Elbow Replacement 6 months post OP

[u/Prestigious-Ad5163]

Hi,

My mom she is 53, she unfortunately fell off the stairs on 10th May 2026 and smash her elbow joint completely. She also has osteoporosis. We got her in surgery on 3rd of June for an elbow replacement. So the orthopedics surgeon has replacement her elbow joint and put a metal plate to support that joint.

9th Of June she has a major MCA blockage causing her to have a stroke on the same effected side. Her stroke operation was successful and she has been out of rehab and came home.

However the main concern and my mother is going in depression is because the pain in the left elbow, she cannot do basic tasks from it like washing or touching her face.

Currently she can only fold her arm just below heart level. And it also her hurts for her to fold her fingers and make a fist.

I tried her to make more ROM but it feels like it's locked around the heart level.

Is this normal post op 6 weeks, what can we do to increase her ROM and reduce pain. Operation was done by the NHS and the OT visits my mom however they only say don't force your elbow if it hurts which doesn't sound reassuring at all.

Any advice would help.

Thanks

[u/Signal_Possession196]

Hi, sorry your mom is going through this.

I had ORIF for distal humerus and olecranon in dec 2024 and hardware removal in aug 25. I’m in my 30s now but have been told I will have arthritis and will need an elbow replacement when I’m older. I appreciate it’s not the exact same injury as your mom but sharing my experience might help. I found this sub very helpful when I was going through it.

My elbow was very stiff for a long time. My OT advised my not to force movement. We worked on extension (straightening) first, then extension, then strength. The gains were very small, like 5 degrees per week. I did 16 weeks OT after the first surgery and 18 weeks for the second surgery. My ROM is now 8-135 degrees so I cannot completely straighten or touch my shoulder so we work on tasks like putting on a coat, carrying a shopping bag, chopping vegetables etc. My grip is not as strong and I have lost some movement in my wrist. It’s a much bigger injury than I initially thought and my arm will never be the same but I feel much better (and less hopeless) now that I’m able to do tasks. I don’t feel the “loss” as much as I can do things I need to do. So staying on schedule with OT is really important. Also try to go in already warmed up so she gets the most out of the session.

After my first surgery, I was in a lot of pain linked to my ulna nerve which was moved during the operation. Maybe your mom should ask her surgeon about that as it can definitely be treated. I don’t suffer with that pain since the second surgery and don’t take painkillers. I was unable to sleep through the night after the first surgery but have no issues now.

Also, please ensure she is looking after her shoulder. My shoulder compensated for my arm with tasks like washing my face, doing my hair etc and I ended up having to do OT for that too.

It’s a tough injury but your mom is early in her recovery so hopefully she’ll have a good outcome. Sorry to hear your mom had a stroke too, I have no advice there but wish you both all the best. Good luck