stopper is too big. Im getting concerned. Has anyone else run into anything like this?
Thanks 
Sean


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

seank said:


> I has my radial head replaced on january 4 th 2010 since then I have gained 22 degrees downward and none upward. The surgeon had never preformed this surgery before and he said its possible the stopper may be to big. He said lets hit therapy for another six weeks then he can numb it and try to manually move it. If he cannot then the stopper is too big. Im getting concerned. Has anyone else run into anything like this?
> Thanks
> Sean


I have heard about it Sean and I am sure you can appreciate from the responses, this is not a simple break we're talking about here.

What you can also factor into this is, people do get better but it takes time. Don't worry about it because there is a future and there is a solution at the end of it all. Keep posting on your progress and people will give you advice and reassurance as and when you do post.

Keep in touch with the Doctors and don't take any pain easily. Always report.

All the very best.


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## jeffdom1978 (Jun 9, 2010)

I'd love to hear from anyone who posted in this thread on the status of their injury? Thanks!


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## mattsteve (Dec 28, 2004)

Well, it's been just short of a year for me.....

I was able to start riding (lightly) about 2 months after the wreck. It gave me trouble doing other things (wasn't able to surf for 4 months) and I still can get a pretty good shot of pain if I accidentally rapidly over extend it. The arm still does not straighten 100%, probably 85%. But it does seem to slowly get better.....and keep in mind that I haven't done any PT. I should have.

Good luck for all you guys!


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## megafrenzy (Apr 4, 2005)

It's been over 2 years for me, it was a fracture. Did PT, never got full movement back but I'm still riding. Hurts if I lift something heavy, but generally it's not noticeable.


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## leen321 (Oct 1, 2009)

Almost one year for me..sound similar to others. I can straighten close to 90%. It pops if I extend too quickly as in grabbing something. My RSD causes more problems than anything. If I stir too much, garden too much, anything with rotation... I really hurt the next day...slowly but surely I guess. Stiil do PT at home. Sometimes I think a little callus breaks away and it heals over and over and over. Hope everyone is doing great.
Kathleen


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

jeffdom1978 said:


> I'd love to hear from anyone who posted in this thread on the status of their injury? Thanks!


Well it has been a year for me as well now and I do have some trouble still.

Using it excessively brings on some pain. If I use it too much, I can't over extend the arm so I have to wait until the inflammation goes down.

Other wise, I have almost got full extension. It's only a little bit off.


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## jeffdom1978 (Jun 9, 2010)

Flugu Truck said:


> Well it has been a year for me as well now and I do have some trouble still.
> 
> Using it excessively brings on some pain. If I use it too much, I can't over extend the arm so I have to wait until the inflammation goes down.
> 
> Other wise, I have almost got full extension. It's only a little bit off.


Flugu,

At what point, (month) did you get closest to full extension? I am in month 5, and I still am off quite a bit... I feel like Im not gaining anything... I do all my stretches and by end of day my arm looks and feels alot straighter, then I wake up the next morning and I feel like Im back to square one... really annoying!

I still get days where it hurts all day and its sore... The only plus is I have alot of my strength back, just not extension!! really driving me NUTS!


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

jeffdom1978 said:


> Flugu,
> 
> At what point, (month) did you get closest to full extension? I am in month 5, and I still am off quite a bit... I feel like Im not gaining anything... I do all my stretches and by end of day my arm looks and feels alot straighter, then I wake up the next morning and I feel like Im back to square one... really annoying!
> 
> I still get days where it hurts all day and its sore... The only plus is I have alot of my strength back, just not extension!! really driving me NUTS!


My full extension came about around... January I would say which was 5 months after.

This does depend on the kind of injury you had and the extent of the break too.

I don't have all my strength back. My arm weakens very quickly and can't handle excessive usage or the picking up of weights and this is after all the work I have put into it too.

My extension on the other hand is barely noticeable but this doesn't hide the fact it hurts sometimes but it is close to normalcy and we're only 12 months in. I have been told it takes around 2 years to get complete normalcy back.

Are you doing all the extension and twisting exercises? Has the Physiotherapist told you how much to twist it (palm facing upwards and then downwards)?

Maybe you could look into the state of your pain and focus on that.


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## AdamD79 (Apr 12, 2006)

Fractured my radial head July 20th 2010. Been in PT one week. Should be back on the bike late August or early Sept for a cruise by the beach, then a few light XC rides before I'm back DHing!!! The rotation is the slowest thing to return & my PTer pushes me until I'm almost crying! BRING IT!!!


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

AdamD79 said:


> Fractured my radial head July 20th 2010. Been in PT one week. Should be back on the bike late August or early Sept for a cruise by the beach, then a few light XC rides before I'm back DHing!!! The rotation is the slowest thing to return & my PTer pushes me until I'm almost crying! BRING IT!!!


I would seriously advise against getting back on your bike within the next month or so - I really would.

It's not only the bone but the soft tissue you should consider during the healing process so give it time. You could put unnecessary strain on your joint to the point it heals incorrectly.

Give this thread a good read as it's all written here.


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## gruppe_a (Oct 18, 2006)

Geez. This thread freaks me out every time I read it. Even more so now that I know my elbow has a RHF. 

Did some kind of lame endo while riding offroad and came down hard on my left side 5 days ago.

It's in a splint for 10 days, then we'll reevaluate. X-rays showed no displacement. I was stoked on that until I read bushman's account. Christ. 

I had figured just a hard impact on the elbow had done this, but what really causes a RHF? Landing with an arm outstretched? Can't remember my arm's position on impact. Always thought that resulted in busted collarbones in cyclists... never heard of an RHF before I found my way here. 

I'll crash in a fetal position next time to avoid this kinda potential nightmare again. :/


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

gruppe_a said:


> Geez. This thread freaks me out every time I read it. Even more so now that I know my elbow has a RHF.
> 
> Did some kind of lame endo while riding offroad and came down hard on my left side 5 days ago.
> 
> ...


Yes, it is landing with your arm outstretched so the impact travels through to the radial head of the elbow that causes the fracture.

I don't know where you are but if you remain in the care of a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) and Orthopaedic Consultant/Doctor then you should be ok. Do as they say, continue with strength building and mobility exercises and you will return to normal (if it is not displaced).

Stick with the exercises and therapy. This thread could seem daunting but do your best and you should be ok.


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## gruppe_a (Oct 18, 2006)

While this thread does indeed freak me out, it is an excellent one and I definitely do appreciate everyone's input! (As I type one-handedly...)


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## Dose (Apr 19, 2009)

It's tough not to stick the had out there when it happen in flash. I know better from 25 years of skateboarding. Fact of the matter is, I stuck it out DHing 8 weeks ago. The radial head healed well (No Displacement) but my wrist is FVck!ng killing me. Getting and MRI tomorrow. I have had a bunch of surgeries (2 this year on my knee even). The body and the head always get better. Hang tough!


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## Dose (Apr 19, 2009)

Edit..... "Hand out there............happens......".


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

*Radial head fracture*

Hiya Guys.

I suffered a nasty radial-head fracture coming down a slope which i didnt think was that bad apart from some cuts & bruises until i got -up & tried to lift my bike when i knew there was something wrong.

A week later i decided to go to the doctor as i found i just coudn't lift the smallest of items.

Ist x-ray showed-up as a "subtle-fractute" with minor brusing.

2nd x-ray a week later showed-up as 2mm gap on the surface of the radial-head.

In the sling the right arm goes for a period of 4-6 weeks.

5 weeks in the sling when you take it off , it literally feels like youre arm is a block of ice.

You can barely extend-it or bend-it : that for me was the worst fear & panic i ever felt :

never using my right arm again.

2 weeks into Physio now & i can safely say i'm regaining 50-60% on the extention & bend , palm-up i have a good 90% but the palm-down still only 70% seems to be the most difficult area.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

Here is my daily routine for a 2mm displaced radial-head please stop if you feel any sharp or stabbing pain)as the bone is still in the process of healing , however start applying muscle pressure once you feel the bone has healed , most of these exersises are designed to remove the "kink" or "stiffness" from youre joint after the sling has been removed.

