So...three days ago as my reward for exercising i fell off my bike and broke my elbow...i have lost 8 lbs so far but am still 20 lbs from my goal...i am bummed. BUT i don't want this to set me back too much. i'm hoping that maybe i can even keep losing as long as i watch what i eat and if anyone has any exercise tips that would be awesome...so far i can only do the elliptical which is sad cuz i am a runner but that hurts too much. also...i have been lifting weights diligently and am sad that i will probably have to see my toner arms fade away...i usually try and lift as heavy as i can but will lower weights still help keep my muscle in my back, abs, and legs? Thanks in advance for all replies!

Anyone?? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ?

REST THAT ELBOW - AND KEEP IT RESTED!

Is it in a cast?
I'm saying this through a TON of experiance, i've broken my elbow several times, and because of overworking it, I have damaged the bone and ligament, had to have an op a few weeks ago to remove the radial head because it was irregular shaped! I'm not even allowed to swim until I go back to the hospital. thats 3 weeks away and my op was 3 weeks ago!

Try some nice steady paced walked, I am VERY aware that walking can jar and jolt it, but walking would be nice excercise.

If it is in a cast, then just try and move your fingers, it will help you in the long run, and help reduce swelling - after a few weeks the cast might start to itch - after all the casts I've been in thats usually a good sign.

I'm not in a cast at the moment - I'm not worrying too much with weights, at least with upper body because it hurts. don't do anmything that hurts, that is not very wise, because you'll linger/damage yourself.

you need to give your elbow time to re-heal. I'm not allowed todo anything that in involves my elbow for 6 weeks. it needs to heal, and I do not want to go back into that op theatre again!!!

You broke it yesterday? I wouldn't think about excercise just yet, I can't walk for longer than 5 mins after any op/ break on my elbow for the first week.

Sorry if this is kinda long, I broke my elbow 3 times and have had 2 ops on it - so yeah, just horrible experiance.

I'd just watch what you eat for now!

Hope you recover speedily!

Just bumping , thanks

What jason said, and read The Proactive Patient and Fight the Injury Blues: Keep Lifting! - you can still create a training effect when injuried and have a speedy recovery, though you'd probably want to wait more than a day before you start anything too vigorous.

Jason~thanks for your input...thats nuts that they removed your radial head...that is what i broke and it is in a cast...friday i have to go to the ortho surgeon to see what they want to do with it for sure. i am not planning on doing any upper body lifting that would hurt! however...i read those articles that melkor posted and if i understood right it would be good to still work out my right side, like my right arm and shoulder?? did i understand that right...i just didn't want to end up with one big arm lol...i am not planning on doing anything vigorous but i just wanted some advice before i decide i am just going to be bummed and sit on my butt...lol thanks for those articles melkor too! i am really wondering if even though i might not be able to lift as heavy with my lower body as usual if it won't set me back too much muscle-wise

Also ... have any idea how much this cast weighs?? its from an inch or so over my elbow to covering my hand...how will i weigh in?

I just come off breaking my right elbow and left wrist. Doctor won't let me do much of anything even after begging I mean lots of begging. I was in two cast one weighing 5lbs the other 3lbs. During the 1st few weeks I sit in the chair and bounced my legs for 5-10 mins something like walking since it really wasn't safe for me. I also did ab work and watched everything I ate. I also walked the halls of the house, did squats, and pretty much anything with my legs that didn't hurt my arms. After the elbow cast came off after 4 weeks I started therapy where they let me lift weights if that's what you call 1lb but I took it slow. For you it may be different my doc would not relase me to do any major walking till week 10 when both cast were off.

I wish you luck I've been there. the good news is I only gained 15lbs during this time and 5lbs have nicely already came off. I'm just now getting back into my routine that I was doing before the breaks. I'm at 5 months now after the break and just got released last week to full status, but I had some major surgeries during that time to fix the bones. Truth be told I did lose muscle but it seems to be coming back quicker then I expected.

ouch! thanks for the reply harry...yeah so far the doc said i can walk...pretty much anything BUT moving my left arm in any way...the cast goes from my hand up to about an inch past my elbow and its plaster so just trying to figure out how much that might weigh...thanks for the estimates...maybe i will post again and see if i can get some more input...appreciate it!

Yep my cast covered about the same arm area. I asked the doc when he put mine on so I knew. Well at least you can walk that's will help a lot. If you can make sure you do some therapy it will help alot to get your range of motion back.