Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation)

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (Georgia)

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 05:26:17 GMT

kat

Georgia,
Pain is okay mostly. When I,m at therapy tho it can be pretty intense. You say you have limited movement, what can you not do now that was possible before injury?

I can't raise my left arm much more than shoulder height unless I'm lying on the floor and using a weight to pull it back. I'm tall, so am still able to reach high cabinet shelves with just a little discomfort My insurance would not pay a penny toward PT, and I had a two-month gap in PT when I should have been going three times a week. By the time my surgeon worked out a deal with a physical therapist in his building, the scar tissue had won the battle. Gradually stretching new scar tissue is one thing, but when all the healing is complete, it's difficult. My PT mentioned a new patient whose previous PT had pushed her so hard, her bone broke while the scar tissue held firm. Yikes. I won't forget that story! I think PT has to be early and frequent to be effective. Unfortunately, some insurance companies think, "Go forth and be disabled."

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (kat)

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:13:38 GMT

Georgia,
Pain is okay mostly. When I,m at therapy tho it can be pretty intense. You say you have limited movement, what can you not do now that was possible before injury?

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (Georgia)

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:15:45 GMT

Kat, How's your level of pain? I learned a lot of ways to get around the disability in the first few months, but the pain was awful. I'm a light sleeper, anyway, and the nights were LONG.

After 15 months, I still have some limitations in range of motion, but my strength has improved. I would describe it as stiff and uncomfortable most of the time, with a little achy pain all the way down to my fingers. However, this is huge progress for me. I've been able to work on some projects around the house.

Georgia (shoulderdiary blog on Word Press)

kat

I am a middle aged female who broke the humerus bone greater tuberosity severely in 7 fragments. Had surgery Dec 28,2011 with openreduction and plate w/screws. It is now about 9 weeks post surgery and have had 11 physio treatments. I have no strength, cannot lift or use my right arm to even feed myself or do my hair in a normal manner Very discouraged as I play violin and my surgeon tells me it was a life changing break & it could take a year!

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (kat)

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:55:33 GMT

I am a middle aged female who broke the humerus bone greater tuberosity severely in 7 fragments. Had surgery Dec 28,2011 with openreduction and plate w/screws. It is now about 9 weeks post surgery and have had 11 physio treatments. I have no strength, cannot lift or use my right arm to even feed myself or do my hair in a normal manner Very discouraged as I play violin and my surgeon tells me it was a life changing break & it could take a year!

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (Georgia)

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:28:10 GMT

Daisy, I feel for you. It is a really long recovery. A year later, I still feel some tightness and discomfort, and have limited range of motion. If I continued to do physical therapy exercises *every* day, I'm sure I would feel better. However, I am much more functional. I don't think I can add a link here, but if you Google shoulderdiary you might find the blog I've kept for the last year. I hope it doesn't discourage you. It really does (SLOWLY) get better. Stop in if you want.

daisyduke

hi i am a 47yold lady i broke my humerous in 4 parts last may i fell down steps surgeons said it was like i had been in a car crash,they put me in a traction slint for 9 wks i was in so much pain couldnt lie down had to sit up it was a nightmare, they then decided on surgery orif in august this year , its 11 wks since surgery although i can use my arm about 50% i am still in a lot of pain and tightness . i find swimming helps alot even more than physio,its changes my life so much , i am off sick from my nursing job dont even know if i can return ive put on loads of wieght and i am generally pissed off ,i think its going to be a long recovery, so you are far from alone in your suffering
daisyduke

Re:Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (daisyduke)

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:17:43 GMT

hi i am a 47yold lady i broke my humerous in 4 parts last may i fell down steps surgeons said it was like i had been in a car crash,they put me in a traction slint for 9 wks i was in so much pain couldnt lie down had to sit up it was a nightmare, they then decided on surgery orif in august this year , its 11 wks since surgery although i can use my arm about 50% i am still in a lot of pain and tightness . i find swimming helps alot even more than physio,its changes my life so much , i am off sick from my nursing job dont even know if i can return ive put on loads of wieght and i am generally pissed off ,i think its going to be a long recovery, so you are far from alone in your suffering
daisyduke

Proximal Humerus Head Fracture - ORIF (Open Reduction, Internal Fixation) (Georgia)

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 07:38:06 GMT

I'm not a body builder by a long shot, but I am physically active. On Oct 14th I fell down a steep 12' embankment and fractured my left shoulder in about 5 places. There were displaced fractures of the humerus and the head, and damage to the socket.

My shoulder was immobilized for 12 days before ORIF surgery on Oct. 26th. In the hospital, my immobilizing sling was dismantled and half of it was lost in the OR or recovery room, so I was sent home without a sling. My understanding is that the shoulder should have been immobilized for four days after surgery, but that's neither hear nor there now.   I'm starting physical therapy on Dec. 1st.

My surgeon is a man of few words when it comes to specific instructions, so most of my info is from the internet. I'd love to communicate with other patients who have gone through this surgery.

One month after surgery, the pain at the incision is relentless, sometimes feeling like a burning poker, and sometimes like Yellow Jacket stings.   When I'm awake and upright, the pain level usually is about a 5 on a scale of one to ten.

When I recline, even just leaning back on pillows, the pain level rises and sometimes stays at a 10 for quite awhile. I feel a lot of pressure inside the upper arm, a general aching in my chest, shoulder, arm, and fingers, and stinging pain at the incision. I'm taking Percocet at night every four hours, and trying to stick with Tylenol in the daytime. I have not had a restful night since the accident.

My left upper arm to just below the elbow is still swollen to about 1/3 larger than the other arm, and still about 2 shades darker. This is a great improvement from two weeks ago, but I have not seen any lessening of the swelling in a week. Someone suggested that it might be Lymphedema and that it probably will resolve on its own.

If anyone is going through this recovery, or has gotten to the other side (is there another side?), I'd love to hear about your experience. I'm still not able to drive or work.