I repeat each exersice (4) times per day & rub with elmore oil 2-3 times per day.

1) Stand straight looking in front & straighten elbow flush(or as close you can) with youre leg hold 5-10 secs.

Raise arm & bend elbow hold 5-10 secs.

10 x each

2) Grab a stick , a broom will do : hold with two hands palm-up & extend elbow flush with youre legs , hold 5-10 secs

Slowly raise & bend elbow hold 5-10 secs.

10 x each.

3) Turn palm @ 90 degree angle tucked & hold stick bend to apply pressure with other arm hold 5-10 secs.

Repeat with palm down.

10 x each.

4) Hold hand @ 90 degree angle tucked-in & turn palm up & down.

10 x each.

These routines have helped me emminsley from thinking i was gonna be cripple to back the "jelly' like motion through my limb again.

Dont be afraid to break the kink in youre joint with these routines : its just that youre elbow has been locked-in a certain position in a sling for too long , however dont go passed the point when you feel any sharp or stabbing pains as youve hit a tender spot in youre fracture.

Anyhowz you'll know youre on the right track when you can place palm down on the roof of youre head & hold 5 secs without feeling like a magnet!

Oh well something to shoot for in the next couple of weeks.

Peace.

Tom


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## gruppe_a (Oct 18, 2006)

That's good stuff Tom, thanks! I'm not that far along yet, but I'm surprised how well I'm doing...

3 weeks since the crash as of yesterday. Out of the sling & splint. Probably still gonna use those for sleeping. X-rays from 2 days ago still show no displacement in my radial head/neck fracture. Head surface looks "pristine".

I can extend the arm at least 90%. Flexing is similar. Palm down nearly 90%. Palm up is only about 70%.

I actually rode the bike yesterday, only about 3-4 miles. Doctor didn't freak out when I mentioned this today, & actually gave me permission assuming I'm super duper careful.

So I guess I'm pretty lucky. And about to screw everything up if I get too cocky.


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## Ockham (Nov 15, 2010)

Dumb teenager with Ipod headset suddenly lurched in front of me while on the easy part of the trail, causing me to hit a rock throwing me head over heels. Broken radial head left arm (non-dominant). Been 4 weeks. My next door neighbor is a physical therapist. He told me to stretch it out as far as I could and hold it for 30 seconds, 7 times a day. Okay so far. Can't ride yet, as it won't support much weight, but it is better. First week I could play tennis if my partner did all the serving. Second week, I could hold one ball, but couldn't toss it up very high. Third week could toss ball high, but not with control. Now I can serve normally as long as its only one ball in my hand, but still can't ride bike yet. Tried golf, but dissolved into agony on the downswing when the club hit that tiny little white ball. Funny, it looks so small......


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## shoryuken (Mar 24, 2008)

Did mine on my left arm about Feb 2010. Had a type 1 fracture, a small slit.
Had about 2 weeks of light duties till pain went away and had a sling, but im a chef, so that was 2 weeks off work 

All healed up fine till the last few weeks (6-8) I started my new exercises for the day. It was a 2-5kg rubber band which i have to curl. Then i heard a creaking/ grinding sound. I attempted other things to left down to about 1-2kg and the sound still came. The grinding also came from Flexing my arm and moving it up and down in a Hammer curl motion.

Went to doc the specialist... The slit never healed and closed all the way up to the top of the bone. And its right on the joint, thus making the grind.

Specialist told me ill never be able to goto the gym again or even do pushups alot.
Said i can still ride. The bone is as strong as it ever was. but not a perfect flat joint.
He also said in an ideal world, i should never move the elbow again... ><
I was almost in tears when he told me all this.

To get it fixed i have to give into early next year and see if it has fixed its self somehow.
Then go under the knife, but he tells me its no 100% fix.
Also if its not fixed , i may get arthritis in 15years (im 27 atm).
I asked him if there is a cure for arthritis ( i know little about it) he tells me by the time i get it there maybe... fuk him i say.

In the process of tracking down the best surgeons atm to fix my problem.
*
SO.... If you take one thing away with you from this thread.... Get a good Phyiso and a (trusted) doc and get a 2nd or 3rd opinion if you feel then need. 
My small injury basically may fuk me for life.....* :madmax:

Ill try update next year when i find out more.


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

here is my story:

riding in soquel demo forest here in the sf bay area on a steep section of trail, went over the bars. landed on my left hand which was outstretched, heard a crunch, and saw my forearm pointing in the wrong direction. not being a doc, i had no idea what was going on, i just assumed that the radius and ulna were broken to permit that kind of direction.

it turned out to be a radial head fracture. luckily, i was able to avoid surgery, and am currently doing physical therapy. this happened on 7 Aug 2010, so its been a few months. i have most of my flexion, pronation movement back. extension is still only abt 80%, plus the tendons and connective tissue that were avulsed are still swollen and tender. my physical therapist says that w/ due care adn diligence, i should get everything back fingers crossed (i'm still not cleared to ride). 

key takeaways:

1. get as MANY orthopedic surgeon opinions as you think you need--the first two surgeons i saw wanted to operate right away. the third one was a bit more experienced, and noted that a few weeks in a splint should suffice and then PT should start asap. my buddy who is an orthopedic surgeon also told me that a lot of places are money making operations (so they will push for surgery even if not needed)

2. get a good physical therapist that you are comfortable with, and that actually pays attention to the exercises you are doing to ensure proper movement, and to recommend changes as needed. 

3. you should get a set of exercises to do at home as well--you have to be very diligent about doing these---i saw big improvements in my range of motion when i started doing the home exercises 2x a day

hope that helps


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## veloreality (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for all the replys guys. Definatly helpfull.

I went otb and fractured my right radial head on 10/28/10
One week later I had surgery and one screw installed on 11/4/10
I've been doing stretches on my own for pt but I don't think it's working as i have had no progress in the past few weeks. 

Its so aggrivating being able to ride a bike but not being able to RIDE a bike.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

How long does it usually take for a midly displaced-fracture of the radial head to re-align itself ?

Ive been on physio for about 4 months now & still the bone has'nt sat back into position :

I heard it could take up to a year or so ?


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

if its been 4 months, then i would think that any breaks in the bone have already healed. the pieces of my radial head that i broke were displaced by a few mm, but the doc said its fine, the body smooths out the discontinuity so that you end up w/ a smooth surface.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> if its been 4 months, then i would think that any breaks in the bone have already healed. the pieces of my radial head that i broke were displaced by a few mm, but the doc said its fine, the body smooths out the discontinuity so that you end up w/ a smooth surface.


My crack was also displaced by a few mm : so its the discontinuity in the break that has to smooth over before you get realignment , or does the entire - bone get wacked out by a few mm & has to realign ?

Or both im bit unsure as im still unable to fully extend the elbow ?


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

Tommy.B said:


> My crack was also displaced by a few mm : so its the discontinuity in the break that has to smooth over before you get realignment , or does the entire - bone get wacked out by a few mm & has to realign ?
> 
> Or both im bit unsure as im still unable to fully extend the elbow ?


tommy b,

it probably depends on the exact geometry of your fracture. on mine, if you imagine the radial head as a sphere, the pieces that broke were on the periphery of the sphere,a nd they got shifted downwards by a few mm. it was that discontinuity t hat the doc told me would smooth over w/ time, enabling the humerus to move smoothly. also, i'm at month 5, and i'm still not able to fully extend the elbow--i can almost get there, but not quite. the doc told me that it will take several months to get that last range of motion back.

my recommendation would be to avoid being shy about asking the doc question until you understand things to YOUR satisfaction. the first two ortho's i saw were not good about answering questions at all.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> tommy b,
> 
> it probably depends on the exact geometry of your fracture. on mine, if you imagine the radial head as a sphere, the pieces that broke were on the periphery of the sphere,a nd they got shifted downwards by a few mm. it was that discontinuity t hat the doc told me would smooth over w/ time, enabling the humerus to move smoothly. also, i'm at month 5, and i'm still not able to fully extend the elbow--i can almost get there, but not quite. the doc told me that it will take several months to get that last range of motion back.
> 
> my recommendation would be to avoid being shy about asking the doc question until you understand things to YOUR satisfaction. the first two ortho's i saw were not good about answering questions at all.


