# Anybody had a fractured radial head in their elbow?



## RedRider93 (Sep 28, 2007)

has anybody ever fractured their radial head in thei elbow, and if so how did you manage to do it? and what would you recommend to help fix it? I fractured mine when I was cut off at an intersection and veered behind the car to avoid it but hit an illegally parked car while the guy who cut me off drove away.


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## keith_mahoney (May 18, 2008)

If that's the soda bottle cap on the end of your elbow, then yes I popped that off in the end of 2005 I believe. I was in a full arm cast for 6 weeks. It still hurts today.I can't bench press due to a torn clavicle ligament I tore lifting in '99 and I can't curl or really do much of any biceps workout without pain due to the elbow. Oh yeah I don't squat or deadlift due to 3 knee surgeries.

I did mine by possibly hyper extending my elbow. I am not real sure as the the exact mode of injury but it was accomplished rolling a four wheeler down a dirt hill actually a giant dirt pile at an atv park. I came over the crest of a hill and the front end dug in. I endo'd hard and ended up being thrown to the ground about 30 feet below the peak of the dirt hill landing on my hands which sent the shock load up to my elbow.


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## upinare (Oct 8, 2008)

I just suffered both left and right olecranon (elbows) fractures as well 3 ribs 2 weeks ago. Docs telling me 6 weeks in casts and then 6 weeks taking it easy and therapy before I can attempt any lifting or serious riding. so my summer of riding is shot, SUCKS! 
I was only 20 minutes into my ride and I dont quite know what happened, when I came to my helmet was busted and there was a different song playing on my Ipod then when I was previously enjoying myself. I went out to hopefully forget about my problems and apparently was to distracted to much by them and didn't pay attention to what was going on and fell down and went snap,crackle,pop now I can only look at my bike. I went off a couple of small drops (2' to 3') landed on a rock, root or furry woodland creature shot off sideways bounced my chest off a stump and and woke up up in a ravine. Thankfully I had a helmet on, mine was trashed. I don't know what happened no marks on my hands or elbows, just broken bones! Sorry to hear about your bad luck, hope you can get back on your bike soon!


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## A-NON-A (Sep 21, 2008)

Did mine skateboarding 20 yrs ago .. 4 bone chips.

Did my left last Monday on the bike .. I have a half cast from shoulder all the way to my palm. Went over the bars and tried to put my left hand down but landed with all my weight on the wrist and forearm. Supposedly I am looking at 4-6 weeks downtime.


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## ecox (Apr 7, 2006)

Yup. I was right-hooked in a hit and run. I fell, and put my left arm out to break my fall. It ended up fracturing my radial head. It was non-displaced, meaning that the part that broke didn't float around in my elbow. As a result, I got by with a sling for 3 weeks. Any worse and I would've needed a cast and maybe surgery to re-affix the broken part of the bone back to my elbow.

I'll keep this real simple: do whatever your doctor and physical therapist tell you. In my case, that involved physical therapy a few times/week to get range of motion back, beginning about 3 weeks after the break, as well as gradual strengthening exercises. I broke my arm in late June 2008. By early January 2009 I was pretty much back to where it was before the break. 

PM me if you have other questions. 

-Erik


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## A-NON-A (Sep 21, 2008)

ecox said:


> I fell, and put my left arm out to break my fall. It ended up fracturing my radial head. It was non-displaced, meaning that the part that broke didn't float around in my elbow. As a result, I got by with a sling for 3 weeks.
> 
> -Erik


Sounds like mine. How long was it before you were riding?


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## ecox (Apr 7, 2006)

A-NON-A said:


> Sounds like mine. How long was it before you were riding?


I tried riding after 3.5 months, but the downward pressure of holding on to the handlebars hurt, so I stopped. I did a short rides (5 miles or so) beginning in early January (5.5 months after the break), but realistically, I was back and riding again my usual distances this March, when the weather got better here in DC. (That's 8.5-9 months after the break.)

I'm a lawyer, and the downtime gave me time to sue the crap out of the SOB who hit me. Oh yes, I got the plate before he fled the scene 

-Erik


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## A-NON-A (Sep 21, 2008)

ecox said:


> I tried riding after 3.5 months, but the downward pressure of holding on to the handlebars hurt, so I stopped. I did a short rides (5 miles or so) beginning in early January (5.5 months after the break), but realistically, I was back and riding again my usual distances this March, when the weather got better here in DC. (That's 8.5-9 months after the break.)
> 
> I'm a lawyer, and the downtime gave me time to sue the crap out of the SOB who hit me. Oh yes, I got the plate before he fled the scene
> 
> -Erik


Man ... I really hope I can be back on the biker sooner than that. I just got back into riding after a 10 year hiatus. Im obssessed with everything bike again, and I think I will go crazy if it takes that long!!!!


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## ecox (Apr 7, 2006)

A-NON-A said:


> Man ... I really hope I can be back on the biker sooner than that. I just got back into riding after a 10 year hiatus. Im obssessed with everything bike again, and I think I will go crazy if it takes that long!!!!


Follow your doctor's advice. In my case, it was a long wait, but worth it because I didn't try to come back too soon and screw things up worse. Imagine if I fell and shattered the elbow while it was healing. I'd've needed an elbow replacement, and it's my understanding that if you have one of those you can never again lift over 20lbs or you risk damaging the replacement parts.


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## rowdstar (Jun 7, 2009)

if you are trying to do things on your own, i really like American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons website. navigate off the left side of the page and you will get all you need to know: go to www.orthoinfo.aaos.org they have a whole section about radial head fractures.

i did not treat mine properly and i am unable to fully straighten my right arm 10 years later.


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## A-NON-A (Sep 21, 2008)

Good info.I roadaround the block for about an hour for the first time. A decent amount of pain but I have good ROM.


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