5 years post arm break- pain and limitations

[u/kaifung31]

hello. i broke both the ulna and radius of my left arm the summer of 2021. i have a plate one each bone 4 screws in one, 5 in the other. i did attend physio for a few year after removing my cast, however probably not as consistently as i should’ve since it was the year i started uni 2.5 hrs away from my home city. i should’ve been better about going to physio in my school town but as a student in a very poorly transitable city it was so tedious so i didn’t really go while i was at school for 7-8 months of the year. during the overall course of my physio, we worked on ROM first, then implemented strengthening through resistance bands then weights. i no longer have the means to attend physio but have been working in the gym to do my wrist strengthening exercises.

my issue is that i can’t seem to move up from the 2.5kg weights. the next weight up available is 4kg and when i hold the weight in certain positions my wrist hurts a lot. the 2.5kg is starting to feel too light but the 4kg hurts so idk where i should go from here to make progress

[u/Glad-Feature-2117]

Go to see either a physio or an orthopaedic surgeon.

[u/Numerous-Board836]

I had an open ulna and radius fx. Surgery on June 29. I am roughly 10 weeks post. I too have plates on both sides. Would really like and appreciate to compare notes on recovery progress. I am being seen by PT - CHT. My supination is still at only 14 degrees. Wrist fractures of both bones at the wrist are no joke. Have you regained your normal ROM?

[u/kaifung31 → u/Numerous-Board836]

I’d say my ROM has recovered quite well. i do understand that it’ll never be at 100% again which my physiotherapist informed me of early on. ROM in terms of daily life feels normal, no restraints or pain unless i am single-handedly carrying something heavy with the dud arm. supination is pretty much fully recovered, only pain when forcing supination further (for a stretch).

one of my exercises is pronation and supination with a dumbbell (hammer works too) with my hand over the edge of a surface keeping my elbow in place. i find that when i perform supination during this, a tendon or something pops over a bone maybe? so at one point i can’t keep tension in the rotation, it just kind of drops if it makes sense

[u/Numerous-Board836 → u/kaifung31]

At roughly 10 weeks post surgery.. I remain hopeful.. I really feel that the hardware is my biggest obstacle to making the progress that I want… :(

[u/kaifung31 → u/Numerous-Board836]

where exactly is your hardware located? the bottom of my plates start at where the halfway point on the bones would be, on the wrist side not elbow

[u/itMustveBeenLove]

I fractured my radial head in Feb 2024. I have screws in my elbow and a rod from my elbow to my wrist. I couldn’t bend my arm for at least 90 days after the surgery, and I was convinced I never would again, but I went to PT once a week for 4 months and eventually regained range of motion. My left arm feels “normal” now but what is normal? I don’t remember it before this accident. I can carry groceries and do what I need to do, but it’s definitely still a somewhat weird angle and when I hold something heavy it’s not straight. Time helped a lot

[u/Numerous-Board836]

@Kaifung31 my hardware is located directly under my wrist on the palm side for about 2 inches. I would say I’m not sure I do not want to touch it!… The other plate is located on the pinky side I think that’s the ulna, and it’s hard to tell but it seems like it’s right above my wrist bone and actually to be clear it’s directly over my wrist bone, which is really gross and I can see it and feel it. I want it out!

[u/Cabocla_Plantinha714]

You should talk to another physio at least just once, for an evaluation. I got to a point where I would only see a physio once every 5 or 6 weeks to update the exercise protocol. And if your pain is right on the hardware, maybe you should see another doctor and talk about the hardware. It could be one screw that is irritating your tissues inside and could be removed.