How long after a broken humerus are you back riding?

paddi22

paddi22

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Anyone here broke the top of their arm? I broke mine four weeks ago and im wondering how long it took people to get back riding, and if they needed a lot of physio? Doc says my shoulder and elbow muscles will be wasted and need time to rebuild.

Anyone else been in the same boat? if so, when were you back onboard?! its driving me mad not being able to ride!
 
A doctor and member of my drag hunt did this at an early meet in the season. He was riding after about a month, but not hunting. His was plated, is yours?
 
i had a compound fracture of the radius and dislocated my elbow and was back in the saddle after about 10 days :rolleyes:

i did have my docs permission though :p and i only had a cast on for a week as i had a plate put in (horse stopped and I didn't - would have been fine fi my arm hadn't hit the jump pole).

I loved how the doc said i could ride, but i wasn't allowed to play basketball because it was too concussive.
 
I work in orthopedics, and my OH had this injury 3years ago. The fact is everyone heals differently, and this is quite a difficult fracture to manage because it cant be cast. Are you just in a sling? Was it dissplaced? was it Pinned/Plated?

You should be able to start and move your shoulder at about week 4-5. It should be well knitted at about 6 weeks. My OH couldnt return to her office job until week 10. Shoulders stiffen up quickly, so try doing small movements as soon as you feel able.

My OH didnt do her physio as she should have, because she found it painful but 4 years on she still has some stiffness, and weakness. She wishes she had just done it.

In terms of riding, the bone will probably be capable after about 8 weeks, but the soft tissues take longer.
 
arm not plated but i have a brace on. I had a hanging cast for two weeks and now im in a smaller plastic brace/cast with a sling. Its been four weeks now and im not due back for an xray for another four weeks!

they say the bone is healing well but he says another 12 weeks before i can ride- which just sounds impossible! I hear of people back sooner but it seems to be lower arm breaks that seem to heal quicker.

Doctor also says the shoulder and muscle damage will stop me riding. il definitely take the tip about the physio!
 
Lower arm, or long bone fractures do heal better because they tend to be away from the complex tissue attachments involved in a joint. And they can be cast well. Dont underestimate the time you need to heal, and don't rush it. You will regret it later.
 
thansk sprite1978, i think i needed to get someone elses advice as i had thought the doc was overestimating the time just to be on the safe side! I guess il just have to be patient and follow all the physio etc as you said.
 
erm I did this a few years ago - a clean break at the top of my humerus and it took 6 months to heal enough to ride - I didnt have surgery and it has left me with odd angles on my arm, a big lump and I cant rotate my arm properly and it hurts in damp & cold conditions so probably arthritic!

I had months of physio and after 2.5 months it was still broken in two but I managed to drive my car for 3 hours to move house - this got the healing going faster IMO! I wasnt allowed to ride for the full 6 months but I think I could of done after about 4, provided I didnt fall off. I could feel the bones moving still after 3 months. Its stronger than my other arm now though despite being at an odd angle!

Horrible break that has left me with the lesson of never to bail from a bolting horse!
 
paddi22 said:
arm not plated but i have a brace on. I had a hanging cast for two weeks and now im in a smaller plastic brace/cast with a sling. Its been four weeks now and im not due back for an xray for another four weeks!

they say the bone is healing well but he says another 12 weeks before i can ride- which just sounds impossible! I hear of people back sooner but it seems to be lower arm breaks that seem to heal quicker.

Doctor also says the shoulder and muscle damage will stop me riding. il definitely take the tip about the physio!
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I had the same - hanging cast for about a week then a plastic/velcro cast for the next 3 months! I couldnt move my arm more than an inch from my body after 2 months bbut once you start regaining control of your muscles it comes back relatively quickly over the next month! My physio said there was no way I could drive my car but I had to so I did!
 
Hello

I had a similar injury last september. It was a surgical neck fracture of the humerus. It's so annoying isn't it? for the fews couple of weeks even sitting up is a right task!

My fracture wasn't too bad. I broke all the way through but didn't displace or need plating.

I think I was in a sling for around 6 weeks but started doing basic physio exercises before that. The first doc I saw said I could ride after ten weeks, so I did. then I saw another doctor who told me I should really be waiting until 3 months after the injury. So I was good and waited....

I was fully back in the saddle 3 months after the injury and it's been fine. I still do my exercises though as it's taking a while for the muscles to move how they did before. No pain at all though and my riding hasn't been affected in anyway (not that I was any good!).

The muscles do waste a bit but mine soon built up again. Physio is the best thing for it I found.

Good luck with your recovery! x
 
oh god you poor thing, that sounds awful. i know what you mean about feeling the bones move, it's the weirdest feeling! i'l take everyones advice and do the physio!

just dying to get going again!! its so frustrating!
 
Yep it was very odd - a bit like how people cringe when fingernails go down a blackboard. I was a bit naughty and kept taking my cast off to have bath - probably didnt do it any good! (my arm not the cast!)