Hiya dth & thankyou kindly for youre response :thumbsup:

Sounds like a very similar injury to mine m8) , im also @ month 5 & cant fully-extend almost there but it feels like a "lock-up" on the edge of the elbow thats preventing the full-extension.

Take a look @ the diagram if you can m8) as i have a feeling this illustrates the type of injury youre describing & would be very-similar to mine.

We'll just have to give-it several more months:madman: & wait for that bone to smooth-over to see how much range of motion will return.

Stay tuned there bro , i'ii keep you updated on the recovery & thankyou for youre post :thumbsup:


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## jeffdom1978 (Jun 9, 2010)

Well, 10 months in and still cant fully extend my arm, cant turn my wrist up or down all the way and it constantly pops and cracks, and I still am in pain.. Im just getting used to it.. BUT I have all my strength back... I can do push ups and pull ups no problem. my small type 1 fracture has been a complete nightmare... 

Did 8 week of PT
3 months of Active Splint to extend the arm

all for nothing. 

I havent been to my doc in 4 months so I think Im gonna go back but Im sure surgery is the only option at this point..


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

The 1st big test today for me was back on the job loading / unloading containers , the elbow held-up still didnt put all the force into the right arm but feck im pretty -happy with the result :

still cant -fully extend after 5 months but i guess that will come over time:thumbsup:


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

Tommy.B said:


> The 1st big test today for me was back on the job loading / unloading containers , the elbow held-up still didnt put all the force into the right arm but feck im pretty -happy with the result :
> 
> still cant -fully extend after 5 months but i guess that will come over time:thumbsup:


tommy b,

good to hear that your elbow is holding up--one thing that for me is limiting full extension is the fact that the 2 weeks in the splint caused my bicep to shrink, and other connective tissue to atrophy as well. basically, the body thinks that the position in the splint is "normal", and adjusts accordingly--this limits the range of motion. so far, physical therapy is helping me w /this, but its slow going at this point.

also, i've started using my arm more, but i tried moving to 5 lb weights from my current 3 lb weights, and that caused a lot of pain and swelling, so i backed off.

it may sound stupid, but i also try and do breathing exercises to relax, and to be able to stretch my arm out more (as part of my physical therapy). it helps me get a little bit more movement, at least during the therapy session


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> tommy b,
> 
> good to hear that your elbow is holding up--one thing that for me is limiting full extension is the fact that the 2 weeks in the splint caused my bicep to shrink,


I was 4 weeks in a sling & when then docs took it of , i literally had no muscle left or very little , i could hardly move -it : it was like a block of ice


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> tommy b,
> 
> and other connective tissue to atrophy as well. basically, the body thinks that the position in the splint is "normal", and adjusts accordingly--this limits the range of motion. so far, physical therapy is helping me w /this, but its slow going at this point.


I was initially & still afraid of twisting the elbow into any other position then the :splint" & the weight exercices my physio has my on , especially when i apply "full" force on heavy objects either picking them up or placing them down is still a problem for me.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> tommy b,
> 
> also, i've started using my arm more, but i tried moving to 5 lb weights from my current 3 lb weights, and that caused a lot of pain and swelling, so i backed off.


Im on 4 k with the bicep-curls & 2 k with the arm - extensions.

The fracture is still evident however i feel that the :"displacement" or "discontinuity" as you said is starting to smooth- out as that 'edge" on the bone is feeling a bit smoother.

We'll give -it another 7 months as you said ,you where was pretty much spot-on :thumbsup:


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

Here i am @ 5 months physio but i was covered by work , so i had the time everyday to work on my arm for 4 hours with the stretching & weight exersices my physio has me on.

I have to continue with the weight to compensate for the weekness on the joint so my physio tells me.

Its nice to talk with someone who has a similar injury that occured around the same time & to compare sum results :thumbsup: 

I'ii keep the updates over the next 7 months & hopefully we'll come-up ALRITE :thumbsup:


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## Flugu Truck (Aug 16, 2009)

Well it is slowly coming up to about 18 to 20 months for me now and while I have a slight pain on extension and not much on flexion, it is weak when I carry things for a while. I am trying to strengthen it somewhat so I will see how that goes.


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## SKPhoto816 (Aug 5, 2010)

Damn, I hope all of you heal up quick. I've broken every major joint in my left arm from either biking or snowboarding. The left wrist took over 6 months to make a fist, more than a year to hold it. My elbow still catches occasionally and took about 6 months to get normal (not strong) again. The shoulder was the worst since it broke and I didn't see a doc for over a month. After a surgery to grind down bone spurs and remove part of the bursa sack it's stronger but still not like the right one. Thankfully I can still ride both sports pretty hard with minimal pain. DEFINITELY go to physical therapy, especially at a sports specialty clinic. Do that stuff religiously, even when you're cleared. If you can afford it hire a personal trainer that will help you strengthen all your little stabilizer muscles, otherwise bigger muscles take over and limit your range of motion. Good luck to all of you!


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## TeCeBe (Jan 16, 2009)

I did my left RH in June, 2009 going over the bars. Doc wasn't sure if she was going to operate or not. 50/50. Took me into her office, lied me down, got me talking about how it happened and WHAM. Rotated my wrist around full extension. JESUS. Doc goes, well thats what I needed to see, it will rotate. That sound and pain are not forgotten.

6 months of super fun PT and I was back to 90% extension and rotation. I am now back at full extension and rotation. Still, at times, creaks and cracks like a 90 year old arthritic , gets stiff at times and sore in damp weather. Hopefully though, continues to get better over time.

PT PT PT PT PT PT. Do it. It sucks but it works. My PT said it would take years to get it back to where it was pre-break. Turns out she was right.


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## ruquick77 (Oct 28, 2010)

On 4-10-11 I had a small wreck, radial head fracture on the left arm. Its the Type 1 fracture.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

TeCeBe said:


> I did my left RH in June, 2009 going over the bars. Doc wasn't sure if she was going to operate or not. 50/50. Took me into her office, lied me down, got me talking about how it happened and WHAM. Rotated my wrist around full extension. JESUS. Doc goes, well thats what I needed to see, it will rotate. That sound and pain are not forgotten.
> 
> 6 months of super fun PT and I was back to 90% extension and rotation. I am now back at full extension and rotation. Still, at times, creaks and cracks like a 90 year old arthritic , gets stiff at times and sore in damp weather. Hopefully though, continues to get better over time.
> 
> PT PT PT PT PT PT. Do it. It sucks but it works. My PT said it would take years to get it back to where it was pre-break. Turns out she was right.


There bugger's these type of fractures , i spent 6 months of heavy - physio on mine with a 2mm gap on the radial - surface , about 10 months in for me now & very pleased with the results so far : Its my crowning achiement:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Got looked after by the best pysio's & doctors : i can still feel it lifting or pulling very - heavy items but i guess thats just strenght of the mind from here guys:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

Tommy.B said:


> There bugger's these type of fractures , i spent 6 months of heavy - physio on mine with a 2mm gap on the radial - surface , about 10 months in for me now & very pleased with the results so far : Its my crowning achiement:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
> 
> Got looked after by the best pysio's & doctors : i can still feel it lifting or pulling very - heavy items but i guess thats just strenght of the mind from here guys:thumbsup::thumbsup:


hey tommy b, good to hear that you are recovering well. i'm still doing physio (i go bi weekly now, and do the exercises at home 2-3x a week), but its still swollen and painful after almost 9 months. this is due to the dislocation and damage to soft tissue, but its slowly getting better. i'm cleared to mtb once a week, so i do that, and otherwise, i try to walk/run to get outside and stay fit.

when i combine motions (pronation with the elbow bent, like when you floss your teeth), i hear a crunching noise from the joint--the phsyio folks say thats normal, and will take more time to heal.


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

dth656 said:


> hey tommy b, good to hear that you are recovering well. i'm still doing physio (i go bi weekly now, and do the exercises at home 2-3x a week), but its still swollen and painful after almost 9 months. this is due to the dislocation and damage to soft tissue, but its slowly getting better. i'm cleared to mtb once a week, so i do that, and otherwise, i try to walk/run to get outside and stay fit.
> 
> when i combine motions (pronation with the elbow bent, like when you floss your teeth), i hear a crunching noise from the joint--the phsyio folks say thats normal, and will take more time to heal.


