 Me being very cocky |
On February 4, 2001, I dislocated my right elbow while playing Ultimate Frisbee in Sunnyvale.
Update: November 25, 2002: Watched Monday Night Football tonight and saw Eagle's QB Koy Detmer dislocate his left elbow (non-throwing) on national television. Ouch! He must have landed more awkwardly than I did, because he seemed to be in a tremendous amount of pain. Best wishes to Koy on his rehabilitation! Although I am a 49er fan, I don't like seeing the opponent get hurt.
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Let me preface this photomusing by stating that I am typing this article with one hand, my left hand. My right arm is in a splint and sling, as it recovers from a particularly nasty dislocation that happened about 14 hours ago. From 100+ words a minute to 20 words a minute, it tasks your patience! How did it all happen? Read on...
Today, I went to play Ultimate Frisbee with some former co-workers, ex-Stanford students, and other people this morning at the Las Palmas park in Sunnyvale. It had been awhile since I had played Ultimate, due to the recent NFL season and the fact that I had been spending a lot of time with my friends during the weekend. But with the NFL season successfully concluded, my Sundays are now free to spend my mornings playing Ultimate. I was introduced to this fast paced game while a senior in Stanford, living in the French House. It took a while to perfect my throws, but after practice makes better, and I am now a much more complete player than I was when I first played the game five years ago.
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Before leaving the house I decided before leaving the house at 10:00 am my complete camera setup, the D30, an arsenal of lenses, the 17-35, the 28-70, and the 70-200, and my Gitzo tripod. I was set to take some exciting Ultimate photos for my web site to share with the everyone. The weather today in the Bay Area was great, and I was in good form with regards to my frisbee skills and speed. It had been quite some time since I exercised, including dancing, so I was a little concerned that my skills would have deteriorated. Fortunately, when the game started, I was happy to see that there wasn't that much dropoff. I guess what exercise I had been doing, like hiking and what not, had kept my body in decent shape.
During a substitution during the game, I picked up my D30 with the 70-200, dialed the ISO up to 200, and began to take some in your face shots of the Ultimate action, on the playing field! The XFL had just started playing the day before and they had cameramen on the field, along with the skycam. We were joking a lot on the field, since my in your face photography was so much like in the XFL! I guess we were starting to play our brand of Ultimate, call it the XUL!
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It was fortunate that I had brought my camera and that people were using it when I was on the field to take pictures. It was especially good since they were able to catch my injury as it happened! I later learned that at the time of the accident, Derek, my former co-worker at DoDots, was at the helm of my D30, which was attached to my Gitzo tripod with the 70-200mm EF L lens. Since the D30's sensor is smaller than a standard 35 mm film frame, the focal length experiences a multiplication factor of 1.6, making the effective length of the lens 112-320 mm. Derek was shooting the scene at 144 mm (effective 230 mm on the D30).
I kind of remember the disc floating in the air, almost ready to fall onto the ground. I dove for the disc, as did a number of other people. West was coming straight ahead and we collided, with him falling down on my right arm. I heard a noticeable "POP!" sound as we hit the ground and I immediately knew that something wasn't right with me. I looked at my right arm and noticed that it was not in a "normal" position. I knew then that I had either dislocated it, or worse, broke my arm. I had never ever broken a bone in my body, leading me to half-heartedly believe that I was "unbreakable" like Bruce Willis' character in the movie with the same name. I certainly wasn't Mr. Glass! But, here I was, crumpled on the ground, in obvious discomfort from what had just happened.
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As my senses came back to me on the ground, I remember exclaiming something to the effect of, "Injury! Broken arm!" A crowd began to form around my crumbled body, curious to see what had happened. My glasses had been knocked off during the collision with West; fortunately, the glasses were not broken, neither the frame nor the lenses. I guess I have the high index plastic and the titanium frames to thank for that! As I was laying on the ground, a group started to form around me, and one person helped to put my glasses back on. After all, it's tough to do that with only arm! Another person used a cellphone to call the paramedics. I wonder if they just called 911 or if they called another number to get medical assistance.
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The funny thing was that I wasn't angry or mad; I thought that it was pretty funny. Well, maybe funny wasn't the right term, but I did find it intriguing and curious. What a strange new sensation! A whole new set of feelings that up until now, 25 years after I was born, I could now experience. Like with many things, I decided, however painful it was, to relish the situation with a positive attitude.
One thought that did come to my mind while on the ground was my upcoming business trip to Boston, the next day. Well, this puts a damper on that trip, I told myself! In fact, the reason why I probably won't be able to complete this photomusing in time is because I have to catch a plane!
I've read or heard that excruciating pain often accompanies a dislocation of the shoulder or elbow. Although it was painful, I didn't find the pain to be excruciating. Rather, it was a curious mix of throbbing pain isolated in the elbow joint area of my right arm. It was as if I could feel my heart beating through the elbow. I could still feel my fingers, although they definitely were a bit numb. In addition, there was no noticeable pain felt along the upwards part of my arm or shoulder.
What I did notice, however, was a hard bony proturberance was sticking out of my arm. As I lay on the ground, I used my left hand to push the bone, which I think ended up being my radius, back into my arm. I felt it move inward, until it hit something solid. The joint was not reduced, but I am sure that I reduced the painful sight that my friends were looking at.
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While lying on the ground, I remember that I had brought my camera to the event. This, in my mind, made excellent material for a new photogallery or musing! I asked anyone who was around to, "Hey, can you take pictures of this? Hurry, go get my camera!" People may have thought I was twisted, wanting to capture my pain and injury on film. They're partially right, I am a little twisted in that sense, but I also like to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. Derek and Evan traded turns taking pictures of me as I lay on the ground, experiencing those curious feelings in my right arm.
Looking back, I notice that I'm wearing practically next to nothing in these pictures. Earlier in the game, I was playing on the "dark" team while wearing my Reggie White Green Bay Packers jersey. I read later on the Internet that he played in games with a dislocated elbow! Reggie was definitely the man on the gridiron, as I'm not sure if I could have continued to play Ultimate with my dislocation! When I switched teams, I had to take off the jersey, leaving me only with my cycling shorts on. To be honest, I really didn't think too much of it while lying on the ground, with the throbbing sensations in my arm, but it's funny to look back on the pictures with me practically naked!
We heard the sirens and knew that the paramedics were arriving. Turns out, the first to arrive on the scene was the fire department, led by Jim and Jerry. They walked calmly and confidently towards me, with Derek the photography in tow, taking pictures. They quickly assessed the situatin, asking me a number of questions to ascertain the extent of the injury. I was a little more excited than usual, and they had to calm me down a few times because of my chatty nature. Fortunately, nowhere in the conversation did they ever talk about getting the tranquilizers out to shut me up!
They found out that circulation was still occuring throughout my arm, which meant I hadn't ruptured any arteries. They believe that I either had, as I knew, a dislocated elbow or a fracture. They kept me occupied until the paramedics from the ambulance arrived, Jonathan Watkins, Tim, and Vinnie. I greeted each of the people helping me with a big, "Whassup!" and asked for their names. They were great, laughing and smiling with me while at the same time being very prompt and professional in their treatment of the injury. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people helping me out. I spent most of my time speaking with Jonathan, who instructed the group to set up an air splint for me as they transferred me to the hospital, El Camino Hospital. Somewhere during this time, someone collected my wallet from my Domke camera bag and retrieved my health insurance card. It's a great feeling when you're injured to know that you've got insurance to cover most, if not all, of the costs associated with getting back to be healthy.
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When they brought the stretcher and the air splint out, I felt like I was in the NFL, XFL, or at least the XUL! I can only imagine what the "television audience" was thinking at the time, as I lay on the ground with the medical staff working on me.
They loaded me up onto the stretcher and took me to the ambulance. Joy and Karen helped me by giving me my cell phone and wallet, which I used to call a few people on my way to the hospital. No one but the paramedic staff accompanied me on the ambulance. I drove, obviously, in the back of the truck with Jonathan; we entertained each other about various medial facts and stories. I'd never driven in an ambulance before and this was also an experience for me to relish and enjoy. I wish that I had brought the camera along with me for the ride as I would have gotten some cool pictures there! That being said, I hope never to be in an ambulance again as a patient!
They sure ask some interesting questions at the hospital as they are checking you in. "What is your religion?" was the first question that threw me off. I mean, what does it matter what religion I am?!? After joking with Jonathan and the nurse about this, I replied, "Uh, I'm more spiritual than I am religious, so let's put 'other' down as my religion." I was talking with my friends and family later in the day, and they said that they probably ask that question in case you die or something. It would let them know to what to do with your body, like orient it towards North or something like that! The kicker, however, came when the nurse asked the next question, "Okay, now... do you consider yourself white or Asian?" "What?!?" I exclaimed at the incredulity of the question, while answering, "Of course, Asian, no... wait, Black!" I later learned from my friend, Eric, that on birth certificates in the state of Texas, there are only two options, white or black. Someone we both knew from Stanford is legally white in Texas, even though he's Indian!
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The night before, just prior to going over to the Hawaiian Party held at Stephanie, Sangeetha, and Adriana's apartment in Menlo Park, Randy and I were watching the end of Robocop on Channel 36. Robocop's partner, Lewis was explaining to him that she was a mess, to which Robocop said, "They'll fix you up, they fix everything..." How appropriate was it when the public relations lady, Irene, at the hospital kept saying to me, "Don't worry, we'll fix you up!"
The hospital staff arranged to have x-rays taken of my arm, which was still contained in the splint. They put an orange tag around my left hand with the name of the doctor who I thought would be treating me, Dr. Klapman. The orange band looks like those bands they hand out at clubs and bars around town. I joked with the staff member who put it on if I could now get a drink from the bar! The x-ray technicians came in an took two x-rays of my arm. Because of the dislocation, I was unable to bend my arm in a 90 degree angle. We would have to reduce the dislocation in order to get those x-rays. The moment of truth was arriving, and Dr. James LaRoy, not Dr. Klapman, was the messenger.
