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The Ax Forum
Muay Thai & Kickboxing Forum Mixed Martial Arts Forum Boxing Forum Fight Training Forum Off Topic Forum
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Mick Crossland
Posted: 2010-08-17 10:37:34
Broken Arm Recovery

I'm working with a young fighter whose recently broken his forearm after being kicked on it in training.

He has just had the pot removed and the hospital staff have told him that he can't sustain any contact on the arm for 3 months.

In my experience medical professionals tend to overestimate the amount of rest and recovery needed for any injury so for this reason i am mistrustful of their advice with issues such as this.

Does anyone have any experience of this and are you able to shed any light onto why so long or if the staff are being overly cautious?

It was a clean break across the main bone and he's had the pot on for 6 weeks.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
mh.
Posted: 2010-08-17 10:52:15
When I smashed up my shoulder (fracture & dislocation) a couple of years back I was told by the consultant that it would be 3 months before I could get back to boxing. This is also what the physio told me when I was working through rehab exercises. However the physio also said I could get back into BJJ after 9 - 10 weeks as long as I took it carefully. Personally I'd suggest getting referred to an NHS physio and following their advice rather than going back too soon before it's had time to heal properly. I was training with someone at BJJ last week who'd returned to training too soon after being hit by a car and he kept having to stop because he was in so much pain. It can be frustrating having to wait so long and there will probably be people on forums who suggest you can return earlier, but I'd definitely get advice from someone with qualifications.
mdk
Posted: 2010-08-17 11:03:57
the docs tend to know the score when it comes to this type of thing mate. is it just sparring he cant do?
Nephilim
Posted: 2010-08-17 11:55:57
Well I had the exact same injury and I cna tell you that I WISH I'd done what the doctors told me. Everythings fine now - but i ended up back in hospital again due to a lack of patience.
blindleadingthestupid
Posted: 2010-08-17 15:36:36
I've broken just about every bone you can in your arm and three months is prob about right for no contact, I'd prob lay off press ups as well, I've ignored the doctors advise before now and ended up making things worse
HAWKMAN
Posted: 2010-08-17 21:03:24
is it true that a broker bone knits to become tougher
Mick Crossland
Posted: 2010-08-18 02:09:57
Cheers guys. Makes sense i guess.

MDK. They didnt specify just said he cant sustain any contact.
Nephilim
Posted: 2010-08-18 08:34:00
Hawkman as far as I'm aware, yes it DOES become stronger... but this has a downside. If you understand stress and support from a mechanical side of things it's a downside.

If someone has broken their arm exactly half way down and lets it rest and heal up fine then what you'll find is that the bone is thicker and harder around the area of the initial break. The downside to this is in the way that teh bone then absorbs impact shock, stress and tension. If blocking a kick, the bone will always bend somewhat, it might be only a fraction of an inch but it WILL give somewhat to alleviate the impact shock. The thicker part of the bone will no longer give in the way that it used to and what'll usually happen is that it focuses a lot more stress on a point just below the inital break point where the bone is the same thickness it's always been.

When the impact shock is absorbed onto high stress areas like this it can result in another break and it's usually more likely to happen than the initial break was.
Mark L.
Posted: 2010-08-18 09:29:33
I think medical "experts" have to cover their asses. Also they will base, with room to wriggle, on the "norm".

Depending on one's health and immune function etc everyone will heal at different rates.

Now, in my opinion there is plenty a fighter can do for three weeks without taking the chance of getting hit while healing, with wriggle room. Great opportunity to work on some technique or conditioning etc No set back really in my opinion.
Mick Crossland
Posted: 2010-08-19 14:24:26
He's been working consistently with the pot on just not using the arm but we were hoping to book a fight for the end of October/early November but thats out now. :(

Thanks for the responses guys.
Nephilim
Posted: 2010-08-19 15:08:56
Good decision mick.

It's always best to err on the side of caution. Much better to take more time than needed and mourne the lost opportunities meantime than to stick him in the ring too early and get him injured - possibly to the point where he can't compete ever again.
Mark L.
Posted: 2010-08-20 08:58:24
There is about a 15% carry over in strength related to range of motion.

Generally if it doesn't increase pain its ok to do.

Lets say you can raise your arm in this 15 degrees and then not for 35 then above another whatever degrees. There is a carry over and it will diminish... (not sure if I explained that well.

