Elbow (radial head or neck) fracture

Doctors may call your injury a fracture, a break or a crack. These words all mean the same thing, so don't worry if you hear more than one of them.

With an elbow fracture, the bone isn't the only part that's hurt. Some of the soft tissues around it will also be injured. Soft tissues include the:

• muscles
• ligaments
• tendons
• nerves

A fracture of the elbow's radial head or neck usually heals between 3 to 6 weeks after the injury.

Don't be alarmed if you still have aches and discomfort after 3 to 6 weeks. This often happens when you try activities you haven't done for a while. The area can also stay more sensitive for some time after the injury, and that's normal too.

Smoking affects all your tissues, and it slows the healing of a fracture. In some people, it can stop healing altogether.

If you stop smoking while your elbow fracture heals, you give yourself the best chance of a good recovery. Get help to stop smoking.

Some medical conditions, diabetes for one, can slow down healing after an elbow fracture. Eating a healthy diet and staying active will help your recovery.

Some medicines can slow down the healing of a fracture, so if you're worried about any medicine you take, talk to a doctor about it.

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen have been shown to delay healing.

This kind of elbow fracture is stable, so you can move the joint without causing damage.

At first your elbow will feel stiff and painful. Keep moving it anyway, even if it hurts.

You may be given a collar and cuff or a sling, but only for pain relief. As your pain eases, use it less and less, because wearing it for too long can make your elbow stiff. The aim is to stop wearing the support as soon as you can, ideally within a week.

It's normal to feel some discomfort in the areas around your fracture, including:

• other soft tissues
• nearby joints
• areas that have been immobilised

The pain can change from day to day, and it doesn't always depend on what you're doing. Pain at rest is common too.

Some pain is normal even after your fracture has healed. Some people also find the fracture site becomes uncomfortable in colder weather.

Your local pharmacy can give you advice on managing pain after a fracture.

Swelling is the start of healing, so it's normal to have some near the fracture. It can then spread down your arm.

The swelling changes with:

• your position
• activity
• the time of day

Even after your fracture has healed, it's normal to have some swelling. This can last for several months.

Heavy swelling after an elbow fracture can be uncomfortable, and it can limit how well you move. There are still some things you can do to bring it down. You can try to:

• raise your arm above your heart when resting, and you can do this by supporting your elbow with pillows
• keep the other joints in your hand or arm moving normally
• avoid too much rest or too much activity
• massage the swelling

Bruising is normal after a fracture, including an elbow (radial head or neck) fracture. It can spread widely and may show up a long way from the break itself. At first it can look deep purple, and the colour may change as you recover.

A radial head or neck fracture can take 6 weeks to heal completely. While it heals, don't put stress on the joint with heavy lifting or by taking weight through it.

Don't go back to contact sports until:

• at least 6 weeks after your injury
• you're pain-free when moving

That said, keep doing the activities you can manage, as far as your pain allows. Then, over time, build up what you do a little at a time.

Your elbow may be less flexible and less strong at first, so some things will feel harder to begin with. This gets better as you slowly work back up to all your usual activities.

It's normal to feel frustrated or low after an injury like an elbow fracture. This should get better as you go back to your normal life.

An elbow fracture of the radial head or neck is a common result of a fall. So it's worth finding out why you fell in the first place. It also helps to learn how to build up your strength and balance, because that can stop you falling again.

Get advice about preventing falls

Osteoporosis is a condition that makes the bones weaker, so you're more at risk of a fracture.

Fractures linked to osteoporosis are often called fragility fractures. They happen after a minor injury, such as a small fall or bump that wouldn't normally break a bone.

Health professionals may check whether your fracture is caused by osteoporosis. This is normal if you:

• are over the age of 50
• have any risk factors for fracture

If you're worried that you may be at risk of fragility fractures, speak to your doctor. They'll be able to give you further advice.

Find out more about diagnosing osteoporosis and its risk factors

In the first few days after your elbow fracture, there are three things you should do:

• keep your shoulder, wrist and hand moving
• gently exercise your elbow to get more movement in it
• manage your pain and swelling

Between 3 to 6 weeks after your injury, you should:

• keep doing your elbow exercises, and aim for full movement
• pay particular attention to straightening your elbow and turning your palm upwards (you can add gentle pressure from your other hand to stretch these movements further)

A radial head or neck fracture of the elbow should be healed somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks after the injury, though heavy tasks may still cause some discomfort.

During this time you should aim to:

• return to full function
• resume normal day to day activity
• return to higher impact activity
• try exercises to regain elbow movement

Start your exercises as soon as you can after the injury. They help your recovery and help you get back normal use of the arm.

Think about the rest of your arm as you move it, including your fingers, wrist and shoulder. There's nothing wrong with them, so don't let them stiffen too. Keep all of them moving.

Practise the exercises for 3 to 5 minutes every hour. Short movements done often work better than one longer session once a day.

If your elbow still isn't working as it should after 6 weeks of following this advice, it's a good idea to see a doctor about your symptoms.

Your elbow does 4 movements. It turns your hand palm up and palm down. It can also straighten and bend, so your hand can touch your shoulder.

You should try exercises that practise these movements for your elbow fracture. Stop them if they make your symptoms worse or cause new pain.