Recovering after radial head replacement

[Runbikeswim]

Last Saturday I had a very minor fall with a dislocated elbow and long story short, Thursday I had the Radial Head in the elbow replaced.  It is the right arm and replaced with a titanium one.

On next week Tuesday the brace come off and I start Physio.

So im basically asking who has a similar experience and how long where u off the bike, out the pool and not running.

 

Google suggests recovery is 3 to 24 months......

 

[Eddy Gordo]

A friend of mine has fractured his about 4 months ago, and still not on the bike. He says it still pains. This is the second time it has happened to him but on the other arm. Last time he was off for 6 months

[lechatnoir]

Heal up, and make sure you do all the physio rehab. That way, you'll have a better chance of being closer to 3 months, and 24.

 

Goes to show, minor tumbles can have serious implications.

[Skylark]

They replaced the ball at the end of the bone with a titanium one?

[Runbikeswim]

Seeing the doc today... Hopefully cast comes off and physio starts...

 

 

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[Guest notmyname]

Swak bro. Sorry for this. Heal speedy and do that pesky physiotherapists excersises religiously.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Eina bro - how did I miss this - and what did you do!? 

 

Holding thumbs for a speedy recovery. And seriously - take the recovery slowly and purposefully. Go to the physio, and grit your teeth for the pain. My mom reckons her knee replacement and the resultant physio was the worst she's ever had, pain wise. But that initial pain makes the rest of the journey just so much better and smoother. 

[Runbikeswim]

Cast thing off, went for 1st physio Which went well and went for 1st run post opp( doc oked it) i may not swim or bike, only spin for next 3 weeks till i see him again.

 

Have a moerse scar....

 

 

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[Runbikeswim]

Eina bro - how did I miss this - and what did you do!?

 

Holding thumbs for a speedy recovery. And seriously - take the recovery slowly and purposefully. Go to the physio, and grit your teeth for the pain. My mom reckons her knee replacement and the resultant physio was the worst she's ever had, pain wise. But that initial pain makes the rest of the journey just so much better and smoother.

Over the bars, dude on the usn 50km stopped dead on a little bump in front of me at around 20kmp. Dislocated elbow and broke radial head, which got replaced bu a titanium one.

[Bobbo_SA]

Over the bars, dude on the usn 50km stopped dead on a little bump in front of me at around 20kmp. Dislocated elbow and broke radial head, which got replaced bu a titanium one.

 

Any GoPro footage? Would make a thread of its own...Eish.

 

Seriously though, my wife had major surgery on her left hip due to years of ballet damage, what the guys before me have said, do the physio, even the menial small stuff they give you in the beginning makes a massive difference long term.

 

Heal up soon.

[Rocket-Boy]

The physio is super important to get full movement back in the arm.

Got a friend in the UK who has had to go for 3 ops recently for the same thing, hope you dont have any complications.

[i24]

Last Saturday I had a very minor fall with a dislocated elbow and long story short, Thursday I had the Radial Head in the elbow replaced.  It is the right arm and replaced with a titanium one.

On next week Tuesday the brace come off and I start Physio.

So im basically asking who has a similar experience and how long where u off the bike, out the pool and not running.

 

Google suggests recovery is 3 to 24 months......

 

I dislocated an elbow and fractured my "coronoid process". A similar injury to yours. I tripped and fell while running, a non cycling related injury that happened several years ago. My comments:

 

- Get yourself the best surgeon you can find (but you are past that point already).

 

- Get the best physio you can find. This is more important than the surgeon. If in doubt seek a 2nd opinion. I got my surgeon to bully the physio practice into assigning me to their top lady when things seemed not to be going well. After that I had to drive across town once or twice a week to get to her, but it was worth it.

 

- Do your physio exercises like your future well being cycling career depends on it (because it does). You have a "window period" of maybe 6 months during which physio can help restore full movement to your elbow. What you don't achieve during that period will be lost forever.

 

- Mind you don't suffer nerve damage. My ulnar nerve got stuck in scar tissue which caused problems. Physio lady picked this up. I needed a 2nd op from a nerve specialist orthopaedic surgeon to free it. But after that op healing went a lot faster.

 

I got almost all of the movement back in my elbow but I still get quite a lot of pain. Mainly nerve pain but also joint pain. (I can feel the onset of winter in my arm as I type). But I won't take any pain killers, I think the side effects will just make things worse.

 

I was a "part time" cyclist before this accident and at one stage never expected to get back on a bike. But I tried it after 4 or 5 months and found I could manage. Then I bought a mountain bike with front suspension to ease the shock on my elbow. Then I started exploring the mountain at Tokai. Now I ride a lot more than I did back then, I am usefully fitter but suffering from withdrawal symptoms since our mountain burnt down. You will likely need to get a new bike fit done when you get back on the bike as you probably wont be able to straighten your elbow completely. (Try a shorter stem than what the computer program suggests.)

 

My elbow is pretty much as strong as it was before the accident, but I have learnt to treat it with respect otherwise I get "reminded" about its history. Cycling is not a problem but heavy lifting can be felt afterwards. PM me if you want to compare notes.

[Guest notmyname]

Robo, slow and steady bud. Slow full recovery is the aim of the game bro.

[Winstonian1984]

I had a fractured radial head, luckily it wasnt displaced. 6 Weeks of no riding on the road. The IDT became my best friend. 

 

I did lots of elbow extensions and forearm rotation. My elbows range of motion is at almost back to what it used to be.

 

Recover and heal up soon. 

[mudda]

I broke mine in a crash ...

 

It was a while ago, but I remember taking a whole year off the bike ...

 

No surgery, but the doc said I would never regain a straight arm, at most 95% ...

 

I decided my arm had to be straight   so I used to lie on my elbow at night on the bend until I could not bear the pain, and then another 30 seconds past that.

 

I did that while the bone was healing since once its healed, you cannot change the shape.

 

My arm is now 100% straight, but that elbow has the bump in it to remind me of that fall ...

 

I remember taking a weight to work (1kg) and doing all the physio exercise during meetings , lunch etc ... 

 

Driving a car with one hand also became "normal".

 

I cannot comment on a replacement, but it did take me a while without a replacement.

[flymango]

Almost 10 years to the day I had a fall in Tokai and suffered the Terrible Triad (dislocation, radial head fracture and coronoid fracture) and damage to my ulnar nerve. Actually, the radial head shattered into a few pieces.

 

The orthopod offered me two choices: prosthetic joint or reconstruction. I was 39 at the time so we chose the latter. What followed was four operations over nine months and intensive physio. Today I can only get 150% extension (180% meaning a straight arm) and only have partial use of my ring finger and pinkie.

 

But I've done a few MTB stage races since, and regularly participate in various events and ride socially most weekends.

 

The misalignment on the bike is becoming a problem now as I get older and compensation actions are starting to lead to various alignment complications (ITB, tight hip flexors, lower back).

 

The most critical phase of your rehab is now. Follow the rehab programme religiously and be patient before getting on the bike again. Getting your arm back to 180% must be your main target for now.

 

Good luck!