I'm now pondering whether or not to register for my first duathlon (=triathlon minus swimming; I'm still far too slow and weak for half a mile in a crowded cold lake, but I'm not a much worse swimmer than before the accident). I'm concerned about injuries, especially knee injuries while running (2 miles and 5 miles within 14 miles of biking in between).
In hindsight, there're a few things I would have done differently, had I known the healing process:
I would have kept exercising my hand grip more, which was very weak when I started PT. The motion would have increased the blood flow and possibly stimulated bone growth. Hadn't it been really cold and snowy, I would have tried to outside earlier on.
I would also have exercised my right arm, both before and during PT. When I used the cable column for rows today, my left arm was now stronger (some 50 pounds with much more to go).
But except for that, things went quite well. I meticulously followed the instructions from doc and PT. I watched my food intake, and I'm now back up to where I was before, about 180 pounds.
May 23. All the $ numbers are in now. I had to pay more for PT than I thought, some $600 out of pocket. The entire bill charged by the PT clinic was in the $3,500 range, about $100 per visit.
So altogether I paid less than $1,000 of pocket and the total cost billed to the insurance company was less than $8,000. Quite a lot, but significantly less than having surgery.
16 comments:
Hey, enjoyed reading through your progress, the xrays were cool.
I can definitely relate to your first few weeks, although I was lucky enough to be able to lay down. Did some major movie watching aswell lol. I ended up totally abusing my percs, was cool to take a few and just zone out on some tv show/movie and forget my arm was even broken haha.
I'm in the 5th week of my humerus fracture, it's not quite as nasty as yours, but the bone is still broken in half mid-shaft. I broke it arm wrestling, my opponent hit my arm with his free hand during the match -- so at least my bone didnt break from JUST the force of the arm wrestle.
I found it interesting when you mentioned the PT person saying you were in bad shape before or something. I had exceptional strength in my arm and shoulder areas pre-break, but the muscles still atrophy very fast! like you were saying, even a body builder would still have trouble after a break.(maybe a bone would have a tougher time breaking shileded by all that muscle?) it's amazing how fast your muscles shrink when you dont move them AT ALL!
Have to go in for Xrays in another week or two, Im hoping to see new bone forming... my alignment has been well since week 1, and I can feel the callous.
So Far I can move my arm up or down, but applying pressure to move my arm outward doesnt work well, and i'm reluctant to push it, but hopefully more progress to come in the weeks ahead.
Anyway, great blog, and what % would you say your arm is at now?
P.S. I like my brace
Thanks for your story!
Yes, my doc said something to the extent of, not strongly built people like you and me will have a longer recovery time. And he did break his humerus too, so he knows. But I've read some stories from body builders who're having a hard time too. One said (I can't remember on which site), that two years of work was ruined in a second. And arm-wrestling fractures seem to be quite common.
I would say that I'm 95-100 percent in daily life. But perhaps 75 percent in certain exercises, like the cable column going straight arm from right down to left up; but my rows are fine and curls are almost as good as my right arm. My swimming strength is getting there, I was never that great before.
My bone is not an issue at all, but I feel the tendonitis during certain motions, but it's better than last week and I'm not taking any ibuprofen.
Medicare has covered most of my bills. We have only had to pay around $400 out of pocket so far.
I will start doing more of the ball squeezing while waiting to restart PT.
Look forward to your next entry. I am interested to see your progress to date. I have a similar injury as yours but am lagging behind by a few weeks. I just started my ninth week, since accident.
ROM came back fairly quickly; I am almost a hundred percent to where I was before the fall. I started weights, swimming and driving last week. My problem has been in the morning. My shoulder is locked into place when I wake up. After an hour plus of stretches and exercise, it begins to feel better. PT said strength exercises will help this problem.
Has anyone else experienced this same issue?
I'm glad your ROM is increasing. My PT told me that ROM is more important than strength: the more you can move, the more the muscles will strengthen.
I feel a bit stiff in the morning, but it typically disappears after a few minutes of daily business. I think you're doing the right thing starting with swimming early on. It's a gentle resistance exercise.
I have a similar fracture. Mine was spiral though. Happened on January 16 and I'm still waiting to be able to remove the brace...
When you took off you brace was your bone connected yet? Mine is connected and there is only a crack now.
Happy to see you progressing though.
I am Anonymous from June 2, (I don’t know how to create a name)
My injury is proximal. I did not wear a cast just a sling. My Dr. said he does not cast a break close to the shoulder. In my case the shoulder hurts worse than the arm.
