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Badly broken elbow - what's realistic?
Hi runners 
So I was an idiot, went running in the snow, fell and smashed up my elbow. You can read the sorry tale over on Broken. which will save me some one handed typing but I was in surgery 6 hours, have a whole bunch of metal in my arm, in a cast wrist to armpit for at least another 10 days.
Considering a week ago I was in surgery, I'm feeling pretty ok, get a bit tired but walked 5/6 miles yesterday and today. I was training for London, which I'll need to defer, and running 5 days a week, spinning 2 and doing at least 2 weights sessions so I'm now wondering what is realistic to hope for in terms of getting back to running. The physio said once the cast is off spinning will be fine. So thats hopefully not too far off.
Ideas for keeping my fitness and not going mad gratefully received. If you've done anything similar would love to hear recovery stories, especially in terms of timescale.
I'll be following doctor's orders but currently they have told me to use the hand on my injured side as much as possible and that walking is fine.
Rachel
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Comments
Hi I broke my wrist in 4 places a few winters ago, falling on the ice. I would agree with physio, get on a bike and spin.
I saw my GP and was referred for a bone scan, which came back with slightly worring result. I had osteopenia, so now on calcium and Vit D tablets, the GP remarked that by falling at late forties and breaking bones was not right, but keep up the running as the femur bone had good strength it was the back and arm bones that had thinned. If they had not done the bone scan there would have been the chance of a fall in 10-15 years time with a broken hip as the result.
I've had bone density checked before as it was a worry as I'm an ex-dancer and was very underweight for quite a while in my teens. So I know that's not an issue right now, I was just unlucky that I landed on my hand and locked my elbow so the force shattered it. It took all the force as my wrist and shoulder didn't even ache!
I'm always covered in bruises from falling off and over things. I generally bounce very effectively!