There’s nothing quite like an injury to derail your fitness goals. And when you’ve been making progress with weightlifting, a broken arm may leave you sidelined for some time.
Generally, a bone fracture takes six to eight weeks to heal, says Cleveland Clinic. The specific type, location, and severity of the fracture determine how quickly you can get back to lifting.
What Bone Fracture Types Mean for Recovery Time
A nondisplaced fracture is the least serious type of arm break, according to Cleveland Clinic. It’s a broken bone that remains in alignment, often requiring less medical intervention to heal correctly.
Displaced fractures, on the other hand, result in a gap around where the fracture occurred due to the pieces of bone moving so much. These are more likely to require surgery to repair.
It also matters whether the fracture is open or closed. This relates to whether the bone did or didn’t pierce the skin. In terms of healing, open fractures tend to be more complicated than closed fractures, with an increased risk of infection and other complications, reports Cleveland Clinic.
If you needed surgery to treat your broken arm, doctors may have inserted hardware around the fractured areas, says Mayo Clinic. These types of screws, wires, and plates are designed to heal broken bones by holding them together while they regrow. Often, the hardware is left in place.
According to Mount Sinai, some people need to remove their hardware for medical or personal reasons. This procedure adds an extra step to the healing process. If removing the hardware is required, you’ll likely need to wait longer than the standard six to eight weeks for the affected bone material to regrow.
Recovering From a Forearm Fracture
A forearm fracture can involve either the radius, the ulna, or both, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). A double break can potentially extend the time it will take to heal the broken bones.
If you don’t need surgery, your doctor may clear you for light weightlifting as part of your rehabilitation once you’ve worn a cast for four to six weeks, if your physical therapy is going well, and if your X-rays show your bone continuing to heal correctly, explains Johns Hopkins Medicine.
However, if you need surgery, you’ll likely need to wait another six weeks after your procedure to lift weights.
Rehabbing an Elbow Fracture
An elbow fracture can potentially involve several bones, says the AAOS. Surgery is usually required for an elbow fracture involving the tip as well as for a displaced fracture of the humerus. A nondisplaced fracture may only involve a splint.
Weightlifting is prohibited for at least three weeks following a nonsurgical elbow fracture and for at least six weeks following one that requires surgery, says the AAOS. Specific rehabilitation plans depend on your body and your healthcare provider.
Most people return to their normal level of activity after about four months, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Healing From an Upper Arm Fracture
Your upper arm bone, the humerus bone, is crucial because it connects your shoulder and elbow joints. The upper part of the humerus, the proximal humerus, can restrict shoulder movement after a fracture and cause severe pain and tenderness, says the AAOS.
While surgery is not needed in most cases, recovery typically takes months, according to Cleveland Clinic. Physical therapy is also needed to improve range of motion before weightlifting enters the equation.
Depending on your specific break and healing process, your doctor will advise you on when it’s safe to begin lifting weights again.
Coming Back From a Wrist Fracture
Your wrist comprises the radius and ulna, plus several smaller carpal bones. Given this complex structure, the extent of a broken wrist injury varies significantly from person to person, as does the recovery time, says the AAOS.
Treatment can range from a cast that comes off in a matter of weeks to a postsurgical recovery period in which stiffness remains for up to a year, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Before you resume weightlifting, your healthcare team needs to determine how much strain you can put on your wrist without reinjuring yourself.
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