Broke my arm :(

[nate379]

Couple weeks ago I was outside and noticed that my gutter downpipe was solid of ice and water was overflowing, pouring into the soffit area and down the back of the siding.

I pulled it off and put it in the garage to melt. Next day I went to put it back up. Had some tools in my hands, stepped on the very thin layer of ice and boom, I fell down. I used my right arm to stop the fall since my hands were full. Landed a few inches in front of the elbow.

Didn't think much of it, got up and made sure no one saw me and was laughing . Well last week my arm was still killing me. Ugly deep black bruise that looked like I had smeared coal tar all over my arm. Wasn't just sore but in my bones pain, more so when using it. I'm on some pretty decent painkillers for my back so I knew it was pretty bad if I could still feel it.

Went to the Dr. and yup, it's broken. Cracked the Ulna. I asked if I could be without a cast and they said to just be be careful and it will be ok. It's lined up and set so just needs to heal up is all. I figured it's be real fun trying to run a chainsaw with a cast right?

I've been wrapping it up tight with some Ace bandage and that seems to help some.

 

[StihlHead]

Well, the OEC/medical first responder in me would advise you to avoid chainsawing with a broken ulna. The vibration is not what you want for bones to heal. Some exercise is OK, but not a lot. This further stuff I cannot tell people in the first aid room, as I am not a medical doctor. However, what I can say here is that if *I* had a broken ulna, I would keep it elevated to avoid the throbbing, and ice it for 20 minutes a day, or even twice a day. I use blue ice & hot gel packs and keep them in the freezer. I would put a paper towel or thin dish towel over my skin to keep it from being in contact and frozen by the gel packs. Ice is my friend to help reduce the swelling and inflamation. I would also take Aleve or Advil, as they are good anti-inflammatory drugs. Swelling can cause further tissue damage and result in secondary infections. I would also ease up on the ace bandages, as I want good blood flow and I would not want to trap or pool blood toward my fingers. Elevating it helps to reduce the blood flow and the throbbing.

 

[nate379]

I can't take most over the counter meds with the pain killers I'm on. I already take meds for arthritis though.

 

[btuser]

I've busted bones and done "what I have to do" to get back to work. 10 years later I regret it.

You may have a lucky break but a couple weeks of R&R isn't the worst thing for a body, at least for the first bit of healing. Find an old series on Netflix. Some of the British shows are hilarious. I find myself looking back for old episodes of Cheers. Sucks though, here comes the good weather. Good luck.

 

[nate379]

I wish. Been putting in 18-20hr days getting crap done and ready for wood cutting season.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Sad to hear about this Nate. Just do yourself a favor and don't overdo it. Here's wishing you a fast and good healing.

 

[StihlHead]

Yah, I would take care of Number One. Nothing has a higher priority. You would be better off healing it right than having to live with complications later on (meaning more pain). Never mind your back issues, I was in intensive physical therapy for my degenerative back for years and I have been on a complete array of meds for that. I am off of them all now, and I have a routine that includes not overdoing things, regardless of the priority or how many demands are put on me.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hey StihlHead, I'd be interested in learning what all you have done with your back because it sounds a lot like the one I have to live with.

Sorry Mods for being a bit off topic here but yes, we can start another thread or go to private conversation.

 

[nate379]

With it being a hairline fracture there isn't a huge chance of causing more injury unless I'm stupid! The Dr wouldn't have let me go without a cast if he felt I needed one. (I hope anyway!).

After I broke my back, I only went to the hospital 2 weeks later. I was carrying 70lb bundles of roofing up and down ladders the whole time! Sure it didn't feel great, but the roof needed to get done and I thought I had just bruised/tweaked a few muscles. The Dr didn't understand how I could be walking even. I guess I have a really high pain tolerance. Had 2 fractured vertebrae and 3 blown discs!

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I broke my upper arm clean through falling through a floor. Weirdest sensation for about 5 weeks till it started to knit up again.took 13 week total to actually heal.Couldnt do squat for that period of time.I watched a LOT of movies on netflix for 3 months and never ran out of supply.

 

[osagebow]

I've busted bones and done "what I have to do" to get back to work. 10 years later I regret it.

You may have a lucky break but a couple weeks of R&R isn't the worst thing for a body, at least for the first bit of healing. Find an old series on Netflix. Some of the British shows are hilarious. I find myself looking back for old episodes of Cheers. Sucks though, here comes the good weather. Good luck.

. I concur! Elevate, ice,Cheers episodes and a double Screaming Viking. Slightly bruise the cucumber.

 

[StihlHead]

With it being a hairline fracture there isn't a huge chance of causing more injury unless I'm stupid! The Dr wouldn't have let me go without a cast if he felt I needed one. (I hope anyway!).

After I broke my back, I only went to the hospital 2 weeks later. I was carrying 70lb bundles of roofing up and down ladders the whole time! Sure it didn't feel great, but the roof needed to get done and I thought I had just bruised/tweaked a few muscles. The Dr didn't understand how I could be walking even. I guess I have a really high pain tolerance. Had 2 fractured vertebrae and 3 blown discs!

You broke your back in 2 places and you were still lifting roofing bundles? Wow. Doctors will pretty much agree to whatever people want to de these days. I had a concussion a few years ago opening a lift and hitting the ice at 8,000 feet elevation and the doctor told me to not ski for a week. He should have told me not to ski for a month. I was seeing stars every time I hit a bump on my skis. I opted to work in the rescue center for the next month instead of patrolling the slopes.

If I may ask, how old are you?

 

[StihlHead]

Hey StihlHead, I'd be interested in learning what all you have done with your back because it sounds a lot like the one I have to live with.

Sorry Mods for being a bit off topic here but yes, we can start another thread or go to private conversation.

Can discuss privately. Its a very long story and I have had 20 or so doctors and 10 or so types of therapy and I have been on about every drug known to man. Degenerative spine disease, L4/L5 & L5/S1. Bilateral sciatica and other symptoms. Started when I was about 30 when playing tennis and using a trapeze harness in a Hobie Cat catamaran sailboat (I used to race them on Mission Bay in San Diego). I had lumbago for quite a while (could not stand up straight). I had to stop playing tennis, stop sailing, and slow down. But I can still hike, snow ski and white water kayak... and do a lot of other stuff. I can sling a chainsaw around and swing an 8 pound maul and split wood. I avoided surgery (spinal fusion was offered, and I declined). I had some other radical and conventional therapies that I can get into off line.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Nate, just take it easy on that arm for a few weeks. Sorry it broke, but you'll be sorrier in the long run if you stress it too much. Give it a break (?). I've broken a few and tried to work it out, so to speak. I now regret not letting them heal properly.

 

[bogydave]

Will heal faster if you give it a rest.

Being "Macho" with a broken or cracked bone don't work well
Every-time it's flexed , the healing it did has to start over.

Get well. Summer gets here in 4 weeks