Tuesday night, I rolled my tire in a crit and was launched from The Black Widow.
As I lay there on the ground bleeding, I wondered how this would affect my racing. Friday, I found out: I had fractured my radial head (in my elbow). The Dr. told me that if the fracture were larger than 2mm, he would set my arm. But since it was less than 1mm, he would just let it heal, and gave me a sling to wear when I was out and about. Inside, I was encouraged to take it out and move it so I didn’t lose mobility in my arm via atrophy.
My grandfather hears this and flips out because apparently, he broke his radial head when he was 7, falling from a climb. He went his entire life unable to fully extend or use his right arm and is nervous that the same will happen to me if I don’t set it - not because of moving up and down, along the Y axis, but rotating about the X axis. He insists I get a second opinion because he’s sure I should set it.
Has anyone suffered a similar injury and if so, what did you do? Anything I should/n’t do to speed the recovery?
I did the same thing when I was 11 skateboarding and have the same issue as your grandpa: let it heal naturally and no longer can fully extend. It doesn’t impede me too much but I certainly would do it differently if I knew.
I’d suggest getting a 2nd opinion, best of luck healing and with the racing.
Probably worth a second opinion. I broke mine in a racing crash in 1985. Ortho doc let it heal on its own. No problems ever, other than a little achy every now and then.
I broke my radial head in 2 places about 7 years ago (age 32 at time) playing hockey. The preliminary e-ray showed one fracture and the doctor choose not to set the arm. Upon followup a few weeks later a better x-ray was taken and showed 2 fractures. They would have set if they had seen it.
Bottom line is that it didn’t really matter. I used a sling for 6 weeks and did the physiotherapy that was recommended. I have full mobility and no lingering effects. The physio was the key.
I dropped my bike several years ago and got the same break in the same spot. (radial head fracture at the elbow.) Mine also was not set because it had been a few days after the injury when the fracture was discovered. Doc gave me a sling and told me 6 to 8 weeks if I remember correctly. Problem was it was about 3 months + before I could ride because getting out of the saddle caused huge amounts of pain in my elbow. Not trying bum you out but that was my experience. Good news is it competely healed and I have full range of motion in that arm. Get healed up quick!
To optimize your outcome from conservative treatment, for the next 8 weeks:
Avoid combining active elbow extension with active supination.
Avoid forced end-range passive elbow extension.
Perform gentle active-assisted elbow range of motion exercises with shoulder in slight external rotation.
I did the same thing… tripped on a pothole running… arm was a bit sore for the rest of the run… but I thought it would be okay… until I tried my pushups then I knew something was wrong… Due to the size of the fracture it didn’t get set… just a sling…
The dr. said I could run if I could take the pain… I wore a neoprene elbow sleeve for a while which seemed to keep it some flexing as much… The dr. did say if I fell on it again before it was healed it would need to be put into a cast.
Only could indoor ride for a while since it was painful to use it to hold any weight.
Fortunately I was a duathlete then, so swimming wasn’t an issue.
Broke my radial head and schapoid a couple years ago. Was in my late 40s. Was told they wouldn’t cast my elbow at my age because I would have reduced mobility after recovery. Hand was in a cast for about 6 weeks and I have slightly less mobility with my thumb.
I broke my radial head in 2010.
Doc chose not to set it- said it would heal on its own.
It hurt like f**k for about 6 weeks- it was one of the more painful fractures that I have had.
My body put a total lockdown on the arm. I could not straighten it or push or pull with it for weeks.
I tried to ride- couldn’t really do it. Vibration from the road hurt, changing positions on the bars hurt, braking hurt, cornering hurt- you get the idea.
I would do a ride and then I would have to take 3-4 days off to recover from that one ride.
After a few weeks I could ride the tt bike. It was dangerous because I had a hard time braking and moving off the extensions was slow- but it was not painful to ride.
Fortunately I was running that fall- I just did more of that than riding.
My elbow healed fine- I have full extension.