Elbow update: 46 days post-op

Back to the hospital today for my first follow up appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. David Gladu. He says my recovery is coming along very well, the new x-rays show the bone is healing up but still has a few weeks to go before it's completely mended. He says I have a very good prognosis to be back to normal with full range of motion after a few more months. For now, the lingering inflammation and tight ligaments- a result of the trauma from both the injury and surgery- are keeping the elbow from its full range of motion.

Dr. Gladu is an avid cyclist himself and we spent a good deal of our visit chatting about riding in Colorado, huge climbs up Mt. Evans and the Triple Bypass Ride, the Tour de France and my fave Cadel Evans, and the upcoming USA Pro Challenge cycling race right here in Colorado. It's reassuring to know that my surgeon personally understands my desire and insistence to regain strong cycling form. He did, however, suggest I not ride until I'm more fully healed, as a crash could potentially re-break the bone and require another, more difficult, surgery to fix it a second time. I didn't exactly reveal that I've been riding (very carefully) every day for the past 5 weeks. Don't ask, don't tell. I finished my appointments, rode home and went to work. On my bike.

I also saw a physical therapist for the first time today- she also says I'm coming along just fine and everything I've been doing on my own so far is just what I ought to be doing. She measured my range of motion: flexion is 135 degrees, compared to 145 degrees with my right arm. Extension is more problematic, I can currently only straighten it to 25 degrees but am aiming for 0 degrees, fully straight. Lots more stretching in the next few months should really improve this, then focus more heavily on regaining strength.

Here's some interesting photos of my bionic arm nowadays. The first is a diptych of the original break and the repair. The second is other views of the metal hardware (long pins and the tension band wire) holding me together. In all likelihood, this hardware will be removed eventually once the bone is completely healed.