I wanst ready to get back on for the first few months - it was a bad fall that nearly made me give up riding and take up driving but after a while I was itching to get back on! Had a few issues with cantering in groups and still do but I secretly enjoy it - well afterwards anyway!
 
Mine took ages im afraid.

I smashed mine about 2 inches up from the elbow and it needed a plate and 6 screws to hold it together. I was in a sling for 12 weeks and then my elbow froze, so then spent a further 3 months with physio trying to get it to move.

I started riding again after 6 months, but then fell of in a field 3 months later and broke it AGAIN!!!! pesky plate holds the bone so tight that the presure snapped it at the top of the plate. Unfort this time i had to let it hang, as the nurses in casualty moved my arm the wrong way and damaged the nerves to my hand, which left me with a limp hand (that completely wouldnt move) for 4 months. Due to the elbow freezing the first time, I did make sure I started moving it as soon as the break felt stable, which helped a huge amount.
 
that's very unlucky that you fell again, you must have been so annoyed! hope its fully healed now, what a nightmare!
 
I've been quite lucky then, reading all these stories!

I broke the neck of my humerous 6 weeks ago, coming off a horse, having broken it in exactly the same place exactly 2 years earlier, coming off a bike

Last time it healed wonky, but acceptably. This time the top part of the bone starting moving around so I had surgery 4 weeks ago and a plate and 7 screws put in. (with a nice 5 inch scar!)

I rode on Saturday :D

Ok, just walking for an hour, on the safest horse I know, but it felt good.

My shoulder started to ache towards the end, but the only other problem was when he snatched the reins a couple of times - the jolting quite hurt.
 
Oh no OP, you have my sympathy, I broke mine, (well destroyed it:rolleyes:) aprox 3years ago, going xc, i have a plate from shoulder to elbow and a lot of screws:( i also had to have my nerve rerouted so have a scar also from shoulder to elbow!

I'm glad they were so nice to you at Hospital, as they told me never to get back on a horse and 'did i know how much NHS money id wasted?:rolleyes:'

However in reality i think i waited 8 weeks, But i really did put all my efforts into Physio, I swam, did super amounts of excercises, (inc extra stuff id begged the physio to give me) It took a long time for it to be up to strength, and the first time i fell off after the breakage was a massive deal, as i'd landed on my feet and hadn't broken, the relief was immense,!

Its the worst feeling in the world, not being able to get back on, but make sure you are ready, physically as well as mentally, there is no hurry, I was off work for a year, and when i think back to the things i was doing, i cringe:o especially that i could have made it even worse and might not have made it back on, Good luck OP, take it steady and you will be back to your best in no time!;)
 
I did my humerous a few years ago. It was completely broken in half and they had to put it back in place on the field - ouch!!

I was not in plaster but in a sort of brushing boot contraption and a sling. It was awful and I could hear it clicking if I moved to much, could not even bath/shower or dress myself for ages!

It took 4 months for me to be healed enough to drive and go back to work, I then had extensive physio including hydrotherapy as my shoulder and elbow were wasted, I think I was back on my horse about 3-4 weeks into that.

Hope you get better soon x

Edited to say in hindsight I should have pushed for a plate but I suppose now I would then have a scar!
 
Definately go for your physio. Your shoulder is very complex and after months of not moving it oyu will get stiff (frozen shoulder at the extremes). The muscle wastage will be major after even just 4weeks not moving it. The physio will hurt to begin with but through stiffness more than actual pain, but if you do go through with it you should hvae full movement back and strength once they have provided you with exercises. I would however go with what the doctor says especially if he is your orthopeadic specialist. Good luck ad dont rush it
 
Hi all, i'm new to the forum and registered after finding this thread. I was thrown off my horse in November last year and am yet to get back on. My break was fairly major, the air ambulance doc reset in the field. I'd love to say it was painful but don't remember a thing as was so full of drugs!!! I was then flown to hosp and operated on the following day and now have a plate and 8 pins in my arm. No physio was advised just a few exercises from my surgeon, I was driving by xmas and I would say now have full use of my arm again but definatly don't have my full strength back. On my last xray 14th Feb it was still broken, my next xray is this Friday and i'm hoping all is fixed. I was told point blank by my surgeon no to get back on until it's completely healed!!!! But I have had a sneaky ride on the beach....
I'm interested as to how people have coped mentally? I'm desperate to ride again but can't bring myself to ride my own horse and i have actually just sold him :(
 
I just found this thread. Great to read as I too have snapped my humerus clean in half! I was riding bareback and my Friesians big bouncy trot resulted in me having a broken arm. Landed on my elbow, heard a snapping sound ((ewww)) followed by quite a thud to the hips & back. Ambulance job, morphine and severe pain. I'm now on my 4th week of recovery, my arm is in a velcro humeral brace like a brushing boot and a sling to support my arm. I have no control or movement whatsoever, I wonder if my arm will ever work again. I'm told a possible bone graft but hoping not.
 