This is pretty-much the end result of physio & back on the job heading towards 12 months still not quite the full-extention but the strength & elasticity is pretty much there still feel a bit on the outer-edge of the radial : doc reckons that discontinuity in the bone will still continue to heal over time & allowing better extention in the future :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## Tommy.B (Sep 19, 2010)

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## jeffdom1978 (Jun 9, 2010)

Hey guys I am exactly 1 year and 3 months post accident. I was fine for many months with no pain and 85% full extension.. Well started at the gym last week and now I am in a ton of pain.. I mean I can do a ton of pull ups and push ups, do weight, but then the next day my elbow is very sore and pops and cracks alot and feels like Im losing extension I had.. really sucks! If I stretch my arm out fully it hurts!


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## Dvorak (Jun 24, 2011)

Interesting thread. Both worrying and encouraging. I am now a whole twenty-two hours in from my crash (so i have a bit of time to surf the net). MTB on road, had just fitted some skinny slick tyres, pushing the speed...went to signal a turn (for my house, so close...) and bam! I'm viewing the sky though my bike frame, which my legs are holding aloft.

I realise that the left wing is busted in some way, so I get a lift to A&E (where it is very quick service all round), have the scrapes cleaned up, and a couple of x-rays. A pretty clean snap of the radial head. The ortho junior is called over, says it is the worst break of that sort he has seen, tests my range of movement and rotation, (limited, decreasing and painful) orders me plastered shoulder to wrist and says to come back to see the consultant the next morning. Says ( I thought) that I will be in plaster for eight weeks and may need surgery (wiring the head up). Sent off with some 30/500 co-codamol.

Next morning I am surprised when the consultant's opening gambit is "we'll just take that plaster off" and there is a nurse standing by with a cutter. Whoa! After a chat she says I could keep the cast on for a week, no longer, as the elbow would start to seize. She also says it is a really bad break, but not one requiring surgery. I do have the cast cut off and now have a simple wrist sling, which has left the arm feeling a bit vulnerable. I am also advised that the next week will be quite painful and I must take painkillers on a schedule, even if not in pain at that point (not those co-codamal though, apparently I should be on the floor after them). And, after about three days, I should start trying some movement, and return in three weeks. Hopefully mostly fixed in around eight weeks, but likely to have residual issues for some time, or permanently.

At the moment, the arm is a bit uncomfortable, rather than in pain. The massively swollen thigh, now that's painful.

Anyway, that's an epic first post, medals if you have made it this far and I'll try and update after my next appoinment.


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## turtleshell (Jun 24, 2011)

*Feel better*

Yeah, I just replied on another post about it. I hope you get better. Mine was clean but bad. The sad thing was, I climbed for years, played hockey, skateboarding, and biking and I busted it walking to get the mail. I ate concrete. Bashed up the bursa on my left knee pretty good, minor injury to the rotator cuff, nasty radial head fracture, and a lot of lost skin. That was 3/2010. I did PT right after and got good range of motion back quickly, but was later told I should've been pinned. A year later, I have pain most days and it gets tired and gives out depending on the activity. I can't climb or do push ups too well. I started road biking again last fall, but still haven't gotten back to mountain bike. Anybody this far out still having pain? The obvious answer is go back to the ortho, but I guess I'm afraid they'd want to do something else to it. I have enough surgery on my plate with the knees.:skep:


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## yzblue242 (May 3, 2008)

Here's my story...

Went riding with my sons on 6/13/11 (Monday) into the town near where we live. Was crossing the street and went to ride up onto the sidewalk and somehow endo'ed. Stiff armed the landing and it seemed like the right side of my body took the most impact - right knee was bleeding, but left elbow was sore. I never even hit my left elbow, so I let it go a few days thinking it was stoved.

I started icing my elbow daily along with 800mg of Ibuprofen. I went for a ride 3 days later (Thursday) and the left elbow bothered me on the ride - particularly when I had to go over a tree or a sharp edge hit. We had a vacation coming up, so I rode again the following Tuesday and felt terrible. The elbow bothered me, but I also felt out of sorts.

Long story short, it turns out I had a Type 1 Radial Head fracture of the left radius along with having pneumonia. No wonder I felt so terrible on the last ride I did! 

Had the xray taken on 7/11/11 after we returned home from vacation and they identified the approx. 3 mm fracture. The doc gave me a sling and told me to wear it during the day and that it would take 4-6 weeks to heal. My pronation/supination does not seem to be impacted although my extension is limited so that I cannot completely straighten my arm as of yet.

Compared to some of the other stories I have read on here, mine doesn't sound too bad. However, I think I will take the advice of others who have gone through this and seek out some good PT. I want to minimize any long term effects and hopefully, the PT will assist with this.

The worst thing to me is how bitter I am that I got taken out by a freakin' sidewalk. All of the techy, sketchy stuff I ride, and I get one of my worst riding injuries on a sidewalk! :madman:

The good thing though is that I told my riding buddies that I don't want to hear them complain about a little boo-boo the next time we're going to ride because the last time I rode with them, I had pneumonia _and_ a broken arm! :thumbsup:


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## Hugh_S (Jul 24, 2007)

I have a small crack in mine from two weeks ago. Wrist is pretty sore and weak and cannot fully extend the arm. Nice thing is that the fracture is really small and prognosis is good. Bad part is that I haven't been able to ride at all this season. Was rehabbing a knee for the first couple months, now this.

I get a new x-ray this week to determine next steps, my hope is all will be healing without need for metal.


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## sunset (Aug 13, 2011)

Hi, broke mine last monday, nondisplaced, never broke anything before. is it normal to not be able lift your arm without aid of my other arm, doctor said leave it for a week then do some light exercise,


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## TerrydNorwich (Aug 30, 2011)

New to this but here goes;
Went out with my son on Sunday 31st January 2010, unfortunately my front wheel slipped we later noted on black ice (I realise now but stupid mistake) put my left arm out to stop my fall and hey prestow excruciating pain and I knew I had done some serious damage. A trip in an air ambulance and got to hospital where I was informed I had a displaced fracture of my radius and ulnar of my left elbow but I also had radial nerve damage as I had loss of sensation in my smaller and ring finger as well as the palm of my hand. The doctors tried without success to try and pull my arm back into position but eventually I was taken to surgery and had two plates placed into my elbow. I had my arm in a cast for six weeks and I had numerous problems with this as my arm continued to swell and cause the plaster room guys loads of extra work as they had to keep replacing the cast. Eventually thei cast was removed but my arm was stuck solid. I was given physio twice a week which was to say the least the most painful thing I have ever endured. After about four months I was told I would never be able to straighten my arm completely but I halso had no pronation or supanation at the wrist. Loads of physio but still no movement. One of the plates was removed thinking this would help but it didn't. After a year the surgeon removed the radial head. This has given back limited movement at the wrist but I still cannot fully straighten my arm and to this day I am still having physio now once a week.
The moral of this story is don't cycle when there is likelihood of ice!!


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## Andy Pancroft (Aug 3, 2011)

Man, that's tough!!!! I have some metal in my arm from a fracture and still have only 90 ROM . Keep plugging along and get as fully recovered as possible and just know that you may have to modify your riding style but, I have not doubt you'll be back on the trail!!!

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!!


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## paulrb02 (Aug 3, 2009)

Here is some video from my accident: my fall - YouTube Its pretty funny.

I was trying to get some more footage for a test and was riding my friends rather large bike. here is the test I was doing:Fox Talas Vs Rock Shox Reba Fork 29 Stiffness Test Part 2 - YouTube

Here is my x-ray at 2 weeks:








Ortho said just a minor fracture (hairline fracture)

I couldn't move my arm at the accident so no real good x-rays from that. The Urgent care put me in a splint, but the Ortho, 2 days later, told me to stay out of it unless I had too, It would speed up healing. That first day I had bad muscle spasms so I liked the splint, but day 2 I had no problems so I stayed out of the splint.

