24-year-old man breaks his arm while arm wrestling with friend

GĐXH - Doctors from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, E Hospital have just received and treated a young man (24 years old, in Hanoi) who suffered a fractured right arm due to participating in an arm wrestling game with a friend.

MSc. Dr. Dang Van Hieu - Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, E Hospital said that the young man was admitted to the hospital with a deformed arm and limited mobility of his right elbow. X-ray results showed that the patient had a fracture of the lower third of his right humerus. This is a serious injury, with the risk of long-term effects on the function of his right arm if not treated promptly.

The patient suffered a fracture of the lower third of his right humerus. Photo: BVCC

Immediately, the patient was assigned emergency surgery to return the broken bone to its correct anatomical position while ensuring the normal function of the right arm in the future. Fortunately, the patient showed no signs of nerve damage - a common complication in complex humeral fractures. After a comprehensive assessment, the doctors decided to perform bone fixation surgery with screws and plates. This is a modern and popular technique in the treatment of humeral fractures, bringing high efficiency in helping patients with fractures heal quickly, firmly fix the fracture site and create favorable conditions for the bone healing process.

Dr. Hieu explained that the humerus is a large bone of the upper limb but is still at risk of fracture if subjected to strong force. Especially in antagonistic activities such as arm wrestling, fractures occur due to the twisting mechanism. Players often apply a great deal of force to the arm when the elbow is fixed in a flexed position, leading to a great deal of force being concentrated on the lower 1/3 of the humerus, which is the transition area between the circular and triangular cross-sections of the bone. At the same time, there are some natural grooves on the bone shaft, causing the fracture to often have a complex diagonal shape and may be accompanied by loose fragments. The jagged condition of the fracture will make it difficult for surgeons to return the bone fragments to their anatomical position, increasing the risk of damage to the radial nerve, ulnar nerve and nearby blood vessels. This not only affects the long-term motor function of the right arm, but also increases the risk of complications such as infection or stiffness after surgery.

In addition, some people also use tricks such as changing the direction of twisting or suddenly increasing the force, which will accidentally increase the risk of bone fracture. In particular, in people who participate in arm wrestling, the muscle system in the arm area is often very strong, but the shape of the bone often does not change. Therefore, participating in this game has a high risk of leading to bone fracture. Dr. Hieu explained further.

Participating in arm wrestling games has a high risk of leading to broken bones. Photo: BVCC

The advantage for young people is that the ability to fully recover from injury is often more favorable thanks to stable bone healing physiology and the ability to practice active rehabilitation than the elderly group. In this case, after surgery, young men will be instructed by experts to perform appropriate exercise to increase muscle strength, improve the range of motion of the hand and minimize the risk of complications such as joint stiffness or muscle weakness.

Doctors stressed that this case is a reminder of the potential risks when participating in high-impact sports such as arm wrestling, especially when players do not fully understand the techniques or exceed their own physical limits. To avoid unfortunate injuries, playing sports must be done safely, reasonably and always pay attention to the body's ability to withstand force.

Doctors recommend that before participating in strong competitive sports such as arm wrestling, players need to understand the techniques and understand the limits of their body's strength to avoid serious injuries. To ensure safety, players should pay attention to controlling force and avoid movements that put great pressure on the arm bones, avoid performing strong twisting movements or sudden changes in force while playing because it can cause serious injuries such as broken bones or affect joints and muscles. In case of signs of unusual pain, stop immediately to avoid more serious injuries and go to a reputable medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment, preventing dangerous complications.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/nam-thanh-nien-24-tuoi-gay-tay-vi-tham-gia-tro-choi-nay-voi-ban-172250116163730492.htm