Rule on exercise with weights is basically if it doesn't increase the pain even if pain is there, its probably ok (talk to a pro though)
robin shepherd
Posted: 2010-08-23 18:05:50
i had a young guy slip and break both ulner and radius, one bone was sticking out of his forarm!! bent right back it was like something out of a horror film... that was 6 weeks ago, he came training tonight! no pot no support nothing, just two scars. doctor never said anything about avoiding particular excersises.. obviously im making him hardly tap the pads with that arm for the next few weeks, and absolutley no contact on it, but... jesus! i have blisters that dont heal as fast as he did!
Mick Crossland
Posted: 2010-08-24 02:22:59
Lol! Sounds rough, he must be like half X Man or summat!
ReeceChristy
Posted: 2010-09-16 09:34:04
Emmanuel Mandiso from Nigeria got a bible and taped it to his leg when it was broken. It heald in 2 weeks and he was running on it. He said that he put the healing in Gods hands and that was all you have to do.
Kelly Leach
Posted: 2010-09-17 17:40:08
Listen to what the doctor has advised, they don't tell patients to abstain from certain things for the good of their health, it's for the patients.

6 weeks in cast allows the initial calcification process to start without disturbance, allowing the bone to unite.

They would probably be happy with him doing functional things with the arm however holding pads or sparring where he has a risk of injury is not something many would advise until after the 3 month period.

If the break was mid radius/ulna (I'm guessing as they tend to treat humeral fractures differntly) and did not effect function of the wrist or elbow then they would not refer to physiotherapy as there would only be functional exercise they could recommend other than general rotational and free range, which if he is using the arm functionally, he will already be doing.



As for organising him a fight, would you be happy if he re broke his arm during that fight due to taking a heavy shot? and as he already broke it whist in training I'd suggest he does not do it as he will have a weakness there for a few months, some orthopaedic doctors would say upto 12 months but children do tend to heal faster than adults.

Be sensible about this and his training, remember the weight loading process when he will be hitting pads also.

I'd wait until your sure he's ready.

K :)

Kelly Leach
Posted: 2010-09-17 17:47:28
Reecechristy

I have had many a patient who would have loved this method of treatment, however healing and treatment all depends on the fracture.

In lower limbs the treatment will all depend on the type of fracture you have.

Generally they only allow patients to weight bare fully on a broken leg if they have an ilizarov frame in situ, which is a large circular frame with k.wires passed through the limb to hold the fracture in place, the weight baring speeds up the healing process in these cases.

If a lower limb is treated conservatively or with a nail down the bone then they will say no weight baring or partial.

But miracles do happen and everyone heals differently, I'd like to think the bible would work on my leg...

Fingers crossed I never need that! ha

K :)
Danwar
Posted: 2010-09-18 09:16:10
Reecechristy - I think that's a bit far fetched to be honest.
mh.
Posted: 2010-09-18 15:56:07
I suppose if it's a long and narrow Bible you could use it as a splint.

Actually there is a scientific explanation for this kind of thing, called "regression to the mean". Most things generally get better on their own without any outside intervention. However, when a condition is at its worst people sometimes say a prayer, consult their favourite alternative therapist or even go to a doctor. The condition would have improved anyway but people think it improved because they said a prayer or went to the doctor. This is called regression to the mean because the mean is the "average" or normal for most people and over time most conditions will return (or regress) to it on their own. One of the ideas behind medical science is finding out what interventions actually have effects beyond what regression to the mean does.
Kelly Leach
Posted: 2010-09-19 07:34:04
I agree mh many injuries do heal on their own, however choose not to immobilise by splint or cast a long broken/functional bone then you run the risk of that bone shifting and falling out of alignment, it will heal in most cases, but at what deformity? Remember bone is a living tissue and is constantly remodelling itself, this is for both children and adults.

Look at someone who has fractured their clavicle or scapula, run your finger along that bone and in the majority of cases you will feel a deformity if you don't see it first.

The lower arm has 2 long bones the radius and ulna which run parallel to each other, (The most common fracture is a distal radius or wrist) now if you broke your radius and decided to treat it without immobilisation you run the risk of being unable to use that arm functionally as the two bones work together, if they didn't you may lose the ability to pronate the forearm, as to do this the lower end of the radius needs to cross over the ulna, the radius enables the hand to turn when this movement is carried out. And lets not forget the nerve supply that could also become damaged (especially in open fractures)

Generally what a patient can expect is:

•Removal of cast at about six weeks.

•Some patients may start physiotherapy, if their doctor feels it is needed, within a few days to weeks after surgery, or right after the last cast is taken off. Especially if wrist or elbow movement is affected.

•Most patients will be able to resume light activities, such as swimming or exercising the lower body in the gym, within a month or two after the cast is taken off.