This has been my healing process:
1. Sling for four weeks. Still had fracture, but bone was beginning to grow.
2. PT started in the fifth week, ROM only. Fairly quickly I gained almost full ROM.
3. Started weights two weeks ago and am progressing but not close to strength I had prior to accident. This for me is harder then ROM. Sometime my arm/shoulder is so sore I take pain meds.
4. Eighth week the bone is healing without complication. Fully aligned with expected bone growth for this stage.
5. Dr said the bone usually takes several months to be back to original density. He said once it has healed fully, it will be stronger then it was before the break. He also said it is very normal to have achy arm and shoulder during this time period.
The one exercise I do that the feels the best is swimming and exercising in the water. When you are able I would recommend getting in the pool.
I am also going to buy a foam roller tomorrow. I have used at the gym and is very good for releasing muscle tightness. I will let you know if it works.
If there is no other complications, everything I have read suggest the best healer is time. It seems as if it takes at least six months to a year to feel fully recovered.
I am happy for you your bone is healing. It is such a relief to see the bone mending on the x-ray.
Please keep me posted on your progress and take care of yourself.
Hi, I broke my proximal humerus in Jan '07 - just a smidge below the shoulder ball...no surgery...I went through all the annoyances (great blog -- wish I had seen it sooner!). I am working out pretty regularly at the gym, just to stay in normal person-type fitness...not athletic or anything. But I still after two years have deep tendon pain around the actual break. Do you think this qualifies as "tendonitis"? Or has the tendon never attached or healed properly? It is triggered by... catching a door at a store to hold it for someone else... lifting a shopping bag or a weight disc above the height of my chest... Doing a curl in an outward angle from my body (as opposed to straight in front of me.) In the meantime I'm doing great with some but much less pain at all the gym machines (push and pull) and free incline presses.
I like this blog too. It is comprehensive and is the only real blog I found on the web that focused on the humerus .
My injury is still in the healing process but even at this stage I can lift small weights above my head and carry shopping bags without pain. It sounds like you need to speak with a medical person. I have also heard that acupuncture and muscle triggers therapies have been helpful. Had a different problem several years ago and went to Canyon Ranch Spa in AZ. I had both of these therapies with a successful outcome.
This may also help you. I am still achy in my upper arm and shoulder. Yesterday I went to Whole Foods Market and bought a cream called glucosamine chondroitine MSM ultra RX Joint cream by Nature Plus and Zyflamend softgels by NewChapter. I used them both and noticed a significant change in the soreness level. I also started to use the foam roller and it did help work out some of my kinks in shoulder and upper arm.
I like to hear more of your recovery process.
I have some catching up to do:
Q: "When you took off you brace was your bone connected yet? Mine is connected and there is only a crack now."
Yes, but as you can see, the angle was pretty bad at that time. But there was certainly more than soft bone there. But when I was allowed to remove the strap, there was only soft bone.
Q: "But I still after two years have deep tendon pain around the actual break. Do you think this qualifies as "tendonitis"? Or has the tendon never attached or healed properly? It is triggered by... catching a door at a store to hold it for someone else... lifting a shopping bag or a weight disc above the height of my chest... "
My doc didn't think that tendonitis was a big deal for me, "just take Ibuprophen," he said. But after two years, as in your case, I think you should go back to the orthopedic surgeon.
From what I understand, if the tendon was not attached properly, your pain would be unbearable.
The recent weeks I have been focused on cardio training, and I have had almost no tendon pain. But it (along with the tendon clicking) came back today, after using weights again.
I can relate to your blog as
i suffered an almost identical fracture 11 day ago. I'm sure glad it was my non-dominant arm! Even so it is VERY difficult for this 65 year old optometrist to do a halfway decent eye exam.
As understanding as people have been, I'm having a hard time not looking like an old guy who's had a stroke, dragging the braced arm around, limping a bit ( I fell off a roof, so have some minor collateral damage to elbow, ankle and lower back).
i just broke my humerus on the 12th and i am hoping it will heal correctly
I will take a look at all the blogs, thanks for sharing this list.
In my opinion, you should postpone your first duathlon registration to until you're on your 100%, since it will aggravate your injured humerus if you do it early. For now, you should develop your body for the big day.
This is a great blog. Thank you for sharing your experience. I was in a car accident on Dec. 18th,roughly around the same time as your break it seems. My break is middle/ upper Humerus. I see the surgeon next week so I'm hoping to be able to start PT soon. I've been having alot of back pain sleeping. I'm on percacets and Vicodin but I've only been taking them at night and early morning because of how much pain I'm in from sleeping. I'm in a plastic brace but it's still hard to sleep on my side because I also have fractured ribs and a partial collapsed lung on the same side. Any thoughts? I'm trying pillows but it's been difficult. Mainly my lower back has been pinching.
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