That moment arrived when Dr. LaRoy stepped in the room after the x-rays were developed to set the bones back in place. He asked me, as Audrey had before him, if I wanted an IV with which they would pump me full of morphine. I replied to him with something to the effect of, "I want to feel how painful it is; I don't want any painkillers." Call me a tough hombre or a sado-masochistic fool, but I really did want to experience the sensation of my elbow being popped back into place. Since this was the first time I'd ever seriously did something bad to my body, I was intrigued by the new sensations flowing through my body, or more to the point, the throbbing sensation in my right arm.
I told the doctor that on a scale of 1-10 of pain, with 10 being the most painful, that my elbow was around a 4-6. I then asked him what this was going to feel like, setting my bones back in place. Without hesitation, Dr. LaRoy replied, "Ten." Oh, maybe I should take up his offer for the morphine, I joked. There was no turning back though, and I wanted them to proceed. The doctor and Mike had to tag team to set my bones back in place, with Mike holding my swollen bicep and upper arm steady while Dr. LaRoy pulled my ulna bone down and back in the socket. They struggled for a few minutes, and I must admit that the pain did rise to a 7 in my book. The good doctor said that this was a tough one, but I tried to urge him and Mike on, "Come on, you can do it! Harder! That's it!" In another environment, those words might be misinterpreted, but I have to say that the feelings were quite intense.
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Dr. LaRoy was impressed with my pain tolerance, noting that in 35 years of practicing, no one has ever asked him to put an elbow back in place without pain killers! He was wondering what I had been drinking or taking (nothing, just a positive attitude), relating the movie scene from When Harry Met Sally and the fake orgasm scene by Meg Ryan. "I'll have what he's having, please!"
Eventually, they believe they managed to set the elbow back in place. It was difficult to tell since there was a lot of swelling in my elbow area. They needed to take another dose of x-rays to be sure.
I received the following quote from Dr. LaRoy a few days after my trip to the hospital:
"Adam- you had just about the best attitude a Physician could hope for in a patient! Your ability to relax in that situation was amazing! I don't expect to ever have someone say "cool" with a smile on their face when I tell them something is going to cause them severe pain!"
The pictures that you see at the hospital were taken by my friend, Derek, who came to El Camino to make sure that everything was okay and deliver me my camera equipment and personal stuff that I had left on the Ultimate playing field. It's good that we came, otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to reenact the reduction procedure with Dr. LaRoy and Mike, nor see the happy, "Hey, a new toy!" expression on my face when I had the splint wrapped around my arm.
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After they reduced the dislocation, they took a number of x-rays before placing a fiberglass splint on my arm at a 90 degree angle. They wrapped up the arm, told me to rest, elevate and ice the arm periodically (which I forgot to do for almost two days, unfortunately!). Then, with my new toy firmly wrapped up, they discharged me from the hospital into what seemed now a slightly different world.
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The euphoria and newness of having a dislocated elbow soon dissapated over the course of the next few days as I began to integrate my useless right arm back into my life. One thing about breaking or dislocating your dominant arm; it makes eating and doing normal tasks soooo much harder! You really gain an appreciation for what you have. I went to dinner with my friend, Eric, and it was a challenge to eat with my left hand, even with fork! And, don't even think about chopsticks; I was horrible!
The next few days following the accident, my arm swelled up to enormous proportions; since the splint pushed up against my arm, the swelling travelled by way of the path of least resistance. In medical terms, this is called window edema, and it's not a pretty sight, as you can see in the picture to the right. Window edema certainly makes the injury look worse than it actually was, though that isn't to say that dislocations are trivial injuries. I realized quickly how fragile of a state my arm was in. When out of the splint, I had to support the arm at all times, as it truly was useless. Taking showers (I ended up taking baths), eating, tying my shoes, and buttoning shirts, all of these simple tasks became extremely difficult with the use of one arm.
The day after my ultimate injury, I left San Jose early in the morning for a business trip to Boston. The night of my injury, I didn't sleep a wink, preferring instead to work on this web page and adjust to the new feelings in my arm. The following week, I flew out to Phoenix, Arizona for the Demo 2001, followed by another trip to Boston. The next week, I made my third trip to Boston, where I met up with friends from Stanford, such as Clara, Irene, and Tamar. Before the trip to Phoenix, I didn't need to wear my splint anymore, although I did still need to support it with my sling. The week of my third trip to Boston, which marked the start of the third week of healing, I didn't wear the sling anymore. Today, I'm able to do many more things that were all but impossible two weeks ago, such as typing, washing my hair, or carrying light objects.
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Still, I can't do everything, like extend my arm fully or bend it back completely. I'm hoping that these abilities will return to me in the near future, as the main goal is to return to pre-injury abilities with my right arm. I won't accept anything less. As I write this update, I am on a plane taking me home from my third trip to Boston. I see Dr. Test, my orthopedic doctor picture on the right, to go over next steps in my rehabilitation process. As the dislocation deals, one has to relearn how to use the arm again; it's a fascinating process and a testament to the remarkable healing powers of the human body. I don't want to have to go through something like this again, but I'm thankful that I have experienced it, for now I understand the pain, suffering and difficulty that others struggle through with similar injuries.
One year later, I look back at my dislocated elbow experience.
Here are some links to articles related to dislocated elbows on the Web:
There are some more pictures from my ultimate dislocation in the photo gallery below!
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hello adam, yes and my first day back to work after 2 weeks - i type a lot for my boss and of course this had to happen to my 'right' arm (my mouse arm)! he was not happy about my accident. i pulled up a couple of websites this morning and read about your dislocated elbow - i found it interesting that you took photos! that would have been the last thing on my mind - although you were with a group of people to help you. i was walking on what i do believe was an even sidewalk, the toe of my shoe got caught on a crack and i went face down, almost like slow motion - i couldn't do anything about it! - the fall on my face broke my prescription sunglasses and could not get up - my right arm, at a right angle, laying there in all the pain - i too have never had a broken bone or major injury but i knew something bad happened. i lay there for 5-10 minutes the ridge of my nose bleeding until someone came out of their house - trying to scoop me off the sidewalk - i thought sure my arm was going to come off. they drove me to el camino hospital - hardly anyone waiting in emergency and it took at least an hour to get to a room with all the admin staff just watching me screech in pain in my wheelchair - i wasn't brave like you - give me drugs, anything for the pain! they gave me morphine and an anti-nasea drug so they could take x-rays. then after a couple more hours they gave me another amnesia-like drug for putting the elbow back in place. i still 'remember' the pain of them setting it - even today. i finally was released after 5 hours. of course the drugs make you sick to your stomach for awhile. so now i have a 1/2 cast to take off during the day to do exercises, and go back in another week to see ortho - hope cast comes off. this stupid fall sure put a damper on my daily routine, not to mention nervous about just walking - so now i'm typing left handed for awhile.
so how long did it take you to heal and get back to normal? you were fortunate to have your friends helping you.
bonnie
-- posted by Bonnie Rose @ Tuesday, June 18 2002, 14:01 pm CDT
Bonnie:
In terms of healing, I think it took me a couple of months of physical therapy to get back to near 100% flexion and extension. I went on a mountain bike race at the beginning of May, which put me at the three-month recovery mark. My elbow held up well during the race, even after crashing numerous times on downhill single-track slopes!
-adam
-- posted by Adam Tow @ Tuesday, June 18 2002, 14:02 pm CDT
well- I am typing to you with my right hand, luckily my dislocation occurred in my left elbow accompanied by two broken bones (I say luckily because I am a righty). My injury occurred on June 1, 2002, and I am still in the early healing stages- my fingers are swollen to double thier normal size, which is extremely uncomfortable, I can still barely move my fingers at all.
Unlike you I remember the pain being excrutiating. I chanted morphine to anyone that would listen- I think they thought I was some kind of druggie. And in all honesty, the morphine didn't do a hell of a lot. I do not remember them popping my elbow back into place - I am not sure what they used to knock me out- but it was much appreciated.
So now the prognosis is physical therapy and possible surgery depending on the MRI I will be taking in about three weeks.
It is extremely comforting to hear a positive attitude from someone who had the same injury. The doctors I am using are not hopeful on me regaining 100% movement in my arm again- which I think they are wrong about. Is your arm at 100%?
Anyway thanks for sharing your story- I found it amazing and twisted at the same time.
Be Well.
Isabel
-- posted by Isabel Prisciandaro @ Tuesday, June 18 2002, 14:07 pm CDT
I dislocated my elbow on June 1, 2002. I had my cast removed on June 14, 2002. I can now do palm up, palm down without too much pain and I struggle to extend my arm, it is almost there. I have not made a lot of effort to bend my arm. What exercises worked best for you and how long did it take for you to get back to pre-injury state? I am a 51 year old lady who dislocated my left elbow attemping to roller skate in my driveway. Your pictures were great! (Thank God for emergency response people and emergency doctors room doctors and staff!!) My goal is to better your rehab dates. My camera was near my garden where I had been taking pictures of my herb garden.
-- posted by Ms Ms. Safety @ Friday, July 12 2002, 14:37 pm CDT
August 1, 2002 will be 2 months from the date of my injury. My doctor has recommended exercises for me to do on my own, at home. He believes that it is less likely for you to "hurt" yourself. If it hurts too much "stop". I am making progress everyday just by challenging myself to get full extension and flexation of the elbow back. I plan to ride my mountain bike this weekend. No racing, just a 6 mile ride around the park.
A note on the pain: I was home alone and had to crawl "yes, on hand and knees, on the asphalt" to my car, where my cell phone lay, battery dead, on the seat. It seemed, at the time, my knees hurt more than the injury! When the rescue team arrived (I was able to plug the phone into the charger) and took my blood pressure it was 80/40! They splinted the arm, took off my skates and helmet and I walked to the car. I refused pain medication.
The hospital administered pain medication and the elbow was set. The doctors did a fine job. They were very gentle. I did not feel any pain and I was very aware of what was going on.
Good Luck to all of you who have a similiar injury. It is amazing how well we heal.
