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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    11,722

    Radial Head Fracture Questions

    On St Paddy's day (9 days ago), I twisted my ankle on the top of some stairs at my home, went ass over tea kettle and cushioned my fall with an outstretched right arm - my dominant arm. I knew immediately upon the impact that I fucked it up. The sheer force of the impact traveled up my arm and created a radial head fracture at the elbow. Pissed off and in excruciating pain, I went to urgent care as it was a Sunday to soberly join all the lucky fucked up revelers who at least had a full morning of green beer and Jameson before they fell off a street sign with proper alcoholic anesthesia. Urgent care confirmed fracture, put me in a fiberglass splint and a sling and told me to see an Ortho. Spent three days chewing Vics that did fuckall for the pain and saw the Ortho. Said it is actually better that I slowly move the arm and suggested a neoprene brace and physical therapy.

    Stats:
    - 40 years old
    - 183 lbs
    - 6'2''
    - Pimp hand - RT
    - Hobbies - sink peeing, wage garnishment

    Questions:

    (1) Should I actually do physical therapy or should I just move the thing around myself? My absolute goal is to have full use of my arm as soon as possible so I am guessing the answer to this is yes, but I have never had therapy for an injury and dont know if I need to carve out all that time to have some guy/gal manipulate my arm for me.

    (2) For about a year prior to the fracture, I had been back to working out regularly with moderate weight lifting being a large component. I was finally feeling and looking back in fighting shape and now I can't lift anymore. It was really helping my mental health and I want to get back into it as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will continue to run and work muscle groups that don't require my right arm, but I am curious if I should continue to lift moderate weights on my left side (back, shoulders, tris, bis, chest) or if I should let the both sides atrophy a bit during this period for symmetry and physiological reasons?

    (3) Anyone share anecdotes on the timeline you underwent for (a) general pain to subside/ability to out stretch arm fully, (b) timeline for somewhat normal usage, and (c) timeline for full usage/stress under moderate/heavy weights?

    Any other advice? I'm fucking bummed as I had a dad/daughter ski trip planned that I had to cancel, I can't hit the gym as I was before and that's fucking with my head, and the recent Seattle sun was wasted without at least a few golf days.

    Thanks all.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    Sometimes just not using it and easing back into is best after an injury. I have fucked myself up a couple times thinking I could 'work thru it.' Therapists at least know what you should and should not do to bring it back.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    9,300ft
    Posts
    21,921
    I had this injury and the severity was such that they said 10 days in a sling, then do pt. I did one pt appointment and told them hey this is my only appointment so give me the full spiel. They gave me the exercises, limits, and progression. Worked out well.
    Quote Originally Posted by blurred
    skiing is hiking all day so that you can ski on shitty gear for 5 minutes.

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