# How to help a fractured elbow **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552 "2015-12-15T18:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GiJoe007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@GiJoe007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiJoe007)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/1 "2015-12-15T18:58:44Z")
Hi again, A couple years ago now, I made a post about an arm injury I had received at camp. I didn’t realize at the time that I had fractured my elbow. I just kept moving it, working-out, doing push-ups, attending Karate classes, etc, hoping it would self-heal. (For any who may scold me for not going to a doctor, I did make an appointment a couple weeks later, but I guess my doc dismissed me because I wasn’t whining enough, so no official diagnosis was ever made). I didn’t even put ice on the darn thing! Now I’m frustrated because it aches and cracks frequently, and certain movements (such as wiping a table or waving my arm) can at times be somewhat painful. At this stage in the game, does anyone know if there is anything I can do? (I don’t mean official physical therapy; let the people with real problems go). I mean something I (personally) can do: some movement to strengthen the joint, or something I can cut out of my diet…? I’m very tired of having this problem. Thanks so much for taking the time! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/2 "2015-12-15T19:07:46Z")
If you’re looking for some kind of magical treatment or cure that doesn’t involve a medical professional, I’m pretty sure you’re out of luck. You’re going to need to see an orthopedist. They’ll likely do x-rays. If it healed wrong, they may have re-break it and set it correctly, possibly involving surgery and pins, plates, or screws. ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/3 "2015-12-15T19:08:45Z")
If it was broken and didn’t heal properly then you have bone in the wrong place or messed up ligaments. Diet and exercise aren’t going to fix that. Talk to a doctor, I’m pretty sure you need an X-ray and then the doctors can see what’s wrong and if it can be fixed with surgery. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/4 "2015-12-15T19:12:14Z")
How do you know you fractured your elbow? ---
**Author:** ![GiJoe007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@GiJoe007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiJoe007)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/5 "2015-12-15T19:17:17Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > How do you know you fractured your elbow? I had all the symptoms that were posted online… a huge, rock-hard , blue lump under the joint that was hit (some guy hit me at the joint, that’s what caused the break), my fingers swelled until they touched, I was in shock and staggering around like an idiot, I couldn’t raise my arm past my chest without it shaking uncontrollably, I couldn’t brush my hair, I couldn’t even put any pressure on it (like play the piano) without incredible pain, I just wanted to keep it bent at my side… there may have been more symptoms, but I forget. It seemed fractured to me. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/6 "2015-12-15T19:20:41Z")
All of those could also be consistent with connective tissue (ligament/tendon) tears. Either way, you should really go and see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/7 "2015-12-16T20:11:25Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > All of those could also be consistent with connective tissue (ligament/tendon) tears. Either way, you should really go and see a doctor. +1 More Doctor, Less Kung-Woo. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/8 "2015-12-16T20:59:48Z")
As someone who did have a broken elbow, I seriously doubt it was broken and you were still doing workouts and pushups. For 1, a broken elbow won’t lock, so unless they were 1 handed pushups, it wasn’t broken. And it’s my understanding that the bicep will contract a broken elbow to a T-rex arm. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/9 "2015-12-16T21:15:17Z")
You really think there is something you could cut out of your diet to help your injured elbow not hurt anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-help-a-fractured-elbow/740552/10 "2015-12-16T21:17:21Z")
> [@GiJoe007](#): > > (I don’t mean official physical therapy; let the people with real problems go) Like people having motion problems? I don’t think you understand what physical therapy is.