-- posted by Ms. Safety @ Tuesday, July 30 2002, 21:15 pm EDT
It will be two months tomorrow that I tripped and fell and dislocated my right elbow (it had to be right!). I've been going to physical therapy for the last 3 weeks and we see great improvement, although not completely healed. There is still swelling (maybe 4-6 months) at the elbow site and stiffness but getting good flexion and extension but not 100% yet. Actually I was told I probably won't get full extension no matter how much I exercise. I'm still icing for the swelling, but the warm shower feels good and it seems to loosen up. I was told not to do bending and extending during the same exercise and only when the area is warmed up - wait an hour or so inbetween - it gives the tendons and ligaments a rest. Guess mid-August the strengthening exercises will be introduced. All in all my physical therapist says I'm doing better than most of her patients, so guess that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that I may be on the road to recovery, and perhaps sooner than later. I still think a cast for less than 2 weeks is better than a full 2 - it seems to lengthen the healing process. Best ask your doctor about that. So good luck to all "dislocated" people out there... Bonnie
-- posted by Bonnie Rose @ Friday, August 2 2002, 13:48 pm EDT
July 24 I dislocated my right elbow and broke a piece of the bones (coronoid). July 30 I had surgery and 3 screws + 4 hour later I am in a new splint. August 8 I get a full long arm cast. August 22 I sm in a splint that I can remove to movee my arm......
This thing is stuck hard. I got very limiyed movement and won't start physical therapy until September 12.
Am I screwed? Right now all I can do is stretch my arm few degree and I can't close it past the 90 degree...... AHHHHHHH!
-- posted by pat @ Tuesday, August 27 2002, 21:20 pm EDT
Pat,
How are you? I am doing much better (no surgery) but not 100% yet. I found the stretch bands for pilates worked well for my elbow. My injury was on June 1, 2002.
-- posted by injuryfree @ Sunday, October 13 2002, 21:54 pm EDT
I'm never leaving the house again.
*shudder*
--posted by jim @ Wednesday, November 27 2002, 0:24 am EST
Adam
My 15 year old son has dislocated his elbow four times. His tolerance for pain is tested each time and his tolerance and toughness amazes me each time this has happened. I have never been in the room when they "popped"the elbow back in to place but have been outside the room and have heard the pop from the elbow being relocated. My son is a pitcher on his baseball team and an avid basketball player, you are obviously very outgoing and athletic also, take care in the future with your elbow. As your experience has proven it is no fun to dislocate the elbow and to go through the procedure of relocating and rehabilitation to get the elbow back to 100 percent. I hope that you do not have a chronic problem of dislocation as my son does, surgery is an option but it is something that I do not want him to go through at this time. Just wanted to unload my story as I feel for my son and wish I could trade arms with him. Good luck in the future and watch how you land.
Bill--posted by Bill @ Friday, January 3 2003, 15:50 pm EST
Adam: I came across your site while looking for
something else and read your story with interest.
(But not the pictures)
I dislocated my right elbow in Jan. 2000, in
a much less exciting manner. (Fell off some steps).
It still clicks and pops, and I can't touch my shoulder
with my palm, but on the brighter side I know when
a storm's coming.
==Jake--posted by Jake @ Thursday, January 30 2003, 20:29 pm EST
I foolishly fell over off a fence ,after football training ,crack!!! my right elbow was errrmm well not in the right position,yup it was painful very.
even now 4 yrs after i still cant extend it fully and still gives the odd click or crack out .
dont think it will ever be normal again--posted by Paul @ Tuesday, February 11 2003, 18:21 pm EST
i'm 18 and i dislocated my elbow last week during competitive cheerleading practice. I'm feeling very discouraged becuase this is truly what i LOVE to do and by the stories i've heard i'm not sure if i'll be able to fulfill my dream of making the college team i've wanted for so long. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE RECOVERED STRONG AND CAN DO PHYSICALLY DEMANDING SPORTS AGAIN?
--posted by Lori @ Tuesday, February 25 2003, 18:48 pm EST
Lori,
I dislocated my elbow last June at the age of 51. I am doing very well and I have not gone to physical therapy. I did not require any surgery. We heal quite well and I am sure you will too. As you continue in your pursuit of what you love, never compromise your safety. Demand qualifed spotters and work with others who you trust. You are young and will heal. I found that the stretch bands helped me gain strength. The worst thing was the cast. I liked the color but hated wearing the thing!! Take care of yourself. Let us know how you are doing.--posted by injury free @ Friday, February 28 2003, 22:53 pm EST
Lori,
I dislocated my right elbow March 5 of 2001 while playing hockey. May of 2001 I was able to play again but with a tremendous amount of pain(after the games)...I am still able to play today without as much pain...Although I am able to play sports my new doctor recomended that I have surgery to remove some "debris" from the elbow...and possibly repair the tendon....keep at it and you should be fine.--posted by Jim @ Tuesday, March 4 2003, 16:52 pm EST
It is good to hear people have gone through the same pain as me.
I dislocated my left elbow 2.5 weeks ago.(FEB 14 2003) snowboarding. Had th elbow at about 90 for a week, then received a brace that I can change the flexion and extension. I can flex the elbow pretty easy but extension it just freezes at a point. Just wondering how much longer to fully stretch the joint if at all. And what excercises are good.--posted by Sean Taylor @ Tuesday, March 4 2003, 21:48 pm EST
Sean:
Are you going to physical therapy? It's a good idea, since they have a number of instruments to improve your flexibility.
At home, I used a light weight to improve my extension. I placed my elbow at the edge of a table and used the weight to extend the elbow beyond what I could do manually.
All in all, you should get to your maximum degree of extension and flexion after 8 weeks. Time is critical, however, so keep practicing!
-adam
--posted by Adam @ Tuesday, March 4 2003, 21:51 pm EST
I just dislocated my right elbow last week (2/27/2003). It happened on a down hill X-country skiing. The tips crossed due to hard-paced conditions and I lost it. The pain was excrutiating! The had to work hard to keep me from going into shock. It was about 15 degrees out and I was laying on the snow. Once the ski patrol rescued me and I got to the hospital, it didn'y take too long for them to fix me up. They put me out for the reduction. I'm now back home; this happened in Canada, I live in Mass. My doctor says 1-2 more weeks in the splint, then physical therapy. Did anyone have severe numbness in their fingers? I still have numbness in my thumb and first 2 fingers. He's hoping it will heal with time, if not...yuck!
--posted by Patty @ Wednesday, March 5 2003, 14:59 pm EST
Im so happy to hear you've all been through the pain i've been through twice. i dislocated my elbow at the age of 13 and also yesterday now im 16. im so glad to hear that people know how much pain your in every1 i know has never done it and believes brakes to be worse. im in plaster now hopefully it'll heal up soon, it displaced by over an inch and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--posted by Mr P @ Tuesday, March 25 2003, 13:50 pm EST
I fell and dislocated my left elbow March 15, 2003. I also managed to shatter my wrist at the same time. It had to do with a 90 LB Golden Retriever tied to a child's Hot Wheels bike...long story! A month later I'm still in a cast and I can't bend my elbow much at all. I can wiggle my fingers & thumb without much discomfort, which is a relief. What are the exercises I'll be doing? Did anyone else break their wrist at the same time? I am so frustrated trying to do the simplest everyday tasks. I did find a great stretchy sling online by Joslin. It sure helps with the pain I was having in my neck & shoulder from supporting the cast in a hospital issued sling!
Sandy--posted by Sandy @ Sunday, April 13 2003, 20:19 pm EDT
i fell while playing tennis and i dislocated my right elbow. i also had a couple of fractures in the upper and lower ulna. when i fell i actually didn't feel any pain even when the doc fixed my arm. but when i stopped taking painkillers after a week that's when i felt the muscles twitching and i wasn't able to eat due to the pain. the cast was removed after two weeks and i am still going through therapy. it's been 2 mos now but i had to stop because i am starting with work. but i still can't extend it or bend it fully. i exercise with an 8lb dumbell. i hope it gets back to normal as soon as possible although it wasn't a problem at work but i just don't think i could play tennis in this condition. i wonder how i could get it back soon...
