I recently fractured my left elbow (capitulum). will the elbow get straight?

how long will it take? what can i do?
any experiences that you can share?
my injury occured about two months back and the elbow has straightened out quite a bit but not fully. i was operated upon and two pins were inserted.

how long will it take? what can i do?
any experiences that you can share?
my injury occured about two months back and the elbow has straightened out quite a bit but not fully. i was operated upon and two pins were inserted.
please give me only positive news...i really wouldn't want negative answers.
if you are a person who has had similar experience then kindly advise. Thank you.

have you gone to physical therapy? if not ask your doctor about it, you usually wait a few months before starting it,,,,,, most often yes, the arm /elbow will heal to near what it was, if not totally,,, but you do need specific exercises ,, as its not just the bones and joints , but also the muscles that can stiffen up from non use,

Probably wont be completely straight, but fully usable.

Ask your orthopedic surgeon, if there are any physical therapy exercises that will help. Do that quickly, as the fractured bones are well into the knitting phase.

I'm a nurse. This is a long process to fully recover if that's even possible. I would follow all the after care instructions the doctor gave you, and take it one day at a time.Are you in PT(physical therapy)? This will speed up the healing process.

The pins themselves may be impeding the motion, ask your doctor. However, it is quite possible when the bones & the soft tissue dammaged by the surgery heals, if the bones don't quite seem to reallign, you can still get help. If you can, find a Tibetan or Chinese style massage therapist (this would also include acuppresure & bone adjusting). If not an osteopath may be able to help.

If neither of these are possible, after all physical healing is done, you may be able to do it by doing a stretching out of the joint yourself. This is accomplished by grabbing a solidly in place bar (like the monkey bars in childrens play park) & hanging straight down for a minute or 2 at a time & repeating a few times in 1 session. This can be done several times a day. If this hurts & the hurt persists & is strong, after doing this, it means that the healing is not finished. Hurting a small amount is natural, especially if more than one bone was fused together. This stretching, opens up the joint & will allow the bones ot realign very slowly, but naturally. Do not be discouraged if this takes a long time. Elbows & knees are notorious for taking a long time, before retaining the proper alignment, after they have gone out, even without surgery or pins.

2 prerequisites:
1. It is important that the pins that join together 2 bones that normally would not be joined, be removed. This is especially necessary, if any of the pins don't just join a single bone (for healing it) but also go through the bone & the joint, or that the pin joins 2 different bones solidly together.
2. That all soft tissue be completely healed before attempting any therapy (including done by yourself).

If these requisites are not followed, then not only will it not heal, but further dammage may be done. Know though, that many people have regained full function with far worse symptomology.


Best of Luck,
Dr. Shi Yao Hai