•Most patients can resume vigorous physical activities, such as skiing or football, between three and six months after the injury.

•Recovery should be expected to take at least a year. Some pain with vigorous activities may be expected for about that long.

I've worked in orthopaedics for the last 5/6 years and have never known a patient decline intervention as they would prefer to say a prayer... I wish they would, it would make work a whole lot easier ;)
(I worked with adults admitted through trauma or electively to correct a deformity)

K :)
Mark L.
Posted: 2010-09-19 10:53:14
"magic" or religious "magic" is only magic when it is not understood.

There is strong evidence of many methods that seem magical actually do have effects.

Science is always finding out more and more but it is largely limited by limited views of the scientists and society.

A tv would be magic in the 1200's, so would a lighter or a flashlight...

It was heresy to say the world was round even when people experienced it because it did not fit into the belief system of the time.

This has always happened and is always happening and physics, neuroscience, psychology etc etc are all starting to understand how and or why etc

The point???

The automatic response that something doesn't work when others say it does is suggestive of a programmed belief that responds automatically (brain washed one could say).

I believe we all are to degrees.

There is strong evidence that prayer works.
Christian scientists will use the evidence to validate their beliefs.
Secular scientists also start to explain from a physical perspective why or how prayer may work.
Then on both sides you may have both.

I have done physical experiments on the power of words to affect their physical surroundings with results that suggest the words themselves literally do have the power to influence physical surroundings.
My interpretation is around energy....

The Bible on the leg may fall into this.
The "God" factor may fall into it
the belief of the individual that something will work falls into it also... (strong evidence of this also)

So depending on what you believe to start people generally dismiss things like that or use them to validate what they already believe.

Someone said the Bible worked - that makes me curious and cautious as to assuming I know why as the ego will generally see things in a way to validate what it believes

It maybe that it does work for one and not another but the reasons for that, I think, can always be explained - even if we or science isn't there yet.

Cause and affect
results
Kelly Leach
Posted: 2010-09-19 11:24:42
I'll stick to modern medicine myself... I know if I broke a bone what treatment I'd go for.

K :)
JayLomax
Posted: 2010-09-21 06:38:01
In my experience a lot of physio help. Conditioning every day but very lightly so you can build it up.
Danwar
Posted: 2010-09-21 19:44:30
I would get my mom to kiss it better
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-05 20:47:49
must have been one hell of a kick to brake it clean in half , who was the kicker and who was the kid with the broken arm ? this must have been in a real fight and not in a training session !!!!!! if you mean by the word kid i take it you mean a youth ,if so youth is on our side when it comes to mending bones but if it was a clean brake like you said then yes its going to be 3 months before its back strong , probably 4 months before he should be going back in the ring , after all he is a youth .
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-05 20:59:01
was there a big weight differance between the two fighters ?
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-05 21:04:00
or was it a big age differance as well as a big weight differance !!!!
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-05 21:16:51
i surgest his first fight back be an exibition and light contact ,this is a boy you are putting in the ring no a grown man.
dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 08:10:00
in fairness, doctors dont always get it right, so we as laymen must use common sense,

its broken and its a bad break, bones take 6-9 weeks to re-aline that is not repair, it takes 12+ months to be completly nitted back together anytime withing 6 months it will just rebrake

lets be correct here we are talking about a 14year boy, a tough 14 year old none the less but still 14

bad luck exessive contact in training what ever you want to call it, he is 14 nothing to lose by resting but everything to lose by rushing

in my opinion his legs need drastic work to bring him upto competent in his division, i had him 12 months from now before entertaining putting him on the full circuit and that was with out a broken arm, i would say he should be out of competition for 12months then in serious training for 3 months with a planned fight of 3 months a total of 18 onths until he fights!

by then he should be able to kick more fluid and competent in his division, he fought 5 times under me, and only won very inexperienced fighters 2w.under wka fc lost badly both times, and on our show he lost his last one he only actually won as over penalised the opponent for knees, he still lost the fight i just looked after the ticket seller, i aint the first to do that

its happened before people see someone winning and beleive the hype, thats the skill of match making Jordan was being built up for this perpose if you chuck him in with out consideration he will lose badly, you are looking after him now so ensure his best interste are taken care of he is 14 and his well being lays with you buddy
dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 08:24:12
i did not realise the extent of the break, as when his dad phoned me to tle me you had broken it with a kick i didnt think it would have been as bad,