--posted by Richie @ Monday, April 28 2003, 1:06 am EDT
hey adam,
well, it was amazingto see how you they took pictures of the actual moment! that must of been really cool! well im 17, and i dislocated my elbow two weeks ago in a soccer final! can you imagine?? hehe..when i got injured the first thing that came to my mind was hospital, 5 hours, NO!! there were 10 mins left from the game, we were tied 2-2 and there was this chic from the other team heading for my goal and my defences were just standing there..so i was like no, i dindnt train during spring break to lose...no way, so i just sprint to where the girl was and i just slid, which now thinking about it i just threw myself cuz the girl was heading off me...so i just threw myself and i think i turned to my left side i dont know why, and then i saw that the girl was gonna keep on running so i wanted to get up and run after her, cuz i always do that in games, but this time i tried to get up before landing and so i put my left arm in, and i just heard a CRACK!! loud noise!! so i knew there was something wrong cuz i couldnt move it, so i was on the floor and i saw my arm and saw that it wasn't normal, that my arm wasn't in the right place! i got pretty freaked out so i started screaming STOP!! MY ARM!! and started waving with my hand for someone to notice!! so then everything suddenly stopped, i was lying there, i couldnt feel anything, but i could only think about hospital! i was like no, i want to play! so then one of my coaches came and asked me to hold his hand with my right hand as hard as i could so that tension could be released through there and not through my injured arm, and it worked! i clunged my nails to the coach's hand..he still has the mark, and so i was pretty relaxed and was just waiting for my dad to get to the place where i was lying cuz he's a physiotherapist, so he knows about all this stuff! so then my dad was there and said, ok she dislocated her elbow, bring the stretcher, so the stretcher arrived...and the ppl wanted to pick me up from my injured arm..not very smart ppl right? so my dad said to them to lift me from my waist first and then the legs and then from the top and put the stretcher below me..cuz that was easier..and so they did! i was soo scared, the only thing i could think of was..oh my god we're gonna lose! jk! but i could only think about the hospital...5 hours in there..i didnt want to for sure! so then i was put besides the control table..where the sound and the thing of the event was...and then they called the doctor, cuz my dad didn't want to put the arm back in..cuz im his daughter, i didn't understood why! and so then the doctor just hold my hand, turned it and when i heard another crack was when he said ok its back in! so i was like ok cool..can i go back in, now? hehe...and he said yeah sure...and then he was like..eh, no! i was like noo i wanna play!! hehe! and well...then they gave me pain killers and they inmovilized my arm, it looked horrible! and so i couldn't play nemore! we won in the 2nd extra time...which wasn't bad at all..but i wanted to play! it was a good game, the best ive ever played! and well, then i was into a cast for a week..and then started rehabilitation..which has been going pretty good, till today when i noticed that there's something wrong with my arm. i mean i can move it and everything, but i can't stretch it completely, i know its two weeks, but ive got a weird bump and today my dad examined my arm and it seems as if there's something wrong with it..cuz its turned to the outside instead to the inside, hard to explain! its really weird! it looks as if it was still dislocated! but a little bit less!! that's how i see it! but either way, i'll be going to the doctor on thursday and get some more x-rays! i hope i don't need any surgery or anything of the kind!--posted by Lizz @ Tuesday, May 13 2003, 3:43 am EDT
has anyone out there had any serious shattered elbows. i fell at work and shattered my left elbow and it seems i'm permanetly loosing a lot of use out of my arm. this happened in august of 2002 and it has been almost 1 year now and no-one seems to know if it is ever gonna get any better. i would feel so much better if i could at least talk to some-one with a new titanium elbow so i could get a idea whats left for me to expect. i truley will appriciate any knowledge any-one has. good luck to you all
--posted by peggy babb @ Tuesday, June 3 2003, 12:26 pm EDT
my e-mail address is jt1993@juno.com thank-you
--posted by peggy babb @ Tuesday, June 3 2003, 12:28 pm EDT
Hi my name is Laura and I'm 20 yrs. old. I broke my elbow in two pieces when I was 5 yrs. old. I fell off a fence and landed on top af my arm, it was so bad they had to transfer me to a hospital 5 hours from my home town. I was there for 3 days. It was a miracle that had surgery done that same day because in mexico they do surgery on you when they ain't got nothing to do. There was this girl that broke her arm and had been waiting for 3 days to get surgery. They put bone 2-piece bone back in place and they also put some nails to keep it in place. They were removed a few weeks later. Well I can't fully extend my right arm, and my scar is still there. I tried going to therapy but I guess the damage was so bad I could strecht my arm again. I was thinking of getting surgery here in the US since they have better service. I still do the things regular girls my age do, i don't let that get on my way. I have a very high self -esteem about my self. I'm pretty, attractive, and smart, and a broken elbow will not get on my way. I'm currently the manager at a clothing store, and I perform better than 265 other managers in the company. If you are going through something similar, don't let that get on your way, there are people who are less fortunate and have lost there arm, leg, sight, and sometimes there are some that just can't move at all and have to spend the rest of there lives on a wheel chair. Take-Care!
--posted by Laura @ Saturday, June 7 2003, 9:57 am EDT
Hi my name is Laura and I'm 20 yrs. old. I broke my elbow in two pieces when I was 5 yrs. old. I fell off a fence and landed on top af my arm, it was so bad they had to transfer me to a hospital 5 hours from my home town. I was there for 3 days. It was a miracle that had surgery done that same day because in mexico they do surgery on you when they ain't got nothing to do. There was this girl that broke her arm and had been waiting for 3 days to get surgery. They put bone 2-piece bone back in place and they also put some nails to keep it in place. They were removed a few weeks later. Well I can't fully extend my right arm, and my scar is still there. I tried going to therapy but I guess the damage was so bad I could strecht my arm again. I was thinking of getting surgery here in the US since they have better service. I still do the things regular girls my age do, i don't let that get on my way. I have a very high self -esteem about my self. I'm pretty, attractive, and smart, and a broken elbow will not get on my way. I'm currently the manager at a clothing store, and I perform better than 265 other managers in the company. If you are going through something similar, don't let that get on your way, there are people who are less fortunate and have lost there arm, leg, sight, and sometimes there are some that just can't move at all and have to spend the rest of there lives on a wheel chair. Take-Care!
--posted by Laura @ Saturday, June 7 2003, 9:57 am EDT
Hi Adam,
You've certainly had an intriguing elbow experience, so thanks for sharing it. I now feel a little more comfortable now about what to expect, having sustained a similar injury a month ago here in Japan.
Interestingly, although you declined pain killers for the dislocation reduction, I wasn't even offered! With both forearm bones broken, elbow ligaments gone and wrist tendons shot (as well as the elbow dislocation), I can agree with your doctor's assertion that the pain was a definite 10/10!
Best of luck,
Mark...--posted by J Mark Lytle @ Saturday, June 28 2003, 0:37 am EDT
Mark:
Ouch! I can assure you that if I sustained your injuries, I would have asked to be knocked out!
Best wishes on your recovery. Be sure to write back when all is better.
-adam
--posted by Adam @ Saturday, June 28 2003, 14:45 pm EDT
Hi! I dislocated my right elbow on May3,2003. Adam, believe me when I was reading your experience, I thought its my story! Every bit of it was same except that I got hurt while playing baseball!
It has been 2months since then and I am working hard to get my hand in shape. But i ve ways to go..everytime i do exercises my elbow becomes very soft and I can stretch my hand in and out very well, but after a while it again becomes tight and stiff. i really sometimes get frustrated..
Could anyone tell me if one can recover fully n how long it takes.
Thanks n best wishes..
--Nitin
--posted by Nitin @ Tuesday, July 1 2003, 16:18 pm EDT
This is all very interesting - more helpful than the basic sites that merely describe the injury. Thanks. I fell in my yard just 3 days ago 7/4/03 and dislocated my left elbow. It was tremendously painful. The paramedics gave me morphine, which didn't offer much relief. Mercifully, they put me to sleep to put the bone back at the ER. My fingers look hotdogs and they're numb. My kids are quite impressed with the heinous bruise expanding out of the top of the cast. I see an orthapedic specialist in a few days and I'm pretty apprehensive about it. I'm a fitness instructor and personal trainer...who knows how long I'll be out of commission! I also do a lot of scrapbooking, but I would'nt let my husband take any pics. LOL
--posted by Carolyn Downing @ Monday, July 7 2003, 15:42 pm EDT
Two weeks before graduating w/ my masters & yesterday I dislocated my elbow. Downhill, corner, too fast, on my inline skates. The elbow pads have a scratch on them, and we all heard the loud crack of my joint -- sounded like wood breaking in the forest. Apparently I have a pinched nerve, torn ligament, and damage to a vessel.
I got before and after x-ray shots of my elbow -- clearly out of the socket, you could fit a Canadian toonie coin in there.
I couldn't move my arm at all when it happened, and when I stood up I became faint and nauseated, so had to sit down again until an old couple gave me a lift to the hospital. It felt like when you hit your funny bone except the pain doesn't go away and your arm is just hanging there.
I have a similar attitude towards life as you, so I made the best of the situation -- got to know the doctors, nurses, porters, radiologists and other patients. At one point the doctors, nurses, and I were betting as to whether it was broken or dislocated... another patient in there for a sprained finger thought this was hilarious.
My boy-friend naturally was angry at first (his response to most surprises in life) and compared me to Ayrton Senna... but he's come round, and is now swapping sport injury stories (mainly hockey).
Will I get back on the blades? Sure. Will I tackle those hilly turns? Probably not... though I could have cleared it, a second of foolish self-doubt made me lose faith and wipe out.
What have I learned? Life happens while we live. We can't hide from living, no matter how fragile it is. To do so is to choose the opposite of life. I'll continue to be careful, doubt less, live equally, and never shy away from experience.
Tomorrow I see the limb specialist -- he'll let me know if I need surgery. Until then, one day at a time.
Thanks for the site. Take it easy.
P.S. I instantly thought football too. Here's to 100% recovery!--posted by Gloria @ Monday, August 4 2003, 18:09 pm EDT
hey adam thanx 4 sharing your experience with me. im studing sports injuries at university of tasmania, australia and have an asignment on elbow dislocations. i have alot of information but havnt found any about what kind of physiotheripy and exercises to do for ehabilatation. i was wondering if you or anyone else would be able to help me out please. thankyou very much. laters mate dan
--posted by daniel prebble @ Tuesday, August 5 2003, 5:41 am EDT
Daniel:
My physical therapy involved ultrasound, massage, and various flexion and extension exercises for my elbow.
I recall using a bicycle-like machine (using your arms instead of your legs to turn the crank) and a rope machine (you pull the rope down and away from your body) to increase strength and mobility in the arm/elbow. At home, I used a light weight to help straighten my elbow out.
Anyone else care to share their physical therapy stories and techniques?
-adam--posted by Adam @ Wednesday, August 6 2003, 14:28 pm EDT
Gloria, Carolyn, and Nitin:
Just read your stories. Ouch! I wish you all a speedy recovery!
Keep up with the physical therapy sessions and your in-home self-run sessions. The first few weeks after the injury are the most crucial to determining whether or not you're regain full motion and flexibility in your elbow!
-adam--posted by Adam @ Wednesday, August 6 2003, 14:31 pm EDT
i too dislocated my elbow recently. actually this is my 3rd time. two right, one left. my 2 previous dislocations, 1 right and 1 left were from being thrown off of a horse. this time a trip and fall---right again. both previous times i was able to resume complete range of motion with physical therapy and lots of exercise. this time i also broke the little pieces of bone off that the ligaments are attached to. the dr thinks they will grow back. i could have to have surgery to repair the ligaments if my elbow does not stay in place. by the way i am a 54 year old nurse, not a young person which is usually the case..
--posted by patty @ Tuesday, August 19 2003, 16:27 pm EDT
im very glad you have this story posted!
i dislocated my elbow at an ultimate tournament several weeks ago (august 23rd), and have just started moving my arm, opening doors, tying my shoes, etc... i have yet to begin throwing with it yet, although last week i began playing with my nondominant hand (which is quite a different experience). ive been scouring the internet looking for elbow dislocation information and rehabilitation exercises- your story is by far the best i've found.
thanks!
