Elbow Radial head ORIF, lateral ligament repair
- Thread starter liam2015
- Start date
United States
OP
OP
liam2015
post-grad
Update as of Feb. 20, 2019: It's been 12 weeks since my ORIF surgery and i am finally seeing improvement in my range of motion. The surgeon made my goal to be able to touch my right thumb to my right shoulder. I'm almost there, just a couple inches away. I feel like i'm at a bit of a plateau but i practise the flexing and extending, as shown by my p.t., many times a day. I've cut down physio appointments to once a week rather than twice a week, partly because it's costly and i feel that i should be able to continue improving r.o.m. at home. Nicola warms my arm up with a heating blanket for around 10 or 15 min., then massages my elbow, forearm and upper arm with an oil and then flexes and extends my arm, getting me to hold it and also doing it on my own. I can do most things now with my right arm; just have to work on strengthening when surgeon approves it.
OP
OP
liam2015
post-grad
Yes it was very painful when she was bending my arm as far as it would go up until last session when it wasn't as painful, in fact i told her it wasn't hurting at all. It feels stuck just like when flexing my knee after knee replacement when it would only go so far. I don't know if i'll ever be able to bend it all the way, but it's functional.
How is your arm feeling, @Jockette? I've been reading your updates getting the second opinion. I'm hoping you can get some relief from the discomfort, but glad nothing mechanical is wrong.
How is your arm feeling, @Jockette? I've been reading your updates getting the second opinion. I'm hoping you can get some relief from the discomfort, but glad nothing mechanical is wrong.
My arm is doing better. It’s been 2 months since I hurt it. It’s not fully healed, yet though.
I ordered a small elbow brace from Amazon to wear when I start bowling again. I might try to bowl next week. I wish I’d could try a lighter ball but the next step lighter than mine is the kids balls and the finger holes in those are way too small for my fingers. At only 8 pounds my ball is very light for an adult.
I’m sorry your therapy has been so painful. I would think your ROM will continue to improve over time, as you heal more, like our knees do.
I ordered a small elbow brace from Amazon to wear when I start bowling again. I might try to bowl next week. I wish I’d could try a lighter ball but the next step lighter than mine is the kids balls and the finger holes in those are way too small for my fingers. At only 8 pounds my ball is very light for an adult.
I’m sorry your therapy has been so painful. I would think your ROM will continue to improve over time, as you heal more, like our knees do.
OP
OP
liam2015
post-grad
update: march 31, 2019 ~ i think i have almost full r.o.m. with my elbow, although last time i was at p.t. i thought i was also at full r.o.m. but my p.t. pushed my arm a little further and i couldn't hold it there so have been practising. the surgeon has his office at the same physio clinic so he stops by every so often to see me and didn't want me to start on strengthening exercises until i had full r.o.m. i'm hoping i can start on strengthening at my next appointment; however, i've been able to use my injured right dominant arm naturally for several weeks now, even lifting.
like others, i now have a bit of a "fear of falling" since i fell twice on flat surfaces. i'm wondering if the falling has anything to do with "proprioception" because i think i should have been able to correct/save myself before falling forward, even though i had been a bit careless? hope my fellow TKR's are doing well. it's been snowing here in toronto all day long ~ oh mother nature playing an early april fool's day joke.
like others, i now have a bit of a "fear of falling" since i fell twice on flat surfaces. i'm wondering if the falling has anything to do with "proprioception" because i think i should have been able to correct/save myself before falling forward, even though i had been a bit careless? hope my fellow TKR's are doing well. it's been snowing here in toronto all day long ~ oh mother nature playing an early april fool's day joke.
