Many people break their arms playing arm wrestling, doctors warn of the dangers

Arm wrestling is a simple game to play, but it carries a risk of injury.

Exercise helps improve health, however, overtraining or improper exercise can lead to injuries, including hand injuries.

Dangers of arm wrestling

E Hospital ( Hanoi ) has just informed that doctors from the hospital's orthopedic surgery and sports medicine department have received and treated a 24-year-old man in Hanoi who suffered a fractured right arm after playing arm wrestling with a friend.

The patient was admitted to the hospital with a deformed arm and limited mobility of the right elbow. X-ray results showed that the patient had a fracture of the lower third of the right humerus. This is a serious injury, with the risk of long-term effects on the function of the right arm if not treated promptly.

After a comprehensive assessment, the doctors decided to perform bone fusion surgery with screws and plates.

This is a modern and popular technique in the treatment of arm fractures, bringing high efficiency in helping patients with broken bones heal quickly, firmly fixing the fracture site and creating favorable conditions for the bone healing process.

This accident is not uncommon. Previously, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital also received and treated a male patient (21 years old) with a diagnosis of a broken right arm after playing arm wrestling.

The patient came to the hospital with pain, swelling, deformity, and limited mobility of the right arm. Finger movement was normal, no weakness, X-ray image showed a diagonal fracture of the right humerus in the lower third with a large butterfly fragment.

The patient said he regularly went to the gym and played arm wrestling with friends. Before being admitted to the hospital, while playing arm wrestling with friends, he suddenly heard a “crack” sound, followed by sharp pain, deformity, and loss of movement in his right arm.

The hospitalized patient was diagnosed with a closed fracture of the right humerus without radial paralysis, and surgery was indicated with bone plate and screw fixation.

Be careful of injuries when playing competitive sports.

Playing sports is a good way to exercise and increase endurance. However, any sport has potential risks, especially in competitive sports.

Among them, bone fractures are one of the common injuries in sports. In addition, if you exercise too hard or practice incorrectly, you can also suffer from tendon and muscle injuries.

Recently, Quang Ninh General Hospital has received many patients coming for examination due to injuries to the ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows, and backs caused by playing pickleball.

Most recently, male patient NTTr. (45 years old) was admitted to Quang Ninh General Hospital for treatment due to a rupture of the left supraspinatus tendon while playing pickleball.

After being admitted to the hospital, the patient had his rotator cuff sutured by surgeons and was transferred to rehabilitation exercises to improve shoulder joint mobility after surgery.

The patient is treated by the doctor with pain relief and local anti-inflammation using physical therapy machines such as electro-pulse, therapeutic ultrasound, shortwave..., combined with exercises to strengthen muscle groups in the shoulder and left arm, and massage to soften stiffened tissues in the shoulder area.

Arm wrestlers and other combat sports players need to know the risks to avoid injury.

Potential risks of participating in high-impact sports

According to Master Dang Van Hieu - Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, E Hospital, the humerus is a large bone of the upper limb but is still at risk of fracture if subjected to strong force.

Especially in competitive 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 applied to the lower third 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 beveled shape and may be accompanied by loose fragments.

The jagged condition of the broken bone makes it difficult for doctors 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 long-term right hand function, 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 force, which will accidentally increase the risk of bone fracture.

Especially in people who participate in arm wrestling, the muscle system in the arm area is often very strong, but the bone shape often does not change. Therefore, playing this game has a high risk of leading to bone fractures.

This case is a reminder of the potential risks involved in high-impact sports like arm wrestling, especially when players do not master the techniques or exceed their physical limits.

Focus on the body's ability to withstand force

According to experts, to avoid unfortunate injuries, playing sports needs to be done safely, reasonably and always paying attention to the body's ability to withstand force.

Doctors recommend that before participating in highly competitive sports such as arm wrestling, players need to master the techniques and understand the body's strength limits 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 unusual pain, stop immediately to avoid further injury and go to a reputable medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent dangerous complications.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhieu-nguoi-gay-xuong-canh-tay-vi-choi-tro-vat-tay-bac-si-canh-bao-cac-nguy-hiem-20250119074758374.htm