-danny--posted by danny wood @ Monday, September 15 2003, 3:28 am EDT
I dislocated my right elbow in June 1997. I fell off a slide in the school playground - continuously twirling while sliding down is fun - but I made a mistake and flipped over the side into the sand. I was supposed to play soccer-baseball that day, but I went to the hospital instead. I´ve never broken a bone in my life - just sprained my ankle on a sewer and nearly sprained the other ankle (I was playing soccer both times), but I´ve had to get stitches about five times for being stupid.
I´m now 17 and my arm can´t straighten, but I don´t mind. It isn´t preventing me from playing my favourite sports - *soccer* is fine (I play high school soccer), and for sports like hockey, I prefer to play left-handed - it´s more comfortable that way. I also have 12 siblings, so that keeps my arm strong enough. The biggest problem I have is doing push-ups.--posted by Louise @ Saturday, October 18 2003, 13:07 pm EDT
I dislocated my left elbow back in 2000. I fell of some steps. It popped back in within 10 minutes. It was very painful. When it popped back in, it was swollen and bruised. The following week, it was sore but i was still able to use it. It wouldn't extend fully but was mobile. That weekend, i went n played pool thinking my arm was all better. Little did I know that it wasn't. It popped back out. A friend bent it and it went back in. I iced it, i put heat on it. Still was sore and yet mobile. Well 2 weeks after that I jumped from the couch and it popped back out. I was sure it would pop back in by itself like it has the last 2 times. But it didn't. I went and seen my ortheopiedic 3 days after it popped out.. He had never seen such damage to an elbow befor. All my ligiments were torn and stretched. He had to give me anestetic and put my elbow back into place. He then took x-rays and sent me to get what I call a robo-cop cast. The cast went from my wrist to an 1 inch below my elbow then a sun dial thing that locked at a 45 degree angle, then a cast from above my elbow to my shoulder. I had the cast on for a good 3 weeks. When the cast was off, i wasn't able to extend my arm. The ligaments were suppose to be strong enuff to hold my elbow into place. 3 yrs later.....I am in the airport (Oct 10, 2003) I was being screened and was putting my shoe back on. I did this with my left hand (bad elbow). I slipped and my elbow popped out! It popped back in with in 3-5 minutes. I now need reconstructive surgery. The reason it popped out was b/c 1. The ligaments were not healed. 2. My wrist was up. Your elbow is more adaptable to slip when ur palm is faced up. Elbows are a weird place to injur. I feel for everyone who goes thru this agony. Tori Hope all feels better!!
--posted by Tori @ Thursday, October 23 2003, 12:49 pm EDT
I recently dislocated my right elbow (dominant side). I was training to be a Federal Agent. I am curious as to the length of time to recover and how long it took for the pain to go away? Also how long before I can go all out. I am still semi babying my arm but I do go to the gym everyday and lift. I am just weary about heavy bench press and pull ups?? Any info or help from you would be greatly apprecited...
--posted by Charles R. Trost II @ Monday, November 17 2003, 12:31 pm EST
It took me a couple of months before I regained flexion and extension in my arm. I was unable to do any heavy lifting or pull ups during the first month, so I'm surprised that you are able to do this! I'm not a doctor or physical therapist, but I'm wondering if strenuous exercise of the arm would cause more harm than good. What is your physical therapist telling you?
--posted by Adam @ Monday, November 17 2003, 12:51 pm EST
Hey Adam,
I just dislocated my elbow playing broomball in my gym class at Southern Cayuga New York. It hurt real bad but I'm good to go. I have to do some exercises to gain back my strength too. my arm is really stiff.--posted by Shauna Elser @ Friday, December 19 2003, 13:46 pm EST
Hi, it's been 3 weeks since my dislocation and because I can't extend my arm to more than 120 degrees relative to my forearm I have been affraid that this was it - I am going to stay (slightly) handicapped. I am glad I have found this site because now I can see a light a the end.
Cheers--posted by Darko @ Thursday, February 5 2004, 10:37 am EST
What a great site!. I am 11 months post dislocation and although I have full range I have severe pain which limits quite a bit of activities. I am a physical therapist and was told I would not have full range...But I do...I went for an EMG and an MRI yesterday and look forward to some closure. I do not get easily discouraged but here I am... I was told to hang in there for another year before thinking of surgery,I will hear more officially next week... I am typing with one hand as my hand is too painful to move. I am now sleeping in an extension brace which helps alot... Stay well and thanks for the site!
--posted by Ana Mieres @ Friday, February 13 2004, 23:00 pm EST
I dislocated my Elbow about 10 Months Ago playing basketball. The first couple months were hard ,but i now have almost full movement back in my arm. the only bad news my doctor gave me was that i have lose bone fragment that might have to be removed with surgery, but it is a options that is up to me. i decided not to have surgery and the elbow does not bother me right know. to anyone reading this my advise is to just keep your head up and take it one day at a time.
--posted by Kenneth Robinson @ Thursday, February 19 2004, 23:19 pm EST
I dislocated my elbow and broke my arm 4 weeks ago now and am still recovering. It hurt so much i wanted to pass out, but i wasnt allowed! when the paramedic guy got there he gave me gas to breath with. (it made me go all woozy and i started to talk nonsence!) i got rushed to hospital with the sirens all going which even i found quite cool considering the amount of pain i was in. i had to have metal plates on the bones which has left me with a couple of nice big scars! i am stil in cast now but only up to my elbow so im starting physio on monday morning. i do a lot of sport so its important that i get my arm fully straight. people are always telling me to do what the docters say which is hard to take seriously but you know its really for the best.
--posted by Katie @ Saturday, February 21 2004, 12:40 pm EST
I dislocated my elbow 7 weeks ago in a fall. It was very painfull!! Elbow was put back in place. I was put in a splint and sling for 4 days then only the sling for a week. My arm hand and fingers swelled up to double in size. My fingers were numb and my whole arm felt like it was asleep. I was on pain pills,ati inflammitory and 6 day cortisone dosage. The whole arm turned black and blue, what a sight!! I did home exercises to help loosen up the arm. It was so stiff and unbendable. I am now going to PT 3 days a week. Seems to be helping. Still have trouble with straightning out the arm and strength. Sometimes my whole arm just aches! It cramps up in the forearm area if I use it to much. Back to the doc. in 2 weeks. He says I probably won't get 100% of use back!! Nice to hear other stories about this issue, hope everyone has speedy recoveries!!
--posted by Vickie @ Wednesday, March 3 2004, 12:03 pm EST
hey all, i dislocated my left shoulder on saturday while picking up speed in a steep trail snowboarding.. with the adrenaline still pumping, i snapped it right back in place and snowboarded all the way down to seek medical assistance. the orthopaedic removed the soft cast the day after and told me to exercise it and see him back in 3 weeks.. so far i am doing fine but cant stretch my arm all the way... its been 4 days and i am so happy its healing so quickly
--posted by Alex @ Wednesday, March 3 2004, 19:59 pm EST
sorry i meant left elbow not shoulder
--posted by Alex @ Wednesday, March 3 2004, 20:01 pm EST
hey! it's lizz, i posted a comment a year ago when i dislocated my elbow in a soccer final... at that time i thought i wasnt gonna be able to play basketball or soccer anymore in my life, which is something i love!! but hey, i was able to play both in this year tournaments, i was even selected as part of the all star team of the basketball tournament!! ... im extremely happy and content that my arm is back in use! ... and hey, all of you out there... keep it positive and optimistic! ... theres always something that can be done!! so dont say i cant or its not gonna work!! believe me! .. it will get better!! .. now i injured my knee... i know, its soo bad! cuz i wasnt able to play my last highschool soccer tournament!! but yeah .. they say that after 6 months of rehab it will be back to "normal"... lets hope it does!! ... but hey... keep your heads up!! it will sooner or later get better! ... take cares ... ---cheers---
--posted by Lizz @ Wednesday, June 16 2004, 21:58 pm PDT
I dislocated my elbow this 29th of december. We were on vacation in Puerto Rico and were playing with our children on a see-saw (teetter-totter). My two children were with me on one side trying to beat daddy's weight. I was holding my 2 1/2 year old close to me (so that he would not fall...) and in front of him was my 5 year old... It was all fun until I felt that I started sliding off the seat and to the right. The three of us fell on my outstretched arm (which I did not know was outstretched) and the rest is history. There were two interesting things about the whole thing, one that my daughter thought I was going to die at the hospital... the other that at the hospital they did bloos testing and found out I was pregnant... so there were no pain killers for me until the actual regression took place the next morning. I was seen by two ER doctors before the third one came and he was brave enough to fix my arm. The other two tried to find an orthopedic doctor but since it was almost end of year all were in vacation... or did not want to go to work...
--posted by Sol @ Monday, January 24 2005, 21:06 pm PST
Hey there, it's amasing how many comments there are on this entry. I'm hoping you are fully recovered.
I dislocated my left elbow (I am left-handed) in 1981 when I was 5 years old. No-one noticed. Apparently I was screaming quite a lot and didn't let any of the guys in Accident/ Emergency touch it, so they couldn't x-ray it properly to see what I'd done (I wouldn't let them straighten my arm). My mother was asking them to knock me out so they could move it and I'm not sure why they didn't...
When I was 12 we changed general doctors (the old one retired) and my mother pointed out the lump in my elbow, the fact I couldn't extend or flex properly, and the fact the arm wasn't straight. I got sent to an orthopaedic clinic and the consultant said it had been disclocated since the fall. It appears I also had this "radial fracture" so the bones had grown weird shapes at the elbow joint, as well as being in the wrong places. It was impossible to reduce it seven years later considering it was my dominant arm and the amount of use I had with it.
So far I've had my ulna nerve moved (I was losing feeling in my little fingers) and now apparently I have bones rubbing together which is the cause of some pain. I was reading about dislocated elbows trying to see what they actually look like internally, to see how different mine is. So if you have your x-rays still please let me know!
