broken elbow

Looking for some advice really, I came off two weeks ago on some cobbles in London and broke the radial head in my left arm, in itself not that painful most of the time but turns out I've flattened part of the socket enough to prevent straighten or fully bending my arm added to that I can't rotate my wrist.
I had a second xray today and the doctor doesn't think I'll get to much more movement than I have now he also said surgery could leave me more restricted due to scar tissue.
Naturally I'm pissed off but here's the rub I can't get onto the drops plus my arm is so bent my entire upper body is twisted out of shape and I would assume painful to hold in that position for long.
The doctor was a cyclist but I'm thinking I need a second opinion otherwise my cycling is pretty much foobared, anyone else suffered a similar injury and hopefully recovered?
I had a second xray today and the doctor doesn't think I'll get to much more movement than I have now he also said surgery could leave me more restricted due to scar tissue.
Naturally I'm pissed off but here's the rub I can't get onto the drops plus my arm is so bent my entire upper body is twisted out of shape and I would assume painful to hold in that position for long.
The doctor was a cyclist but I'm thinking I need a second opinion otherwise my cycling is pretty much foobared, anyone else suffered a similar injury and hopefully recovered?
Rule #5 // Harden The censored Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
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Back to A&E I think
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
I was very surprised to find that I had broken the Olecranon and ruptured Tricep tendons in 2 places. I am one week on from the surgery and a week away from my first physio and update from the specialist. I was told if lucky to expect 6-12 month full recovery !!
I hope your diagnosis is better !
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
i want a straight arm :evil:
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Anyway, I ponied up for the physio from my own pocket as soon as the swelling went down and rode the Marmotte, still with a wire in, 6 weeks later. I got complete mobility back, a cool scar and even dated the physio for a time
Stay positive, believe and find a way
@gietvangent
I had an olecranon fracture, and also broke the head of the ulna in 3 places. I had a plate and a couple of extra screws inserted for about a year. Initially prognosis for mobility was poor, but I got both private and NHS physio (on the advice of my surgeon - they approached it in different ways and both helped). Anyway, the main thing was to do LOTS of stretching & strengthening exercises and to follow the physios advice (overdoing it was as bad as under doing it). In the end I got more movement back than expected (its probably about 90%) and they had to take the plate and screws out as the movement meant they were impinging on ligaments and hurting a lot. A year on from that i still have to stretch to keep the full movement, and I am working on strengthening the arm in the gym (triceps are still weak).
My left arm was knackered in a collision with a car over 20 years ago, and I cannot rotate that wrist - so my position on the bars isn't exactly elegant (think Froome without the saving grace of being able to fly up the hills!).
So don't give up - even if its not 100% recovery it is early days for you and hopefully it will improve - one thing is the swelling could take weeks, even months to go down - I was still badly swollen in some muscles 3 months after the crash and it was 6-8 weeks before the swelling went down enough to see an improvement in movement.
Good luck!
End result, tightness in the bicep and a small percentage loss of movement, the odd twinge and lifting weights/ chin ups etc cause aggravation but there are plenty of elbow friendly exercises.
Two weeks seems too early to suggest you wouldn't regain much movement (I had trouble turning my wrist as well but that's fine now) Seek physiotherapy ASAP and do the exercises advised by the therapist as often as possible to reduce the percentage loss. I can do everything I did before my crash, riding isn't a problem as the elbow is bent anyway and I generally don't notice or think about it.
Wishing you a speedy recovery. You will get better.
Quite true - my best mate at uni broke his elbow in a climbing accident and always looked right hard afterwards when he was walking around as he had a pronounced bend - thing is he was actually really, really hard, an ex para who had served in the Falklands, Belfast etc. and scary as hell to go on the p%ss with! It was thanks to him that the night after I got my PhD I was pushed through A&E in a wheelchair shouting "I'm a doctor I can cure anyone" - it didn't go down well with the medics :P
my main concern at the moment is how much how soon should i start stretching etc. i have a habit of overdoing everything.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Even though the very young doctor I last saw was a cyclist himself, we talked about turbo sessions but its hard to know the limit.
Basically cycling has made me more obsessive.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
That ought to fix it :roll:
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Sat here with broken collarbone, rib and a metal plate holding my olecranon together from a stack 4 weeks ago.
Looks like Im in the same position as Diamant49 was a couple of years ago
Still swollen and painful after four weeks
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
after another visit to the hospital today for a check up the doc was pleased with the amount of rotational movement i've regained even though i'm barely able to straighten or bend my arm, he thinks the best way forward would be to put me under a general then force the joint straight :shock:
i think the clue there is under a general :?
anyway i'm going to physio this Friday and will continue to push the limits whenever i can, i have also discovered that i damaged my right hip in the crash, enough to prevent me sitting crossed legged or lotus, he recons this could be a tear which might needs surgery if it doesnt improve in a few more weeks.
FFS
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Just take your time, push yourself and try not to get frustrated and listen to the experts would be my advice.
Broke my elbow and had it pinned around the same time in Jan this year.
I've been out of a cast about 2 weeks now, arm felt horrible and weak, but has been getting better day by day, and I can now bend my arm and rotate my wrist to almost normal. I have a fair bit of strength back, but can't put much weight on my arm.
The thing I'm struggling with now is straightening the arm - about 10 degrees out which isn't all that bad, but the physio thinks she can work on that after my next X-ray.
Collarbone is a bit poo, decided not to heal in an attractive manner, so a rather horrible lump, and still not that strong.
Hoping to be back cycling to work in a couple of weeks - reckon I might get outside this weekend for the 1st time. Also back on the motorbike for a bit...just being ultra careful not to fall off
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Stay upright and positive
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
Had a crash on the weekend and my elbow is swollen. It doesn't hurt too much to touch but I can't rotate my wrist freely. I thought I may have avoided fracturing it but after reading this, maybe it is broken and should get it x-rayed. I've managed to start lifting things this morning but nothing too heavy. I've just got a dull aching pain from the elbow to half way up my forearm. Is that something similar to what you had?
No the pain i had/have is very clearly not just bruising, its 3+ months on now and i'm still in pain and having physio however i did manage to ride the Mallorca 312 this weekend with zero pain.
get an xray to be sure
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
blah!
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.