Now I'm at week 5 (just discovered the forum) I'm doing pretty well. I have maybe 90-95% movement back and no pain. Looks like I got off easy. I've ridden on the road a little, but no off road yet.


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## Afroturk (Sep 20, 2011)

*Look mum - both hands*



Tommy.B said:


> Take a look @ the diagram if you can m8) as i have a feeling this illustrates the type of injury youre describing & would be very-similar to mine.
> 
> We'll just have to give-it several more months:madman: & wait for that bone to smooth-over to see how much range of motion will return.


Me too. This summer I hauled my unfit bones up the Mont Ventoux while on holiday in France. Less than a week later, riding to the office on my first day back at work, I went straight over the bars and landed on my hands. So now I have radial head fractures to BOTH arms.

I went to the hospital today to have my two-week check-up. The doctor is more concerned about the right than the left, because moving it hurts much more. Basically, the x-ray looks just like Tommy B's in his post from January. And the doctor told me the same thing - I have to wait for the bone to smooth out.

Meanwhile, I'm having to learn how to do everything with my left hand /arm - even though that's broken too. I don't normally post to these discussions, but I'm so pissed off that I had to try to get it all off my chest. Good luck to everyone with their recoveries.


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## evalunah (Sep 17, 2012)

*Radial Head Fracture*

had a radial head fracture in mammoth 2 weeks ago and had surgery 1 week ago. I needed an implant, needless to say that the pain has been awful, thnak god for oxycodene! I was wondering if any of you had severe pain in the wrist and fingers. The sensation is like if they were burning my fingers. I had a type IV fracture so I know the recovery will be very long, I hope I can do yoga. Seven bridges trail first bridge i used too much front break...so stupid, so sad. btw all this with left hand, since i broke my right arm.


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## Oldskool66 (Mar 19, 2013)

Founding member maybe?????? I had a crash about 26yrs ago on a Muddy Fox Explorer,
Done a good job of it descending in an old quarry lost it went over the bars right arm hit first then face followed by knees, Dislocated and shattered right elbow snapped off the radial head, fractured nose skinned both knees and all achieved on a bank holiday weekend which meant a long wait when I finally made it to the hospital.
Outcome plastic joint to replace radial head Had PT after OP Grip returned well, limited movement straightening arm 0 movement rotating wrist,26 yrs later still on bike more road than mountain but just restoring an old MTB I bought in 93,
O roadies like silent running machines trouble is my arm creaks on climbs LOL
Mine you hearing about you guys breaking both arms I feel for you ouch!


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## EvanB (Sep 18, 2013)

*Good news!*

Hi,
I want to share my story to help anyone out there trying to figure out this strange injury.
I am 48 years olda and fell off my bike on July 30, 2013 and had a Type 1 (non-displaced) proximal right radial fracture.
I was extremely upset at the possibility of losing any range of motion.
I initially had a 30 degree extension deficit and the orthopedist was, I think, trying to lower my expectations so I wouldn't be upset if I lost range of motion. Unfortunately, her estimates made me even more upset.
After 50 days, I had a 10-20 degree extension deficit, depending on time of day, etc.. 
I rented two Dynasplints, one for extension and one for flexion. I never used the flexion one, and the extension one seemed to improve things a bit.
I found the injury to be very changeable day to day. Some days I was better, some days I was worse.
Accupuncture seemed to improve extension (I went to a great orthopedic accupuncturist in NYC named Mark Kuebel).
I saw three Orthopedists and two Physical Therapists. The physical therapy was painful, expensive and time consuming.
I am a bit of a hypochandriac, but the whole thing was extremely disturbing. I kept imagining myself walking around with a bent elbow.
Anyway, the good news is that after 8.5 months I just naturally almost have complete range of motion back. Sometimes it's off a few degrees, and sometimes it's just perfect.
Strangely, I've found the most effective exercise is contracting my arm for 20 to 40 minutes at night, and then the next morning my elbow cracks and it's almost straight.
Anyway, if I had to do this again, I would do some therapies, but don't go overboard with them. For me, the injury got better over time.


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## rogue22 (Jan 20, 2007)

Hey, just thought I should share my recent experience with a non-displaced radial head fracture since after reading this thread when I first broke it, I thought it would be a lot worse. 

First off, if you think it may be broken - GO TO A SPECIALIST. I can't stress that enough. When I crashed, my arm immediately locked up and I went to Urgent Care. Needless to say the Care wasn't urgent, or really much care. To this day they still think it's not broken. I'm pretty stubborn, but fortunately my wife made me an appointment with a specialist the next day. They found the break right away and said it was basically about as bad as it gets without needing surgery. 

I was in a Tommy-John brace locked at 90 for 4 weeks, then unlocked for 3 weeks, then the hand piece was replaced with a wrist cuff for another 2 weeks. 

As hard as it was, I followed the doctors orders about activity and riding as closely as possible, and after 3 or so weeks of physical therapy I'm back to nearly 100% of normal range of motion - I could hyper extend the arm before, but haven't quite gotten there yet, but can straighten the arm 180 degrees. I still have some pain when I rotate my forearm to the extremes, but I broke it September 10, and I was back on the bikes just about 2 months later so I'm feeling pretty good. 

To people like EvanB, I would just say don't rush it. Eat heathy, get LOTS of sleep, don't do anything that hurts right away, and when you can get on the trainer and get as much cardio in as possible. 

Not sure about the icing thing though - after every PT session I had, they used a very large flat ice pack and completely wrapped my arm for 15 minutes. Really seemed to help. I wasn't on any drugs except the first few weeks. 

PS - as for where to go, find out where the local pro sports athletes go. It sounds cliche, but they get it, as far as what riding means to you, and how to get you back on the bike as soon as possible.


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

EvanB said:


> Would love to hear from people and offer whatever I do know. Also, will try and share about my progress.
> Thanks everyone. Trying to stay positive, but it's very disturbing to even think about losing any range of motion.


I had blew up both elbows about 3 months ago, the full story(focusing more on the 'bad' one) is here: http://forums.mtbr.com/rider-down-i...l-head-replacement-3-months-after-887851.html

I went through something much more serious(Type IV: Comminuted Fracture + Dislocation), but I definitely know the sort of ROM loss you're talking about.

When I started PT post-surgery, my extension deficit was around 35 degrees and my flexion deficit was around 70 degrees. I've recovered something like 97% ROM since that, so there is hope!

My specific regimen over the 2 months of PT changed by activity, but was always 5 times daily.
When I started, with a support brace, it was 10 reps of just flexing & extending as far as I could. That got me down to right below 20 degrees extension deficit and 110 degrees of flexion.

After that, they moved me to passive stretching by hanging 1 pound of weight at the wrist for 5 minutes each of flexing(rest tricep, try to get fist over shoulder) and extending(rest tricep, extend arm).
Then we just increased that weight until I reached basically normal ROM.

The biggest thing with the PT, I think, is doing exactly what is asked, never missing a session(set up a schedule and stick to it every day!), and not trying to force or overdo anything(jumping to high weights immediately).

With regards to the swelling, my experiences are much like the poster above me: for with-therapist PT we'd start by warming up the joint(heatpacks or ultrasound massage), do the stretches, and then cool off by wrapping the arm in a coldpack for 15-20 minutes. I also did 20-30 minutes of coldpack after every set of my at-home stretches, and was taking Aleve twice daily throughout all of it.

My team was quite verbal and sincere that they felt that swelling was the biggest enemy of getting ROM back - having extra fluids and such in the joint gives less room for everything to articulate. None of us are doctors or know the specifics of your case, but perhaps you should talk to the therapist who said to let things swell and just clarify that he did mean literally all the time? Especially since you're 50 days out and still locked up a bit, it might be time to just see if you need to change stuff up.

Hang in there, I know the fear you're going through about ROM very, very well - but stay positive, it'll come back slowly and in *much* worse cases than yours it has been recovered.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

Hi,

I fell off from my mtb on the way to home in a small accident. The parked car on the right side of the way opened the front door while i was passing through then i lost my balance and fell on my right elbow.

I was diagnosed radial head type 1 fracture, doctor said no need to do surgery just a sling keeping my arm 90 degrees attached was enough. 5 days passed after the accident, 10 days later i will have the sling taken out.