I am off to the hospital (Nuffield Orthopaedic, centre of excellence in the UK for bone stuff) this afternoon for some physiotherapy to see if that will make the bones stop rubbing together, and to see if I need some sort of injection into the joint to ease the annoying pain.
I have never seen anything like this amount of comments or information on the injury before. I do quite a lot of physical activity - I shoot, I used to fence, I play tennis, I used to ride a motorbike, I ski, scuba-dive and swim, and apart from squash there's nothing I'm actually not allowed to do right now.--posted by Zoe @ Wednesday, February 2 2005, 1:44 am PST
Wow, what a great site you have going. Telling your story and everyone continuing the tradition. I would like to continue by adding my story. On Jan.10th 2005 I dislocated my right elbow, involved in the sport I love, wrestling. I could not get up, as I wanted to do the lethal weapon thing. They used the laughing gas to get my arm 90 degrees so I would fit in the ambulance but I felt every movement. After about 2 hours the doctor arrived and introduced herself as she walked in “Hi name is Dr. ………Holy S@%#” I told her that being a wrestler and not being too smart, I understood those words. Funny thing is that with reading everyone’s story mine doesn’t seem all that bad, as I didn’t break anything. I only had a complete dislocation, both radius and ulna. I tried to take pictures for keep sake, but couldn’t get to my camera phone. I also noticed that I didn’t get a cast or anything else that was mentioned in yours and everyone else’s comments.
I tried to research post dislocation, when I came across your site. It’s been one month and no rehab just yet.
One of the thing that I can suggest that may help anybody who is very active is getting a “Cryo-Cuff”. I not trying to selling anything but it helped me. My elbow’s swelling decreased in colour and shape, in about 2-3 days. It’s like putting a bag of ice on it but better.
It kinda sucks having an injured part of your body. I feel bad for the girl who dislocated both her arms. As I have had many injuries and have felt helpless.
Thank you Adam for your website and your one year post incident, it seems to be a AA society for the dislocated elbows. I wish everyone a speedy recovery.
--posted by Jay @ Tuesday, February 8 2005, 0:35 am PST
Hi,
I'm encouraged to read all these comments because I dislocated my left elbow yesterday while snowboarding in France. I never thought I'd end up in one of those rescue sledges that ski-patrol use. But there i was, off to the medical centre to have my joint reduced without any anesthetic. The pain was intense, although I was/am far more upset about the situation and uncertain as to the extent of my recovery. I am passionate about several sports that might be affected by this injury. I'll accept whatever has to happen but I'm determined to rehabilitate it as fully as possible.
I've been advised to keep it in this soft cast for 3 weeks before going back to the doctor and to wear a sling while up and about. Is it possible to ice the joint at this stage through the soft cast? Is there anything else I can be doing? I''ve been prescribed a couple of different painkillers. I'm worried I'm going to be in the cast for too long and that I might restrict long term recovery. I'm sure the physical trauma doctor I saw knows better than anyone but I suppose I'm looking for reassurance!
This is a great site and it's good to find specific stories and advice in addition to all the general injury descriptive websites out there. Thanks a lot!
Robbie--posted by Robbie @ Friday, February 11 2005, 6:18 am PST
I dislocated my left elbow on January 30th, 2005. I was on the back of my boyfriend’s four-wheeler and we were going up a hill and tipped backwards. Instinct was to push myself out of the way because I though it was going full over. (It didn’t, just landed on its tail.) By the time I realized that I had my arm under/behind me and needed to get it out of the way, it was too late. I heard it pop and I was down, screaming "I broke my arm I broke my arm!!" My boyfriend was stunned at first because it was such a stupid crash. He's like "You did what??" (I don’t even think you can classify it as a crash.) We crashed worse in the mountains in Tennessee and didn’t even get a scratch.
One of our friends rode his four-wheeler back to his house and got his truck. We were out in the middle of a field at a creek. No ambulance was going to get me out of there. I was on the ice in the creek so they grabbed me by my coveralls and drug me up the hill. I was being a sissy and wouldn’t move. The top of the ice was wet so they had to get me off of there, besides the fact that it was cold. They loaded me up in the truck and our friend drove me to the hospital. His brakes were smoking by the time we got there. :)
After taking some X-Ray’s to make sure it wasn’t broke, they put it back into place at the ER with some drugs that were supposed to make me tired and not remember them doing it. I have a very high tolerance to medication however, and remember everything, and it hurt bad!! My radius had slid up over my elbow joint…ouch!!! They put my arm in a sling and sent me home. The next day I went to see an orthopedic doctor. He put me in a cast for 3 weeks and I start physical therapy tonight after work. February 24th. I hope to regain 100% motion and use! I got my cast off on Feb. 22nd and they measured my outward extension at 45 degrees. Inward was like 118 degrees I think… I don’t remember now. I have a small chip that the doc said shouldn’t be a problem. I hope he’s right. I don’t want to have to face surgery next, even if it is minor.
Great site Adam! I am going to school for digital media and can only hope to have my site as good as this one someday! :) I got lucky, I’m right handed. I can only imagine how hard it was for you, it was bad enough for me with my left hand out of commission!
--posted by Jill @ Thursday, February 24 2005, 7:50 am PST
Robbie,
Keep your arm elevated above your heart as much as possible and take lots of ibuprofen. Check with your doctor to see how much you should take at one time. I had a hard cast, so I just put a towel on it and ice packs over the towel. I could feel it a little bit, but through the cast, I really don't know if it did any good or not. I don't know if it was just mental or not, but it seemed to make it feel a little better. I however, did not have that much swelling to start with anyway.
As far as the painkillers go, I didn't get my Rx filled (for Percocet) sp?, because the ones (same thing) they gave me at the hospital didn't help much anyway. I now have an Rx for Darvocet (sp?) I got filled because therapy will be much more painful than it ever was immobolized in a cast.
If you want to recover fully, physical therapy is a neccessity. I don't think 3 weeks in a cast is too long. My muscles are still pretty sore even after 3 wks. My doctor said, even though I didn't tear any ligaments or anything, they were still put under a lot of stress and were stretched. They need to fully heal, or your elbow will continuously pop out of place. Don't take your cast off until your doctor does it!! Especially since you participate in sports! You need to give your body the time it needs to heal so it will stand up to your snowboarding and whatnot later.
Jill--posted by Jill @ Thursday, February 24 2005, 8:04 am PST
I dislocated my left elbow with a minor coronoid process fracture snowboarding on Jan. 22, 2005. Hit some bad ice within the first 5 minutes on the mountain!!! I was in a splint for the first 5 days and then my orthopedist instructed my to remove it and do some passive Range of motion excercises a few times per day. I am now at almost full extension but I still can only barely touch my shoulder with my hand. Hopefully with physical therapy, which I will start in a few days, this will improve as well. I have noticed some grinding and popping when I move my elbow. Has anyone else had this???--posted by Drew A. @ Sunday, February 27 2005, 20:10 pm PST
Yes, my elbow still makes grinding noises when I fully extend it, and it's already 4 years later! I don't think it's ever going to go away; I have gotten used to it, though.
--posted by Adam @ Sunday, February 27 2005, 22:04 pm PST
Hi,
I have recently suffered a shattered elbow(left) from a fall onto brick pavement. I went to the hospital emergency room where they put me in a cast and sceduled me with an orthopedic surgeon. When I went to see the doctor, he stated that my situation was the worst he ever seen. They performed surgery and attached pins to my elbow. I call it the bear trap. Its been close to 4 weeks now since the surgery, my arm still hurts very much, the doctors I see regularly won't really tell me anything. I am scared I will not fully recover or be able to use my arm in a normal fashion ever again. The pain keeps me awake some nights. It seems that the medication doesn't really help much. If anyone has had this happen to them, please tell me your recovery story and what you did to make yourself better. I would love to know how I can make a 90% to 100% recovery.--posted by Jennifer Hadaway @ Sunday, September 4 2005, 3:32 am PDT
Hi,
This silly 43 year old woman dislocated her dominant elbow (the right one) in July 2005 while rollerskating; (something I've been doing for over 30 years and taught several people how to do). Not a bruise anywhere else on me. I kept on skating and then drove myself to the hospital. In and out in 3 hours! I then came home to an empty house and slept in my clothes cause once the jeans came off they weren't going back on soon. Thank God for wind pants, you can pull them up with even your other hand. But...after the ortho saw me and my xray two days later, he told me that I did not break my elbow but probably just dislocated it and popped it back in. Two months later and six pt treatmants later, I am going back to the ortho and I am dreading it as my elbow still hurts to the point of making me feel faint (I felt like passing out at the pt's office today while getting a treatment). I am so happy I am not currently driving a stick shift, but I would like to be able to swing a golf club and hop on my motorcycle and go around the block. I have tried to keep moving it and am really happy that I can finally wash my hair with both hands and that I have the same grip strength as my left hand. My elbow and arm still look out of sorts and I still have some swelling. I bought some advil liquigel caps and have sucked them down 4 at a time. I originally took 800mg 3x day, but now occasionally take 400mg up to 4x day. My arm clicks and pops once in a while and I hope I haven't made it worse. They can slam my arm against a cement wall if it gets fixed before the snow flies as I will be soooo hosed if I have to schlep around with a bum wing all winter. As my wonderful brainy musical teenage daughter said with a smile on her face: "Did anyone get a picture of you falling?" So much for pitying poor old mommy.--posted by Martha Bolinger @ Wednesday, September 14 2005, 21:06 pm PDT
Thanks Adam for starting this and all who posted. It helped me in dealing with my dislocation.
I flipped over my mountain bike handlebars, like I've done many times before, but this time I got up and my arm was swinging funny. I got scared, because I was alone and sort of in the middle of nowhere (I was trail exploring on a Thursday) and had just a general idea of where I was. I was in CT so it was not that bad but given the pain I was afraid I'd pass out in the woods. I bushwacked toward my best quess of finding help and eventually stumbled upon a construction crew on a new development (irronically closing that section of trail :-(
The rest of my story is similar, except after three weeks and really good progress, I got cocky and on a whim decided to test my elbow by hard throwing a cookie to for my dog to chase. Well, I think that my elbow briefly dislocated again but then retracted back into position. However, there was intense pain and I feel like all the heeling was reversed. It feels like I tore a bunch of ligaments again. Worse, the elbow looks and feels funny, a lot worse than the first time. I am about to go to the doctor for a consultation.
