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Full Elbow Replacement at age 51

Posted , 5 users are following.

tony3057
tony3057

Had my first elbow operation 2012 after locking and grinding. Cleaned and bone growth taken off. NHS Consultant explained all smooth cartelidge surfaces have worn down with arthritis. At 51 it hasn’t been recommended by the NHS or Now a Private Consultant to have a full elbow replacement. It’s neen suggested by Consultants that the prosthetic elbow joint would only be suitable for older people (no offence) but they’d what the Consultants said. I think they are wrong and I would benifit as I have excellent muscle and tendons, by doing this at my age would help with sever pain and restricted movement. It’s got that sever that the radial head dislocated and elbow completely locked up. 

My question to anyone out there that can help that has had a full elbow surgery, radial, ulnar, humerus and how has it worked out? What ages ? 

TIA

Tony 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • dorothy29363
    dorothy29363 tony3057

    Posted

    Hi Tony,   I’m 55 and I’m going to receive my elbow replacement oct 1.   I was also told I was to young.  Every doctor I’ve to have all said I need one done but I’m to young.   So I went to a University and they will be doing it for me.   Where do you live?
    • tony3057
      tony3057 dorothy29363

      Posted

      I live in Wales UK they all seem reluctant but I’m willi h to take my chances than carry on with this pain
  • jaw1204
    jaw1204 tony3057

    Posted

    Hi I had full elbow replacement in 2014 at the age of 55. I had no choice as my elbow was smashed. Best thing I could have done. However it comes with weight restrictions etc and a risk that it will need replacing again at some point. I drive , I swim , I carry light stuff with no pain at all. So it is probably dependant in how severe your current problem is as there is no going back. 
    • tony3057
      tony3057 jaw1204

      Posted

      Thank you for the reply. Good to hear it’s working for you but bad to hear it was so severely damaged. 

      I’ve now been given early medical retired as the elbow was one of the factors in several medical disabilities,so I have no intention of having it done and then abuse it. So any future work would be with no impact on the joint. Your right by saying there’s no going back and thought this through for several years now and think if the prosthetic wears or becomes loose then hopefully that won’t be until I’m very much fully retired. 

  • pknaturgrl
    pknaturgrl tony3057

    Posted

    I had one in Oct 2016 and just had a revision of the first one 8 weeks ago. They don't like to do them on younger people because they are too active and "wear them out" before their time with overuse, like happened to me in just 18 months. One thing I have learned is these elbows are fragile, need to be babied or they start to cause you problems. I got metalosis from wearing my bushings straight through and he had to take a bunch of tissue in my arm and now I have pot holes in my elbow area!

    • tony3057
      tony3057 pknaturgrl

      Posted

      Yes I think that’s what they are worried about. However I’m very much retired from any heavy repetitive stress on the elbow. But would like to be able to lightly exercise and be pain free. My left elbow is going the same way and has early stages of grinding. 
  • pknaturgrl
    pknaturgrl tony3057

    Posted

    I am told no more than 2-5 pounds to lift, push , pull or other forms of leaning and force pressures.. I did not "over lift" but I was guilty of pushing and pulling stuff on carts or in the water. I just measured a lot of my common activities: pushing off a chair or the ground: 10-25 pounds, crawl stroke in water: 25-35 pounds of pressure, punching the water as in water aerobics: 10-20 pounds, depending on the depth and force of push, pulling a cart with swim stuff in it: 10 pounds.All these weights are affected by the force applied also. I am wearing a sling most of the time now to break the habit of using my right arm, at least for 30 days. I'm told it it takes 30 days to make/break habits, and I have spent 64 years practicing a right handed dominance. . These "fake joints" have their limits but they do give us a pain free life with better mobility at the trade off of not being able to carry much weight. I am now losing my L wrist because of overuse and the same degenerative bone disease. YIKES!!

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