AsI continue reading the topic I am demotivated so bad.

Even the smallest fractures are unable recover 100% (

Swimming and biking are my only sports and i do not want to give up on them.

is 100% full extension possible even in long term ?

When can I return to swimming pool ?

I am 31 years old, male.

xray image is below, maybe one of you guys have similar fracture need your experience and advice


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## EvanB (Sep 18, 2013)

*I got 100% range of motion back and I think you will too!*

Hi!

Thank you for emailing. I had EXACTLY the same reaction to this thread -- total despair at the thought that I would lose any range of motion in this important part of my body. But now I have 100% range of motion.

I did the following:
Orthopedic Accupuncture (very helpful)
Dynasplint (worked temporarily)
Physical Therapy (did not seem to help)
Bone Supplements from Life Extension Foundation (I'm not sure)

I think the best thing to do is gently work toward extending range of motion while waiting for the swelling to go down. This swelling took about 6 months to come down.

A few tricks:
1) After retracting my elbow toward my shoulder and pressing it in that position for a few seconds, say 10, and then extending the elbow, I found that the joint would often crack a little bit and I'd get more range of motion.

2) To measure my progress, I would lay my whole arm on a table and then straighten my arm as much as possible. With the other hand, I'd put a ruler vertically by my wrist and measure how many inches from the table my wrist is. To make it a bit easier, I lay another ruler across under the wrist to see exactly. My wrist started at about 4 inches from the table (the good one was 1/2 an inch from the table).

But most importantly, don't go crazy trying to push your elbow straight before the swelling goes down. And don't suffer through crazy physical therapy where they try and push it straight too soon. I'd say just gently push range of motion every day through various exercises.

I was surprised that accupuncture was really helpful. After just one session, my elbow gained range of motion. I think I went about five times total.

I too was in total despair after reading these threads, thinking that my elbow would never straighten. But mine has completely, and I am 49 years old (not young!).

I wish everyone in this forum patience and calm and optimism about their injuries.



cnckmk said:


> Hi,
> 
> I fell off from my mtb on the way to home in a small accident. The parked car on the right side of the way opened the front door while i was passing through then i lost my balance and fell on my right elbow.
> 
> ...


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

cnckmk said:


> Hi,
> 
> I fell off from my mtb on the way to home in a small accident. The parked car on the right side of the way opened the front door while i was passing through then i lost my balance and fell on my right elbow.
> 
> ...


Hi there!

First and foremost: *DO NOT DESPAIR YOU WILL BE OK*.

I had the same reaction when I blew up my elbow, and I did quite a better job of it than you - a type 4!








Something you need to keep in mind is that a lot of the stories in this thread(and others about radial head fractures) are for people with more serious fractures - the ones that actually require surgery for fixation and/or replacement of the radial head.

Here's the best advice I can give you:
*Listen to your medical team*. This might just be an orthopedics doctor, this might be a physical therapist. But just follow their instructions and don't cheat. EVER.

When I hurt myself, I read through all these horror stories, I read through a lot of the medical literature, and I was told by the doctors that there would be a range-of-motion loss. It terrified me! It scared me even more after surgery when my splints came off and I could hardly do anything with my arm

But I followed directions: stretch repeatedly through out the day, and then ice it afterwards - or anytime it felt achy. I went from having nearly zero flexion/extension back out to full flexion and nearly-full extension despite a horrific prognosis - and this is on top of radial head replacement and a dislocation which caused ligament injury!

The biggest thing when you get your splint removed is that your arm is maybe going to be stiff and/or not quite able to immediately flex/extend. *Do not fear* - a LOT of this in your case is likely going to be the fact that it has been in a splint for so long - NOT because there's lasting damage.

You see, ligaments in the body are like rubber bands that hold bones together and make sure they move appropriately. They're stretchy - but they have to be repeatedly stretched or they start to stiffen up. If you've ever sat on a plane for 6 hours without moving and then stood up and gone "wow my legs feel so good just being able to walk around" that's the effect. But your arm has been immobile for a few weeks, so you may need to give your elbow a little time to warm back up. Don't panic, it'll happen, just stretch like instructed and ice afterwards. You could even take a nice warm shower(or just use a combination hot/cold pack) beforehand to help warm up the joint before exercising it.

I can't promise anything, clearly, but I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to get back on a bike or into a pool within a couple of months and forget this ever happened! Heck, my arm doesn't even straighten all the way(maybe 5-10 degrees shy of straight, depending on various things) and it hardly affects me daily.

You will be ok! Keep spirits high and focus on recovery!


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> Hi there!
> 
> First and foremost: *DO NOT DESPAIR YOU WILL BE OK*.
> 
> ...


thank you for advices,

today my doctor decided to take off my cast and have a new X-ray to see the improvement. new X-ray is attached, how do u think guys the improvement ongoing ? my wrist is swollen, i still can't use my arm for even the basic purposes. doctor said it will take at least 1 month more to get the cracked piece to be connected to the main bone, he did not want to keep the cast on my arm as it will cause stiff arm.

what should i do now ?


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

Hi Again,

I don't know that you'll find someone here who is trained in reading xrays so saying how stuff looks from comparing images isn't something I can really do.

What I can do is suggest that it is promising that the new image you have attached shows that your arm has a really generous range of motion. It's promising to see flexed-and-extended imaging side by side.

Again, the #1 top priority thing you should do now is follow your doctor's instructions on recovery. He may have suggested you take something for the swelling, pain, and inflammation like Ibuprofen. He may have suggested using an icepack regularly to also help with the swelling. There's very little you can do but try to NOT do anything that puts excessive force on the joint, and just give time for the bone to mend itself, which does take a while. You shouldn't carry anything with any real weight, because that puts strain on the area you want healing. You also shouldn't, obviously, push anything heavy either, because that'll put strain on the area. 

There's a fine line here, of course, and your doctor can probably give you more specifics if you're concerned. I personally wouldn't be concerned about carrying a cellphone, or pushing on a touchscreen - light tasks - but again I'm just a fellow rider and not a physician.

If there's anything unclear in your doctor's orders about how to recover, you should reach out to his office. He probably has a nurse on staff who can look at your chart and answer your questions, or get answers for you. They are there to help you recover, use them as a resource, and if you're polite and gracious they will go above and beyond in making sure you have all your questions answered.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> Hi Again,
> 
> I don't know that you'll find someone here who is trained in reading xrays so saying how stuff looks from comparing images isn't something I can really do.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Many thanks for your advices.

My doctor is not really concerned and paying much attention to my case, in the country i live medical help is commercial you stay only a few minutes in doctors office in hospitals however i am worried more than anybody around as this is my right and i need it to live.

I can hold a cellular phone, a fork, an empty cup of tea but i cannot lift them to my mouth neither i can fully extend my arm. On the top of that as my wrist is swollen i cannot bend it, reverse it in a good degree.

I am doing hot compress and massage, this is second day having cast taken off. I think i should wait 2 more weeks to get the bone fully recovered then i can start therapy and slowly do weight liftings, turn back to the swimming pool.


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

cnckmk said:


> Hi,
> 
> Many thanks for your advices.
> 
> ...


The best lay advice I can give is to not force it. I know it's scary and stressful, but if you push yourself too hard you risk making the injury more severe and actually requiring surgery. It will probably be a 6-8 weeks after the break before the bone has healed enough to be 'safe' to start being more forceful with. So until then you've got to just try and take it easy.

Do you have a follow-up appointment for another xray?

You may also want to consider alternating hot-and-cold therapy. Warm up the elbow with a hot compress and massage - exercise the joint lightly for a few minutes(bend as much as you can without pain, extend as much as you can without pain) and then apply a cold compress for 10-15 minutes to help the swelling. Some cold on your wrist may also help.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> The best lay advice I can give is to not force it. I know it's scary and stressful, but if you push yourself too hard you risk making the injury more severe and actually requiring surgery. It will probably be a 6-8 weeks after the break before the bone has healed enough to be 'safe' to start being more forceful with. So until then you've got to just try and take it easy.
> 
> Do you have a follow-up appointment for another xray?
> 
> You may also want to consider alternating hot-and-cold therapy. Warm up the elbow with a hot compress and massage - exercise the joint lightly for a few minutes(bend as much as you can without pain, extend as much as you can without pain) and then apply a cold compress for 10-15 minutes to help the swelling. Some cold on your wrist may also help.


