Broke my arm doing arm wrestling

I was out with some mates on Tuesday night, basically for the first catch up of the new year, because I had been away before that.

It was early, a bit after 9. I had had 4 beers in the night so far. We were having a great time. Somehow arm wrestling started up, the bar we were at.

I did my right arm with one of my mates who is a fair bit bigger and he eventually beat me.

Then an acquaintance (my size) I know through one of my mates put his arm on the table. I told him to do left arm instead (which is my dominant arm, since I had just done the right).

We are going at it and he is gradually winning. All of a sudden, there is a loud crash near my arm.

I thought a bouncer had hit my arm because we weren't meant to be doing it in the bar, but then one of my close mates starts going on about my arm.

I look down. It is bent at a weird angle above the elbow and I can't control it. Fortunately the skin is intact.

My mate takes me outside and I wait while he calls an ambulance.

I spent the night in hospital in a lot of pain, and eventually got a cast on it (broken humerus).

I'm now off work and can't do anything active. Pain still is there and varies during the day depending on how much I move.

I had made good gains through my weights in the last 10 months (about 30 pounds of muscle) and I never thought something like this would happen.

But apparently arm wrestling can put more force on the humerus than any other activity. I am also sorry to say that there was probably a flaw in my technique which also led to the injury.

I will have the cast on for at least 6 weeks. Bone will probably not regrow to 80% strength for 3 months. So I will basically have to restart at whatever level I have fallen to then.

It is too late for me and I have to move on. Thinking about before it had happened will only make me feel worse.

For anyone reading this, think before you arm wrestle, and make sure you understand proper technique.

I know I will never be doing it again.

Very sorry to hear that, mate As a fellow lifter who's had to work hard to get to where I am, I feel the pain of losing it.

Hope recovery goes well.

On a positive note, I've heard of lifters who suffered similar or worse injuries but made very successful comeback and got even stronger. You'll find a way.

Here's an inspiring video from a champion who recovered from a horrific injury to win gold medal in weightlifting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj-gyl-e4y0&feature=player_embedded

That sucks man. Unfortunately there isn't a lot you can do at this stage until everything heals up. In the larger scope of things 3 months really isn't a huge amount of time. Given your muscle memory your gains should come back nicely.

Im' assuming you can still do at least something for your legs?

Damn man that is a tough break (no pun intended). I've seen a couple videos of arm wrestlers who fractured their humerus....the amount of torque it puts on that bone is unbelievable.

Focus on what you can do---hopefully some lower body stuff, and your other arm. I think in 6 months or so you should be handling some decent weight again, just take it slow.

Thanks guys.

Where there's a will there's a way. The video Jitterbug posted was very motivational.

At the moment the pain is still too bad to do too much.

Even stuff like getting up out of a chair, I have to be careful, because if I lean my torso too far forward it causes pain in the arm.

But hopefully soon, the pain will reduce a bit and I can look at doing something for my legs and other side of my body.

I just have to keep focused on the longer term and do what I can in the meantime.

That sucks man.

But don't sit around the rest of this winter. This last month of winter the stinkin' thinkin' can really set in on you, especially if you're sitting around with a broken arm doing nothing.

Try to get on a stationary bike, anything.

Thanks mate,

Will do, although it's summer over here.

Have got a stationary bike and will be keeping a log of my progress for motivational purposes:


http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=181483