I had a humeral head fracture in five places at the end of October. The concern was that if I did anything, or the rotator cuff pulled some of the pieces, I might need surgery. I’m not a clinician so I apologize for my layman’s terms. I was only allowed to squeeze putty and move my arm up/down from my elbow with the shoulder disengaged until about week 8. I know this sounds strange, but I was able to bend my body away from my shoulder/arm to wash/shave. I didn’t have a frozen shoulder once I was allowed to do things like finger crawl up the wall. After that I started PT which really helped. It also helped that it was my off-season. My healing progress:
Break Oct 29th.
Dec 9th-start finger crawling up the wall (I marked my progress). PT twice a week in early Jan.
In Feb, I started back at the pool. Did about 200yds but I didn’t have the strength or full range of motion. Just kept at it.
In April I did a sprint tri. 750 yd swim and I started really dropping my arm about halfway through.
May sprint was much easier but still slow (I was slow before my fracture).
Now, almost full range of motion back and muscles almost back.
Still slow.
My arm is now normal size but I still have deep bruising (blood) all the way down to my wrist. Doesn’t hurt.
So, this will be a bit of a way back for you, but you’ll get there. Sleeping tips? Sleeping on my back worked for me. Mobility? Don’t move the line of your shoulder/elbow and work on moving your torso away from it (this has not been medically approved, just me). Strengthening? I think you’ll need to get a green light from your PT and what they recommend. Before then, keep taking calcium and know you’ll get past this.
I have a half IM and in late sept, and planned to do IMAZ in mid november. Right now I’m skeptical. I’m 3.5weeks in now and starting to regain some mobility. Not enough to swim or run, but I’ve started riding the bike on the trainer wearing the sling. This is a single fracture, and I think it’s shaping up ok.
Still very painful at times, and still can’t sleep very well. That’s the worst. I get back home next week, so I’ll be checking in with my docs. Sounds like your break was a lot worse than mine (I’m hoping recovery is a bit faster).
I went through that about 5 years ago, with surgery to piece it back together. I lost a lot of strength and mobility on that side (some permanently), but i think that was more from the surgery and the plate than the break itself. In any event, with respect to pain, it may not seem like it now, but it really does get better pretty quickly, though it may be a little worse for you, since my break was immobilized by the plate, and you have to wait for your arm to knit. The long term pain problem i found was from sudden jolts or slips, rather than chronic pain.
The sleeping is the worst, i think - not being able to lie as you wish, and having an unpleasant surprise if you move the wrong way in your sleep. But one morning soon you will wake up on your side and wonder how that happened!
I did the same thing a little over 2 years ago. My break required surgery with a plate and 7 screws. I can clearly remember my surgeon telling me that the recovery, physical therapy, and getting back to “normal” would take 12 months. I secretly said to myself, “ha!! he doesn’t know who he’s talking to! Maybe that’s true for somebody MUCH older than me (I’m 50), or someone that’s not in good shape, etc.,” but he knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. It was a good 12 months to be back to “normal.” After 2 years, I still don’t have 100% of my ROM back, or as much strength on that side, but I am able to do everything I want/need to do.
I’d recommend you find a good ortho doc ASAP. Good luck to you~
About 2.5 weeks ago I crashed and fractured my humerus (up high right below the ball portion of the bone, near the shoulder joint).
Besides pain and no sleeping, mobility is pretty much shot. I can’t even move my arm 3 inches in any direction, let alone thinking about swimming.
Anyone recover from anything like this? Any tips? I’m traveling now and won’t see my doctor or really start any sort of formal PT for about 2 weeks.
Any informed suggestions welcome… tips for sleeping? mobility? strengthening?
For what it’s worth…
I ended up biking lightly on the trainer with my arm in a sling about 3 weeks after the injury. Once I got the OK to ditch the sling (about 4.5 weeks - 7/26/2012) I started with short runs (~30 mins), and started riding outside a bit. I had also started physical therapy around the same time. I ended up doing PT for about 10 weeks (once a week, 1 hr sessions, then plenty of at home stretching). I started swimming 9 weeks after injury (8/26/2012). A lot of breast stroke and kicking. 3x week, building back up slowly.
Raced Orangeman half tri in mid Sept. Slower than normal swim, but bike and run were ok. Ultimately raced Ironman Arizona 11/18. Shoulder felt sore in the last 1/3 of the swim, and stiffened a bit during the bike. No issues on the bike. I feel good about recovering from the injury and racing in 4.5 months… Hopefully this time next year it’s pain free.
hi goose, i have just had a similar fracture injury with plate and 9 pins to hold ball of humerus together. Am concerned whether i will ever be able to go back to front crawl swimming? how long after your injury were you able to swim? Would be grateful to hear from you and how you managed to get back into training and triathlons. thanks srward
Hi srward, I wasn’t doing triathlons when I broke it, so I can’t be specific with your question about getting back to swimming, but when I say it took me the better part of 12 months, I’m really not exaggerating. I started triathlons about 18 months after my surgery and was able to swim (front crawl) without any problem. I will admit that I didn’t,and still don’t have as much strength on that side, but it doesn’t really hinder me. My best advice to you would be to make sure you have a GOOD physical therapist. Not just an okay one, but one that really knows what he/she is doing. You might even consider one that specializes in athletes. Good luck!!! And let me know if I can help in any other way.
thanks a lot for the prompt reply, it really helps to know that it will be possible even if only after a year. do you still have the plate & pins in place? and yes will look for a good physiotherapist.