I was not scheduled for another X-ray, i was just told to come back after 2 weeks if i cannot gain my rom back during this time. I was advised to start doing exercises slowly, easily without pushing force. Cautiously i am not even carrying more than a mobile phone with my hand. I can bend and extend about 90% of my natural motion right arm, maybe if i can force it abit further i can get close to 100% but i am scared and hesitating to injure my elbow as it is not fully connected. I will wait 2 weeks more and get a new X-ray to see if recovery processes completed. Then. I can start exercises.

I can use a keyboard with my fingers but cannot do some motional movements with my wrist like reversing it high up and down, is this because of my elbow ? or can be a sign of another hidden problem with my wrist ?


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

cnckmk said:


> I was not scheduled for another X-ray, i was just told to come back after 2 weeks if i cannot gain my rom back during this time. I was advised to start doing exercises slowly, easily without pushing force. Cautiously i am not even carrying more than a mobile phone with my hand. I can bend and extend about 90% of my natural motion right arm, maybe if i can force it abit further i can get close to 100% but i am scared and hesitating to injure my elbow as it is not fully connected. I will wait 2 weeks more and get a new X-ray to see if recovery processes completed. Then. I can start exercises.
> 
> I can use a keyboard with my fingers but cannot do some motional movements with my wrist like reversing it high up and down, is this because of my elbow ? or can be a sign of another hidden problem with my wrist ?


There's a lot of forearm/hand motion that is intertwined with your radial head:

I presume by 'high up and down' you mean moving your wrist so that it creates a square angle with your arm.

This could be something with your radial head needing to heal, but it can also be in part due to being immobilized for a few weeks. I probably had a couple of weeks after my surgery and cast came off before I had full actual wrist movement again.

If you mean rotating your wrist - or your whole forearm by extension - it could well be just goofing with that broken radial head. When you rotate your forearm(going from palm up to palm down, for instance) your radius is the bone that's doing most of the movement, while the ulna stays stationary. Some lingering stiffness in that makes sense as well.

It sounds like your doctor's comments echo my own: take it easy, don't do anything forceful, but start working on movement. That makes a lot of sense. In another 2 weeks you can certainly ask for another xray, it'll help them see how the healing is going, but they may want to even wait another couple weeks past that, or do a manual exam by massaging the joint.

It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff - just keep with the easy, light motion and try not to be discouraged! Hot compress - do your exercises - then cold compress to cool the joint off. Do it however many times a day the office said, and in a few weeks when you see the doctor again I'd wager you'll be doing better.


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## Old Ray (Sep 5, 2010)

It may have been discussed in this thread already, so forgive me if I'm repeating what somebody else may have already posted. 

Distal radius fractures have a strong symmetry to distal tibia fractures, in that both bones, for whatever evolutionary quirk, have an extremely poor vascular supply. 

Hence, when these bones fracture, they often are extremely slow in healing. Often, a "bone stimulator" device is brought in to wear around the fracture site for several hours a day. This device generates an electromagnetic field which speeds the formation of new bone cells. I don't think the actual mechanism(s) of action are definitely known, but the phenomenon is consistent enough to get FDA approval.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> There's a lot of forearm/hand motion that is intertwined with your radial head:
> 
> I presume by 'high up and down' you mean moving your wrist so that it creates a square angle with your arm.
> 
> ...


I mean i raise my both wrists to the same 90 degree arm opening level and start doing motions symmetrically, my left hand moves with ease and flexibility while my right hand struggles to move to the edge limits of normal range. Cannot do some tricky actions like doing my shirt buttons close, tying my shoe lace however i can use a keyboard, a mouse, a gamepad which does not require fastness, force..

Now I am waiting my next X-ray which will be taken on 17th of Jan, if I do not see real persuadable improvement i will consider physcial therapy. I hoping to be back to swimming pool in february.


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

Old Ray said:


> It may have been discussed in this thread already, so forgive me if I'm repeating what somebody else may have already posted.
> 
> Distal radius fractures have a strong symmetry to distal tibia fractures, in that both bones, for whatever evolutionary quirk, have an extremely poor vascular supply.
> 
> Hence, when these bones fracture, they often are extremely slow in healing. Often, a "bone stimulator" device is brought in to wear around the fracture site for several hours a day. This device generates an electromagnetic field which speeds the formation of new bone cells. I don't think the actual mechanism(s) of action are definitely known, but the phenomenon is consistent enough to get FDA approval.


That's definitely interesting, but in cnckmk's case it's definitely a proximal radial head fracture - doubly confirmed by both the xrays posted as well as his citing of the Mason scale.



cnckmk said:


> I mean i raise my both wrists to the same 90 degree arm opening level and start doing motions symmetrically, my left hand moves with ease and flexibility while my right hand struggles to move to the edge limits of normal range. Cannot do some tricky actions like doing my shirt buttons close, tying my shoe lace however i can use a keyboard, a mouse, a gamepad which does not require fastness, force..
> 
> Now I am waiting my next X-ray which will be taken on 17th of Jan, if I do not see real persuadable improvement i will consider physcial therapy. I hoping to be back to swimming pool in february.


Could you clarify how you feel your right hand is impaired?

In my experience, I had a full-arm splint, leaving only the shoulder and my fingers free to move, the wrist and elbow were both immobilized. When that splint came off my wrist was extremely weak for probably a week or two - I don't clearly remember because I was more concerned about elbow motion - and part of my daily routine was to straighten the fingers and alternate flexing the wrist back and forth, as well as do rotational circles in both directions. It was _very hard_ to do for the first couple of days, owing to both the muscles and ligaments not having been used for a few weeks.

If you are feeling concerned about your rom, in both wrist and elbow, it certainly can't hurt to talk to a physical therapist. In my experience a physical therapist is unlikely to have a 'magic bullet' solution to fix everything themselves, but what they may be able to do is offer you insights and education on what exercises to be doing and how often every day. They'll go through the exercises with you at their offices, but so long as you're able to stick to a schedule and do them every day at home, you shouldn't need to see a physical therapist every single day.

February is still a month away, and I think you're still in the early days of recovery, so just keep your head high and you'll probably start seeing improvement soon.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> That's definitely interesting, but in cnckmk's case it's definitely a proximal radial head fracture - doubly confirmed by both the xrays posted as well as his citing of the Mason scale.
> 
> Could you clarify how you feel your right hand is impaired?
> 
> ...


My right hand wrist was damaged at the accident, I could not see it on the X-ray but my doc said there was just a micro crack in the first schedule, he did not even bother to take another X-ray in my second schedule as he thinks there is nothing wrong, in the first days of the case i was not able to move my fingers due to pain, now I can use it for lightweight tasks. There is swelling getting to normal each day, though still my right hand, fingers and wrist is bit larger and colors a bit darker than left.

I had full cast as well, only leaving my shoulders open. I had been with the cast for 2 weeks, reading your experiences i think i am having the same symptoms with you. Maybe I will get my full wrist power back in 10 days time.

And how about my elbow ? nothing to do apart from waiting now.. It just looks funny while i am walking my right arm is slightly bended


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

cnckmk said:


> My right hand wrist was damaged at the accident, I could not see it on the X-ray but my doc said there was just a micro crack in the first schedule, he did not even bother to take another X-ray in my second schedule as he thinks there is nothing wrong, in the first days of the case i was not able to move my fingers due to pain, now I can use it for lightweight tasks. There is swelling getting to normal each day, though still my right hand, fingers and wrist is bit larger and colors a bit darker than left.
> 
> I had full cast as well, only leaving my shoulders open. I had been with the cast for 2 weeks, reading your experiences i think i am having the same symptoms with you. Maybe I will get my full wrist power back in 10 days time.
> 
> And how about my elbow ? nothing to do apart from waiting now.. It just looks funny while i am walking my right arm is slightly bended


Somehow I missed about your wrist injury so yeah, if you broke the radius on both ends, good job!