This thread is three years old ;)
I too had broken my humerus though back in 2002 and remember it like it was yesterday. Fortunately it healed itself whilst positioned in the sling and it didn't take long for the muscles to get back into shape, about another 4 weeks. I think I started riding a month after the sling came off. I came off a youngster; Welsh sec D whom I was riding without stirrups on, I think he went to nip a horse in front of him, I stopped him so he decided to let rip with an almighty buck that I didn't even feel myself leave the saddle until the ground suddenly came. I landed right onto my upper arm and shoulder, and it felt like my arm had been cut in half.
 
Wiz201 said:
This thread is three years old ;)
I too had broken my humerus though back in 2002 and remember it like it was yesterday. Fortunately it healed itself whilst positioned in the sling and it didn't take long for the muscles to get back into shape, about another 4 weeks. I think I started riding a month after the sling came off. I came off a youngster; Welsh sec D whom I was riding without stirrups on, I think he went to nip a horse in front of him, I stopped him so he decided to let rip with an almighty buck that I didn't even feel myself leave the saddle until the ground suddenly came. I landed right onto my upper arm and shoulder, and it felt like my arm had been cut in half.
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I guess you have to be so careful after a break. I seriously wonder when ill get my arm back to normal, it looks like a matchstick right now :(
 
I broke mine about 2000 it was smashed into 8 bits not plated as the risk to my radial nerve was too great so hung round my neck for months It took 4 years to get pain free worst thing ever was putting my hand out to open a door when someone opened it from the other side and hit my hand end on I thought the whole thing had smashed to bits again I did ride as soon as I could get on but not being very agile I struggled for a while
 
windand rain said:
I broke mine about 2000 it was smashed into 8 bits not plated as the risk to my radial nerve was too great so hung round my neck for months It took 4 years to get pain free worst thing ever was putting my hand out to open a door when someone opened it from the other side and hit my hand end on I thought the whole thing had smashed to bits again I did ride as soon as I could get on but not being very agile I struggled for a while
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That sounds really painful. Have you regained full strength?
 
osian said:
I guess you have to be so careful after a break. I seriously wonder when ill get my arm back to normal, it looks like a matchstick right now :(
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The only thing I can't do with it now is lift up my right arm as high as my left, which was the uninjured one, muscle just goes tight. But it doesn't stop me from doing normal things.
 
osian said:
That sounds really painful. Have you regained full strength?
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yes back to normal, did it at work. so not horse related which is always a relief in confidence on horseback did make me more jittery about falling for a long time both when riding and in daily life
 
windand rain said:
yes back to normal, did it at work. so not horse related which is always a relief in confidence on horseback did make me more jittery about falling for a long time both when riding and in daily life
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I don't feel it's affected my confidence at all which is a good thing, if anything I can't wait to ride again. Just very frustrated, 5 weeks today and still no movement or feeling.
 
Sorry to hear of your injury. I did my right arm about 20 years ago, snapped the top of the arm off. The hospital wanted to pin/plate but I asked what would happen if they did not as plating scared me. They said that with rest it would heal, but just not as quick. I think I had complete rest for 6 weeks, then gradually increased (started driving and physio). I think I rode again after 12 weeks.

For years it was very strange, my right shoulder blade stuck out like a chicken wing and the muscles under my collar bone were extremely sore. After physio and remembering about posture that has improved. My right arm is little bother 20 years on, but I would say it was years to regain what I now have, but I did delay extended (private) physio, as the NHS physio only did enough to get me back on my feet, not enough to make it pleasant.

I do remember how awful it was to try to move my arm, and nothing happened other than a lot of pain.

Good luck, and physio!
 
I did a spiral fracture of mine, from elbow to shoulder (not horse related - I fell up the ramp at the front of my house). It was nailed two days later. I spent a long time in a sling but had physio and hydrotherapy from about eight weeks to get elbow and shoulderworking properly. The actual break took eleven months to heal fully and I still haven't ridden (did it in Nov 2012) but having said that I am 63 years old, and part of the reason it took so long to heal was that I have osteoporosis (which is why I haven't ridden yet - but I will!!). What I'm trying to say is that everyone is different, and it will take as long as it takes but don't try to do too much too soon it only causes set-backs.
 
paddi22 said:
Anyone here broke the top of their arm? I broke mine four weeks ago and im wondering how long it took people to get back riding, and if they needed a lot of physio? Doc says my shoulder and elbow muscles will be wasted and need time to rebuild.

Anyone else been in the same boat? if so, when were you back onboard?! its driving me mad not being able to ride!
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depends if you have surgery they waited 3 months for mine and were still going to wait longer till I said no way I want surgery. this I had and only 2 weeks ago go back in the saddle and the accident was Nov. View my human versus concrete below

My bone was still moving after 3 months

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?641738-the-human-body-vesus-concxrete
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...n-large-bones&highlight=human+versus+concrete

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?653267-I-have-waited-long-enough-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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