# elbow radial head fracture



## flying1 (Mar 24, 2009)

Hello Everyone

I am new to this forum but have seen a number of riders have sustained the same injury as mine!

I fell and broke my left radial head on 16 Feb, was operated on 25 Feb and they inserted a couple of screws. I was told it was a clean break, they removed a small piece of bone and was put in a cast for 5 days. That was taken away on the 2 march, PT started a day after. 

The thing is, I am happy with the flexion/extension and I am building up strength but the consultant said we need to work on supination/pronation (palm up and palm down movement) I am concerned that 5 weeks after the op it is still stiff in that range and that I will not regain it! I was told by the consultant that we need to regain movement in there or it was seize and then we have problems!

Can anyone tell me, who has sustained this type of injury or iff you have knowledge of it, can tell me how long it will be beforeI can expect good movement again. 

Thank you


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## ecox (Apr 7, 2006)

I had a radial head fracture in June of 2008. It was about 3 weeks before I was allowed to start physical therapy. Another few weeks after that before I could rotate my arm even to be able to make a "thumbs up" sign, or bend my elbow past the angle it's at when you look at your wristwatch. But I did everything I was told to, and by October 2008 I was able to do push-ups and start to get my strength back.

Even then, riding hurt, due to the way my body put weight on the elbow while holding onto the handlebars. While healing, don't ride through the pain. That's just stupid macho stuff. All my pain was gone, and all my strength came back, by early January 2009. So, figure 7 months or so to get back to where you were before the break.

Yes, it sucks. Don't rush things, and you should heal just fine. How'd you break it? Mine was the result of a hit and run by an executive for-hire sedan. I got the plate, and being a lawyer and all, sued the crap out of the driver and car company. It gave me something to do while healing, and I got a nice, fat settlement check out of it.

This is what I looked like after coming home from the hospital, all doped up on percocet:










A week later, this is what it looked like. My maximum extension:










And finally, to show you that there is light at the end of the tunnel, here's my arm as of this morning -- fully extended and rotated. I thought I'd never be able to do this again:










Do everything you're told to in physical therapy, and understand that healing takes time. With a little luck, you'll be as good as new in no time.

-Erik


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## flying1 (Mar 24, 2009)

Thank you for the reply, ecox. I went to PT yesterday and she said I was doing fine and said it is a long slow process. It was only 4 weeks ago I was operated on so I suppose I should not expect too much too soon.

I fell off a single story roof, I did not sustain the injury whilst out riding. Before you ask what the hell I was doing on a roof, I was painting a window!

Thanks once again for you input....nice pictures by the way!


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