I had cracked my left radial head in my accident(the right was the one that actually broke), and even though it wasn't broken it was definitely painful for a little while as it mended, so that sounds normal as well, I wouldn't worry about it if your doctor doesn't seem worried.

Walking around with your arm always bent? Yep, I know how that feels, I spent around 4 weeks in a splint, then another 4 weeks in a brace, and then another 4 weeks after that before I got it (mostly) straight again. The best part in my experience is that if you find yourself in a line at a store or something, most people will avoid crowding you when they see you might be injured!

It'll get better in time and with both your elbow and your wrist the best thing you can probably do right now is continue to be diligent about stretching/exercising them multiple times a day, icing them afterwards, and taking an NSAID(if you aren't allergic or have other reasons not to) if you have any pain or significant swelling.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> Somehow I missed about your wrist injury so yeah, if you broke the radius on both ends, good job!
> 
> I had cracked my left radial head in my accident(the right was the one that actually broke), and even though it wasn't broken it was definitely painful for a little while as it mended, so that sounds normal as well, I wouldn't worry about it if your doctor doesn't seem worried.
> 
> ...


I really don't know and understand where the crack was in my wrist, but as the doctor said there was really nothing important there ,so he focused my elbow. Xray I posted does not mean anything to my eyes i can't see crack personally.

4+4 weeks, you must had have a serious crack on your radial head though..

Here people just make fun of me when they hear i fell off bike cuz they think this is just childish. We cyclers do not see respect in the traffic.

I do not use any drugs including NSAID, I was not given and i would not use even i was told to. I do not believe in painkillers, they are not solving the problem just cheating your mind. My concern is not pain, I can stand the pain as long as i know i will be back to normal. This is my right arm I make my life with it.


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## docendo (Nov 18, 2013)

cnckmk said:


> I really don't know and understand where the crack was in my wrist, but as the doctor said there was really nothing important there ,so he focused my elbow. Xray I posted does not mean anything to my eyes i can't see crack personally.
> 
> 4+4 weeks, you must had have a serious crack on your radial head though..
> 
> ...


It's tough to read xrays if you don't have training or have a lot of them done(I think I had 15 in total last year of my elbow(s)) so you can compare.

In case you're curious, I'll attach this drawing on your xray where you can see the break:








The end of the bone there should be one, smooth, solid shape but you can see how the edge of yours is separated. In my xray I posted previously, you can see how mine broke into a ton of pieces.

Sorry to hear about the general social reaction for you, that would make it tough.

I'd like to take a second to explain my suggestion for NSAIDs because I understand where you're coming from but I think they would very much help and you might not feel so opposed if you understood the actual happenings:

When soft tissues get hurt, inflammation begins when your body starts to produce certain chemicals as part of its self-protection. This inflammation tends to lead to swelling, which leads to pain. But this swelling and inflammation can also hurt your body's ability to heal itself in some cases.

You can think of there being two ways to handle this pain:
Narcotics like morphine actually do things to your nervous system, affecting your body's ability to transmit and process the pain signals that your nerves are sending to your brain. They also cause side effects like drowsiness and a foggy mind. I personally hate narcotics, and while I had to take them to get to sleep after my injury, I lowered my dosage aggressively and got off of them as soon as I could, because I can deal with some discomfort and I hate not being able to think clearly.

NSAIDs don't touch your brain or nervous system like that, because what they're doing is stopping the *cause* of the pain rather than the pain itself. They keep your body from producing the enzymes that lead to inflammation, which helps lower the swelling, which lowers the amount of pain your nerves are signalling.

I don't recommend them as a way to reduce your pain, I recommend them because they're good at bringing down swelling, which will give your body a much easier time to heal.


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## bald dirt bag (Feb 9, 2014)

I did a roto cuff and four tendons about two years ago, did therapy off and on. Really articulation will never fully return for me and on cold damp days it is worse. I wish I could tell you full recovery for me will happen but I think my half pipe and bunny hopping mailboxes days are over.


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## cnckmk (Dec 25, 2014)

docendo said:


> It's tough to read xrays if you don't have training or have a lot of them done(I think I had 15 in total last year of my elbow(s)) so you can compare.In case you're curious, I'll attach this drawing on your xray where you can see the break:
> View attachment 953277
> The end of the bone there should be one, smooth, solid shape but you can see how the edge of yours is separated. In my xray I posted previously, you can see how mine broke into a ton of pieces.Sorry to hear about the general social reaction for you, that would make it tough.I'd like to take a second to explain my suggestion for NSAIDs because I understand where you're coming from but I think they would very much help and you might not feel so opposed if you understood the actual happenings:When soft tissues get hurt, inflammation begins when your body starts to produce certain chemicals as part of its self-protection. This inflammation tends to lead to swelling, which leads to pain. But this swelling and inflammation can also hurt your body's ability to heal itself in some cases.You can think of there being two ways to handle this pain:Narcotics like morphine actually do things to your nervous system, affecting your body's ability to transmit and process the pain signals that your nerves are sending to your brain. They also cause side effects like drowsiness and a foggy mind. I personally hate narcotics, and while I had to take them to get to sleep after my injury, I lowered my dosage aggressively and got off of them as soon as I could, because I can deal with some discomfort and I hate not being able to think clearly.NSAIDs don't touch your brain or nervous system like that, because what they're doing is stopping the *cause* of the pain rather than the pain itself. They keep your body from producing the enzymes that lead to inflammation, which helps lower the swelling, which lowers the amount of pain your nerves are signalling.I don't recommend them as a way to reduce your pain, I recommend them because they're good at bringing down swelling, which will give your body a much easier time to heal.


With having injured radial head into multiple pieces that must be normal to have open surgery, as i continue to read stories on net i realised how lucky i was with my nondisplaced crack.My second xray was captured at a different angle as it seems i dont find the line sharp there ok i might have slightly moved my arm caused the blurry image.I see the connection has began.. It is really internesting to chase how these bones stick.I increased vitamin c, d and protien consumption in order to help the recovery.I have got several NSAID's ,but i only used it a few times when there was strong pain I did not know it was given as a support for recovery.after breakfast i take multiple vitamin combination pill (supradyn), fish oil, glucosamine chrondomotin msm and extra vitamin D, C.


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## hoogie (Jun 26, 2009)

I fractured my radial head on my left arm in the mid 90's ... I did it on my road bike, trying to do a U-turn in the middle of the road and fell off ... I just had it immobilized for a little while with a bandage and sling, but it seized up and took quite awhile and some considerable effort to free up with physiotherapy [and it hurt too] ...
because it wasn't healing properly, I was given a steroid injection into the elbow joint ... 2 doctors held me down and a 3rd injected the steroid ... apparently it is meant to really hurt but I didn't really feel a great deal ...
many years on, it still lets me know, as it hurts a bit if I rest on it for too long ... it also doesn't straighten out since I fell off ... however it is fine on the bike and hasn't hindered me ...
I went cycle touring with a doctor who had both radial heads removed following a motorcycle crash ... he advised me not to have the radial head removed, which was an option given to me, as he has had nothing but problems with his since ... he even rides all hunched over as he can't straighten his arms out fully either ...


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## Lisa12 (Oct 3, 2018)

Hi guys,
I'm wondering if anyone can give me advice. I broke my radial head in my right arm a few weeks ago after falling over the guide rope of a tent and putting my hand out to stop me from falling. The x ray shows that it is slightly displaced and the doctors in the fracture clinic thought I would need surgery. I was told that I would need to see a doctor who specialises in upper limbs, and I saw him on Monday, and he said I won't need surgery and the best thing to do is to get it moving asap. He sent me for another x ray before handing me over to physio therapy, and I cried all the way through that x ray as it was so painful trying to move my arm into the correct position. I then went back to see the doctor to discuss the new x ray and he asked me if I felt my elbow pop out and back in again when I fell as one of the images is showing that it's dislocated. He said that this could just be because of the angle of the x ray, which seems really strange to me. I have to go back next Monday for another x ray and the doctor is hoping to finally hand me over to physio. Has anyone ever had or heard of a situation where an x ray shows a dislocation because of the angle?
Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you.


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