The reason I decided to write is to hopefully warn others to not rush their recovery. I do a lot of outdoor sports (mainly MTB and snowboarding) and was not really concerned about getting my elbow back before the stupid throwing incident, but the way it feels now, I am concerned. So, hopefully my boneheaded experience helps others avoid unnecessary complications.
PS Any snowboarders out there with post-dislocation advice/experiences.--posted by Peter G (age:35) @ Saturday, October 8 2005, 19:33 pm PDT
Adam,
Just this past saturday i dislocated my right elbow at a wrestling tourny, and it too was my first serios injury, i amkind a bummed because the doctor said i wouldn't be wrestling for 3 months which would mean my whole senior year. What is an average healing time?
Thank you, Travis
p.s. typing with one hand is really a pain!--posted by Travis @ Tuesday, November 29 2005, 8:52 am PST
About 8 weeks, though you probably won't want to be stressing your elbow too much after that for another few weeks. Good luck with your therapy!
--posted by Adam @ Tuesday, November 29 2005, 9:35 am PST
Hi Adam,
I wanted to tell you about my elbow dislocation. It happened in February 2004. My dislocation was caused by slipping on ice. It was a very bad dislocation. I torn the ligaments and soft tissue all around the elbow. I had surgery to repair the inside ligament within a week of the accident. It didn't work. The following week, I had the outside ligament repaired and had an external fixator attached to my upper and lower arm to stabilize the elbow. I then went through months of physical therapy. I wasn't getting much extention. In July of 2004, my Doctor took another x-ray and found that bone was growing in the elbow that shouldn't be there. I had surgery in September to remove the bone followed by months of physical therapy. I should also add that I ended up with some temporay paralysis in my hand from the surgery. It's now over a year later and I can happily say that I have improved greatly. My case was very rare but it can show others that you can come back from a serious dislocation.--posted by Patty Yanniruberto @ Sunday, December 4 2005, 15:21 pm PST
Hey Adam
I know it has been a while since your accident, but, I have to tell you this. Just recently, Nov.16,2005, I was walking through my house in sock feet on hardwood falls and slipped and fell. I displaced my elbow with 2 small fractures, went through tons of x-rays and ct scans and then on Nov 29, I had my surgery. After my accident, my arm was completed immoliblized, I had to wear an arm brace and now, I can not extend my right arm completely or bend my arm back to my shoulder. The muscles in my arm are so tight and they feel like a rubberband being strecthed that won't stretch. I have to do both physical and occupational therapy 3 times a week and it is a difficult process.
I have searched the internet countless of times and finally I came across your story. Do you have any suggestions that might help me?--posted by K @ Tuesday, December 27 2005, 15:30 pm PST
Hey Adam,
Hope people are still reading & posting here. I dislocated my left elbow Tuesday night, April 11, breaking a fall on a trampoline. I think I must have been heading down head first, don't remember. I'm an older competitive trampolinist (43) and obviously not going to be in my state meet next weekend...hoping to be back for at least double-mini on May 20. Given that time frame, is there any hope? (My goal for the year has been to qualify to nationals, which you have to do in state or regionals.)
It's not especially painful 4 days later, just ugly (bruised) and swollen and pretty non-functional. I can type two-handed if I don't type for long, but extension is to maybe 140 degrees and flexion(?) maybe 90?
I'm trying very hard to stay positive. I'm very thankful it was my left (non-dominant) arm and that I didn't land on my head or neck -- kudos to the person above who pointed out that some people can't move at all.
From reading the posts, looks like the average recovery time is about 2 months?--posted by Sharon @ Saturday, April 15 2006, 22:33 pm PDT
Very interesting read. Glad to see you have recovered well.
Let me say, I feel your pain. 25 yrs ago I stupidly tried to climb a 12 ft fence and fell head first towards the concrete. Stuck out my arms and slammed my right hand into the ground. My boy hit the ground very lightly because my right are took all the force. Broken radius at the wrist and elbow and dislocated elbow joint (didn't hurt till I say what I did). They had to surgically remove the top end of the radius because the fracture was at to severe and angle to fix plus the lower fracture would have made it to unstable to heal properly. Recovery was fairly good though even after 25 years it still hurts and is slightly unstable.
Now the really good part. Last week I tripped over my dogs open cage door. (was at the end of my bed for some reason only my wife knows) Fell quickly to the floor and stuck out my left hand and BAM dislocated the left one. Only chipped a small piece off the ulnar this time, no big deal says the orthopedic Dr. I'm in a restricted Range of Motion brace now, damned uncomfortable thing. Hopefully it will be good as new in a few weeks.
Word to the wise. If you find your self falling forward DO NOT stick out your hands to break the fall. Pull your arms into your chest, tuck your chin in and roll to either side. Better known as the Tuck and Roll. Though this advice wouldn't have helped Adam it would have help most folks I know who have incurred wrist, arm, elbow and shoulder injuries due to falls.
--posted by Cliff Williams @ Friday, April 28 2006, 9:15 am PDT
I'm sending a big thank you to you Adam and to everyone who has posted comments.
I was trimming trees 2 1/2 weeks ago and fell from the second rung of the ladder. I didn't fall far, but knew something was wrong when I found myself on the ground. I hyper-extended my right elbow and dislocated it. After a trip to the ER, the Dr. said that the tendon was wrapped around the bone. After a lot of Morphine :)and 30 minutes of wrestling with my arm, the Dr. was able to put me back together.
I am very frustrated with the lack of flexibility in my elbow. I'm working on straightening it, but bending it back towards me is very difficult. I'm glad that I am not the only one that is experiencing this. I still have a lot of tenderness in the joint and as others have mentioned ~ I can tell when a storm is approaching!
It's nice to read others stories and understand that we are not alone!--posted by Kathy @ Wednesday, May 24 2006, 11:47 am PDT
Hi everyone,
I've been reading these posts since my injury and have been waiting for the right time to leave my own message.
On the first weekend of April this year I had been mountain biking with a friend, hit a log off to the side of the path and flipped over my bars and down into a ditch. I remember my thoughts in mid-air, thinking that it would be a routine fall, but when i touched the ground i felt my arm contort and i knew i wasn't getting up. I had dislocated my left elbow.
My experience was very similar to Adam's, however instead of being in a field, i was in a ravine so it took the paramedics about 30 minutes to locate me. After being in a cast for 3 weeks, I started physio the day after it had been removed, going for 3 PAINFUL sessions a week. Now, approximately 8 weeks later, my arm is at about 95% ROM. I have recovered all my flexion, but my extension may be slightly less than pre-injury. slight tension and discomfort is still present at the extremities of the range of motion, but I suspect it will disappear within the next few weeks.
For all those out there who are injured, my recommendation is to start physio as soon as the cast is removed and do your daily stretches advised by your PT. It may be painful, but it's the best way to a full recovery.--posted by Ray L @ Thursday, May 25 2006, 8:11 am PDT
=] Glad to find people who is like me and also dislocated their elbows (although I'm not sure if thats a good thing...) but it gave me a lot of confidence to recover. I dislocated my left elbow 2 months ago and fractured my funny bone (its not funny i can tell u that), surprisingly, it wasnt painful until they popped it back in. I commented to a doctor who was next to me that seeing too many doctors around you may not be a good sign. Had my cast taken off 2 weeks later, it felt weird and my arm felt useless. I also damaged some nerves so i cant curl my index or thumb (anyone else had that?). I'm making progress though, i can almost stretch my arm 100% although the flexing part is painful. I didn't go to physical therapy either, it was basically stretching and bending either way.
Hope everyone heal soon! And don't be like me and take physical therapy (I was being stupid, wonder if it's too late...) it'll probably make your elbow heal faster, good luck!--posted by Dennis @ Wednesday, May 31 2006, 18:42 pm PDT
My wife just returned from the hospital. She did this to her left elbow yesterday when she lost control of her bike.
--posted by Chris Clement @ Thursday, June 8 2006, 16:58 pm PDT
Dislocations (hips, knees, shoulders, etc), ER visits, and surgeries are the story of my life b/c of a genetic disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which makes all of my ligaments very weak. Obviously I can't play sports, but that doesn't stop things from dislocating. I've dislocated joints during turbulence on an airplane, while driving, while rolling over in my sleep, as a result of sneezing, and countless other ways. It's extremely painful, not to mention inconvenient, but it does lead to situations that are humorous in retrospect (which is why i've started a blog devoted to my dislocations). I feel your pain, and wish you (and all the commenters) smooth healing!
--posted by Dislocated Gumby @ Wednesday, June 14 2006, 21:57 pm PDT
I really think we need to start an elbow dislocation support group! I am fascinated by everyone's stories and I am happy to add one of my own. I too had the experience of dislocating my elbow but I also fractured my radial head and it had to be replaced with a metal piece to hold everything in place. I wish I had a great tale to tell of how it happened but unfortunately I was just sweeping and went to take a step and I tripped and I put my arm out to brace my fall and pop there goes the elbow! I wasn't as brave as Adam as I had to be put completely under when they relocated my elbow. But to the doctor's suprise I woke up just as they were about to reset my elbow and I grabbed the doctor with my good arm! I guess I gave him quite the scared and he screamed for more anastetics to put me back down! once they had me down for good, they got my elbow back into place but now it was time to deal with that broken radial head. I went into surgery the next morning. Five hours later, I was in the recovery room with my arm wrapped in bandages. I was released two days later. And was told that I would need to have four months off of work to recover. I started physio therapy three weeks ago and it's very painful. My elbow is very stiff and just doesn't want to move. But my therapist does her best to jam into straight and bent positions. My doctor wants me to start wearing a splint as I sleep to further encourage movement. One night I sleep with in bent, the next night I sleep with it straight. Trying to go from a bent arm to a straight arm is very painful so I am not looking forward to waking up in the morning and trying to get my elbow out of the splint! ugh! The doctor seems optimistic about my recovery and tells me to just keep moving it and things should start to improve. It's been nine weeks since my injury and I was hoping to have better movement than I do now but at least it is healing properly, it's just really stiff. I would love to hear from anyone else who has had difficulty with movement and what they did to over come it. I move it as much as I can but the darn thing just doesn't want to budge sometimes! I hope I will regain full flexion and extension soon!
