What is Radial Head Fracture

Radial head fracture is a break (fracture) in the smaller bone in your forearm (radius). There are two bones in your forearm. The radius, or radial bone, is the bone on the side of your thumb.

The break is at the head of the bone, which is at the elbow joint. These breaks usually happen because of an injury, such as falling on your arm when you are reaching out with it.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a splint or sling:

• Wear the splint or sling as told by your doctor. Remove it only as told by your doctor.
• Loosen the splint if your fingers tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint or sling clean and dry.

If you have a cast:

• Do not stick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin.
• Check the skin around the cast every day. Tell your doctor about any concerns.
• You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do not put lotion on the skin under the cast.

Bathing

• Do not take baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your doctor says it is okay. Ask your doctor if you can take showers. You may only be allowed to take sponge baths for bathing.
• If your doctor says it is okay for you to take baths or showers, you may need to cover the cast or splint with a plastic bag to protect it from water.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If directed, put ice on the injured area.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• Move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.

Driving

• Do not drive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
• Ask your doctor when it is safe to drive if you have a cast, splint, or sling on your arm.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as told by your doctor. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you.
• Do exercises as told by your doctor or physical therapist (PT).

General instructions

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Do not put pressure on any part of the cast or splint until it is fully hardened. This may take many hours.
• Do not use any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. Tobacco can delay bone healing. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

Contact a doctor if:

• You have problems with your cast or splint.
• You have pain or swelling that gets worse.

Get help right away if:

• You have very bad pain when you stretch your fingers.
• You have fluid or a bad smell coming from your splint.
• Your hand or fingers get cold or turn pale or blue.
• You lose feeling in any part of your hand or arm.

Radial Head Elbow Fracture Rehab

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Range of motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your injured elbow. These exercises also help to relieve pain, numbness, and tingling. These exercises are done using the muscles in your injured elbow.

Exercise A: Elbow flexion, active

1. Hold your left / right arm at your side, and bend your elbow as far as you can using your left / right arm muscles.
2. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise B: Elbow extension, active

1. Hold your left / right arm at your side, and straighten your elbow as much as you can using your left / right arm muscles.
2. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise C: Forearm rotation, supination, active

1. Stand or sit with your elbows at your sides.
2. Bend your left / right elbow to an “L” shape (90 degrees).
3. Turn your palm upward until you feel a gentle stretch on the inside of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release, and return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise D: Forearm rotation, pronation, active

1. Stand or sit with your elbows at your sides.
2. Bend your left / right elbow to an “L” shape (90 degrees).
3. Turn your left / right palm downward until you feel a gentle stretch on the top of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release, and return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Stretching exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your injured elbow. These exercises also help to relieve pain, numbness, and tingling. These exercises are done using your healthy elbow to help stretch the muscles in your injured elbow.

Exercise E: Elbow flexion, active-assisted

1. Hold your left / right arm at your side, and bend your elbow as much as you can using your left / right arm muscles.
2. Use your other hand to bend your left / right elbow farther. Do this by gently pushing up on your forearm until you feel a gentle stretch on the back of your elbow.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise F: Elbow extension, active-assisted

1. Hold your left / right arm at your side, and straighten your elbow as much as you can using your left / right arm muscles.
2. Use your other hand to straighten the left / right elbow farther. Do this by gently pushing down on your forearm until you feel a gentle stretch on the inside of your elbow.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise G: Forearm rotation, supination, active-assisted

1. Sit with your left / right elbow bent to an “L” shape (90 degrees), with your forearm resting on a table.
2. Keeping your upper body and shoulder still, rotate your forearm so your left / right palm faces upward.
3. Use your other hand to help rotate your forearm further until you feel a gentle to moderate stretch.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release the stretch and return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise H: Forearm rotation, pronation, active-assisted

1. Sit with your left / right elbow bent to an “L” shape (90 degrees), with your forearm resting on a table.
2. Keeping your upper body and shoulder still, rotate your forearm so your palm faces the tabletop.
3. Use your other hand to help rotate your forearm further until you feel a gentle to moderate stretch.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release the stretch and return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise I: Elbow flexion, supine, passive

1. Lie on your back.
2. Extend your left / right arm up in the air, bracing it with your other hand.
3. Let your left / right your hand slowly lower toward your shoulder, while your elbow stays pointed toward the ceiling. You should feel a gentle stretch along the back of your upper arm and elbow.
4. If told by your health care provider, you may increase the intensity of your stretch by adding a small wrist weight or hand weight.
5. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise J: Elbow extension, passive

1. Lie on your back. Make sure that you are in a comfortable position that lets you relax your arm muscles.
2. Place a folded towel under your left / right upper arm so your elbow and shoulder are at the same height. Straighten your left / right arm so your elbow does not rest on the bed or towel.
3. Let the weight of your hand stretch your elbow. Keep your arm and chest muscles relaxed. You should feel a stretch on the inside of your elbow.
4. If told by your health care provider, you may increase the intensity of your stretch by adding a small wrist weight or hand weight.
5. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
6. Slowly release the stretch.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your elbow. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Exercise K: Elbow flexion, isometric

1. Stand or sit up straight.
2. Bend your left / right elbow to an “L” shape (90 degrees), and turn your palm up so your forearm is at the height of your waist.
3. Place your other hand on top of your forearm. Gently push down as your left / right arm resists. Push as hard as you can with both arms without causing any pain or movement at your left / right elbow.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release the tension in both arms. Let your muscles relax completely before repeating.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise L: Elbow extensors, isometric

1. Stand or sit up straight.
2. Place your left / right arm so your palm faces your abdomen and is at the height of your waist.
3. Place your other hand on the underside of your forearm. Gently push up as your left / right arm resists. Push as hard as you can with both arms, without causing any pain or movement at your left / right elbow.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly release the tension in both arms. Let your muscles relax completely before repeating.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise M: Elbow flexion with forearm palm up

1. Sit upright on a firm chair without armrests, or stand.
2. Place your left / right arm at your side with your palm facing forward.
3. Holding a __________weight or gripping a rubber exercise band or tubing, bend your elbow to bring your hand toward your shoulder.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________times. Complete this exercise __________times a day.

Exercise N: Elbow extension

1. Sit on a firm chair without armrests, or stand.
2. Keeping your upper arms at your sides, bring both hands up toward your left / right shoulder while gripping a rubber exercise band or tubing. Your left / right hand should be just below the other hand.
3. Straighten your left / right elbow.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Control the resistance as your hand returns to your side.

Repeat __________times. Complete this exercise __________times a day.

Exercise O: Forearm rotation, supination

1. Sit with your left / right forearm supported on a table. Keep your elbow at waist height.
2. Rest your hand over the edge of the table with your palm facing down.
3. Gently hold a lightweight hammer.
4. Without moving your elbow, slowly rotate your forearm to turn your palm and hand upward to a “thumbs-up” position.
5. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________times. Complete this exercise __________times a day.

Exercise P: Forearm rotation, pronation

1. Sit with your left / right forearm supported on a table. Keep your elbow below shoulder height.
2. Rest your hand over the edge of the table with your palm facing up.
3. Gently hold a lightweight hammer.
4. Without moving your elbow, slowly rotate your forearm to turn your palm and hand upward to a “thumbs-up” position.
5. Hold this position for __________seconds.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________times. Complete this exercise __________times a day.