but if you were wearing those thai shins with what is similar to a steel insert well fuck me cant be suprised, i did offer a demo bout on my last show with one of my lads which would have been a good sparring session, my lad would have actually been too much for jordan, this is not just my opinion but every one who knows both lads, but thats the reason i offered it as a demo so no winners, just to keep jordan busy, and of course the extra sales would be nice

how ever jordans dad believed jordan is better than he is and was offended thinking i was asking him to take a dive, they are both 14 with nothing to lose why the hell would it be a dive, it was a sparring/demo bout which would have been called a draw to team mates basically showing of no pressure

the fighter who it would have been has only trained for 12 months but 12 months with me is better spent than years with fools! lol it would have been a great demo which was missunderstood, and this was offered also not just for ticket sales but i had put jordan into the wka squad a massive favour by me to take him to the worlds, and this would have been a sharpener for that, but all that has literally been kicked into touch, you cant make this shit up

i wouldnt wish no one anyharm but from my side it is quite laughable how it this has turned out, i was looking after him originally had he had lots of prospcts and a world chhampionships in front of him, and he left me for no apparent reason bar be it visions of grandure to end up with fuck all bar a broken arm for his troubles, like i say cant make this shit up can ya!
dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 10:50:45
just read that back could come across as i am having a go,

in short jordan is not my student i was asked to help out and did so at no cost, they never left me as they were never really attached to me, other than i put shows on and they participated, to which they are free to promote themselves how they see fit on any given show/competiton

dont get me wrong i did feel a little none appreciated when and how they left my company, fighters come and go thats just the way it is nothing personal i am sure

i do feel matching jordan anytime within 6 months is neglegable (think spealt correct not familiar with thtat word lol)
dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 10:58:46
"negligible" lol spell check is a winner winner chicken dinner!!!
Nephilim
Posted: 2010-10-06 12:25:38
Mark L I only read half of your last post before deciding you're an idiot. "magic" is what i call things that are bloody physically impossible. When I completely shattered both bones in my lower arm, im pretty damn sure that no matter how much i really really wanted it to heal fine, it bloody wouldnt have. Ever seen the second harry potter movie when his forearm gets turned to jelly? thats what it was like.

Now frnakly, you can batter on about mental feckin drugs like immunozen which claim to heal everything from genital herpes and gout to cancer and aids but frankly mate, I get pretty damn angry when you start harping on and giving someone information which is just damned likely to get them bloody well hurt. And the thing with these injuries is that you sometimes only get one extra chance!

Keep your bloody mystical new age medicine mumbo jumbo to your bloody self and dont EVER tell anyone that absolute utter crap again when its just likely to get someone hurt! Its goddamn irresponsible!

Oh and prayer sometimes has effect for a very simple feckin reason - PLACEBO. Its the only reason why any of that bloody crap you believe in has any sort of effect whatsoever.
dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 15:47:12
WTF think I just cracked a rib laughing at that one... But spot on tho teehee
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 15:52:32
i agree with nephilim ,well said ,after all we are talking about a young lads safty .mick asked for advice not a load of shit .
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:18:55
jon i spoke to jordon a couple of weeks ago when you told me he hurt his arm in training ,he told me it was ok ,i never new it was broke clean in half.no body told me that bit .

plus one more thing bro ,in your previous post you state jordon only fought on our shows but i remember going out of my way to attend your class to personal train jordon free of charge because he was training at our gym !!!!

one more thing i new he was training with mick a couple of times but i never new he had stopped training at our gym . i thought because of his injuary he was just taking time of .
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:29:48
poor jordon he was doing ok with us ,he didnt need to go train anywhere els he was doing just great .

why do fighters leve when they are doing just great where they are . it really gets me mad when you put so much heart into them and they just turn and walk away .

why why why .
bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:40:42
jon the next time a fighter leves our gym when everything is going well for them and they dont move on to better things i will personally go kick there f*****g ass my self .


i just want you fighters to no ,us as trainers put our hearts and souls into you and only ever want wots best for you ,so please have a heart your selfs and think about that when you are walking away .


bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:45:17
is it souls or soles lol i ant got a spell checker like dragonfoot .


jon turn your phone on and give me bobs number so i dont have to be the last to no anything .


dragonfoot
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:46:34
Well said Bridie, but as said above this is nothing personal against Mick, just my opinion which is often misinterprited, I'm too busy taking the piss to make some one look bad ;-) good luck guys
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bridie murphy1
Posted: 2010-10-06 16:58:58
im not been personal against mick im just bloody mad ,we put our all into them to make them great ,i put my life into them ,i put my fight into them ,i give them my heart and they tear it up like it was just a lump of f*****g playdo .
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