Happy healing!
--posted by Michelle Mester @ Thursday, July 27 2006, 13:51 pm PDT
I was wondering if anybody else has had a difficult time with rehabing their elbow and have had surgey to help. I dislocated my elbow Jan-9-06 in a motorcycle accident. As of today, 7 months later I still have a lot of pain in my arm and my flex is around 130 degrees and my extension is around 10 degrees but only after 30 minutes of stretching. 10 minutes after my stretching, my elbow gets tight agian and goes back to flex 120 ext 20. Basically there is no elastisity. I am now considering surgery to remove some bone growth and to remove some scar tissue. If anyone has had this done please respond because I am real uncomfortable with surgery and would only do it if I am convinced it will help. I feel all your pains, good luck with all.
--posted by Michael Lindell @ Tuesday, August 1 2006, 12:28 pm PDT
It's great to be able to read about everyone's experiences. I dislocated my elbow 10 days ago while I was at the beach (tripped over a rug and fell on hard tile). Luckily I was visiting friends so they were able to drive me to the local hospital. The dislocation was pretty bad, although the pain was bearable... until it came time to reset it! They had to give me morphine through an IV, and had alot of difficulty getting it back in place. It was pretty painful so they gave me a little more morphine while we waited for the orthopedic surgeon to come and reset it. Luckily he was able to get it back in, although he said he saw a small fracture on the xrays. I spent the rest of my vacation in a splint and sling (not fun!) and followed up with my orhtopedic surgeon when I got home. Luckily he does not think I will need surgery (I go for CT scan tomorrow to give a better view of the fracture), although I have to wear this crazy metal range-of-motion arm brace for at least 2 weeks (it stops my elbow from dislocating again, while allowing me to move it and regain some strength and range). It is not too bad since I have much more use of my arm without the splint, although everyone in my office keeps calling me the Bionic Woman! Haha.
I fractured the same elbow in college, and I never felt that it was 100%... it is also interesting that I have double-jointed elbows... I wonder if the fact that my elbows can turn inside out makes it easier to dislocate/injur them?
I know that this will definitely be an interesting road to recovery! Very glad to have found this site! =)--posted by Lindsay @ Thursday, August 3 2006, 20:49 pm PDT
I like Michelle broke the radial head on my left arm when I dislocated my elbow on March 25, 2006. I fell 35 feet off of scaffolding and also cracked 7 ribs. Within 24 hours of the fall, the ortho doc put the radial head back together with plates and screws and wrapped me in a cast from my shoulder to my wrist. I was in that for 2 weeks. After he removed the cast he was not placed with the elbow joint. It was supplexed! I had surgery on April 16, 2006 to put repair the elbow. Initially he wanted to do the Tommy John surgery on me, but when he got in there saw all my tendons and ligamanes were intact and all they needed was as suture to hold them in place. He installed an external fixiture device which I wore for 6 weeks. Talk about barbaric! I had it removed May 31st and started PT 3 times a week. My extension is -25 when the therapist is pushing hard and flexion is 110 when she is pushing hard. I am also see an OT that specializes in Myofacial Release. I get more from these treatments than the PT.
--posted by Greg Staab @ Thursday, August 10 2006, 12:09 pm PDT
I've been keeping an eye on this website for the past few months and have finally decided to post my story. It's been so encouraging to read other peoples' experiences--their victories and frustrations--because they are so much like my own. I'm 25 years old and a critical care nurse, and I dislocated/fractured my dominant left elbow 10 weeks age. My story is probably the stupidest of all...I was standing on a stool trying to kill a bug that had landed on my bookshelves. It flew at me and scared the heck out of me, and, of course, I fell. The ER experience was okay. The medication they gave me to reduce the elbow put me to sleep so I don't remember anything. I actually work at this hospital so the whole thing was pretty embarrassing. Now I've been in therapy 3 weeks plus I'm in one of those extension (torture!) splints at night. At this point, I have 135 degrees of flexion and -25 of extension after stretching. Before therapy my extension was -55 so I've progressed quite a bit. Over the last 10 weeks, I have gone back and forth between being positive and thankful to God that I wasn't more hurt and struggling with the "why me" blues. But lately I've had more hope of being "normal" again. One word of advice to all you that have had recent dislocations: don't compare your recovery to anyone else's. When I compared my recovery to others on this website, I got depressed because I felt I was behind. Hang in there and take it one day at a time...it will get easier. My injury was particularly bad (I had 2 bad fractures with my dislocation), and I've had excessive ossification (abnormal bone growth) which has complicated my healing. But I know God is in control and will use this to make me more like Him. I wish everyone the best!
--posted by Tami @ Sunday, August 27 2006, 0:51 am PDT
Hey there,
This was the first site I ran into after my right elbow dislocation August 4, 2006. I was really depressed I was getting ready to go on vacation and I messed up my elbow so I was not happy. I will skip all the intro and the details cause my story is pretty much like all the rest here.
I came back because I wanted to share my recovery with everyone so that if there is anyone reading this site depressed and worried (I know I was) maybe my story will help you.
After the ER doc put my arm back together I was in a sling for 3 days until I saw my Orthopedist. The Ortho said I had a very serious and extreme dislocation and he said he was expecting to see someone doubled over in pain when he went over my records and x-rays before entering the room. Basically I received a very negative outlook. I was put in a bit bledsoe robo cop brace on Tuesday (4 days after injury). Yippy Florida here I come!!!(time for a terrific vacation) Slowly my arm started coming back to me but still felt "dead". Lots of swelling and bruising and some pain too(dont take drugs though so I put up with it lucky I have a very high tollerance to pain).
Started my rehab when I came back (12 days after injury) they just kinda helped me build up my surrounding muscles and didnt mess with my elbow area too much (still lots of swelling and bruising little pain) until clearance from the doc. Ortho visit (21 days after injury) not happy at all with recovery. Terrible extension and flex. Bout a -30 to 115 with lots of pain and force. Upgrades my PT to "Aggressive" and removes my robo Darth Vader brace. Here is a tip. USE IT!! use your arm at this point. A lot, fight the pain and akwardness. Lots of pain and 3 times a week at the PT (do all your exercises; just like at PT... at home and work as often as you can EVERY DAY). My very last visit to the Ortho turned out to be at 34 days after injury. After being scared I would never be normal again and fearing surgery I have made a near full recovery...Good strength, palm up palm down, extension -4 to -2 on my own 0 with help and my flex is 143 on my own 145 with help. No more PT no more visits to Ortho and I can begin working out and playing sports in a few more weeks (about 11 weeks after injury). The biggest thing I can say is stretch all the time. walking, watching tv, working on computer, hanging out (wife says I look stupid doing it in public:::news flash NOT HER ARM!), shower, eating...I think you get the point. Dont get down and dont compare yourself. I was behind others but then at one point I shot past expectations.--posted by Joey @ Tuesday, September 12 2006, 11:28 am PDT
6 weeks have passed since i dislocated my elbow. fingers still swell at times along with hand. there is an egg size bump near the top of the forearm. have been going to therapy 3 weeks but while extention isnt too bad it will not bend at all... after brutal attempts to bend it still nothing..it feels like its in concrete. getting very discouraged..hoped to see even a little progress but nothing. glad to hear of the success stories..maybe im just unlucky!
--posted by Jim @ Monday, September 18 2006, 20:08 pm PDT
My turn!
First off, congrats Adam on having somehow created a support group!
Skip ahead to what parts you're interested in...
The injury:
Two weeks ago I was playing racquetball. Running backward toward the front wall, I jumped in the air and fully-extended my arm to make a shot at a high-bouncing ball. I opted to make a backwards, backhand overhead shot (racquetball being a strange sport, in this case backhand motion is from front to back relative to my body, and withOUT crossing my right arm to my left side). I say this to illustrate exactly how someone can swing a racquet and manage to hit the outside of their elbow. I made the shot, but while in the air thought to myself "I am not going to be able to land this jump safely." With the combined force of my swing and my general momentum flying toward the wall, I hit my elbow into the wall. Oddly, I didn't feel any pain, but I knew something had happened as I fell to the floor yelling.
The ER:
I had cleanly dislocated my ulna. Pain set in about 15 minutes later, halfway to ER. My story is a lot like Adam's. On the 1 to 10 pain scale I reported a 5 or 6, but as I was wheeled to a room I said to the nurse "If you're going to put this back, I'm going to need something to bite on." After some X-Ray techs manhandled me to get the optimum artistic angle for their photo, my body went into a bit of shock, and I began trembling, in direct contrast to my non-chalant mental attitude. Some nice man with morphine managed to stop the shaking, and then they put me out for the reduction.
Managing the first days:
I came to pretty quickly, while they were still bandaging my arm and putting it in the 90 degree angle splint with a sling. I was given an Rx for hydrocodone. I filled the prescription, but didn't take any of the drugs. For me, ibuprofen, taken like candy, was the solution. I tried my best to wiggle my fingers when it didn't hurt too much to do so. The biggest issue at this time was finding a way to shower without getting my bandages soggy -- after all, I was exercising when this all started. I ended up putting a garbage sack over my splint, and wore the sling in the shower. I didn't have the strength to hold my arm's own weight.
The recovery plan:
After 2 days I met with an orthopedist. They removed the splint and gave me a fancy brace that has adjustable angle settings to restrict flexing and/or extending the joint. Their intention is to limit my extension from the last 30 degrees (or 150 degrees), and to not restrict my flexion. This _should_ prevent future dislocations, at the expense of a permanent 5-10 degree loss to my range of motion in extension.
