Can aerial hoop exercises bend the plate or screws in my arm?

Question

Hello doctor,

About four years ago, I was in a car wreck and had to have a plate implanted into my arm to repair the bone. I have recently started taking aerial hoop classes and was wondering if it would be possible for me to bend the plate or screws in my arm if I did a move wrong?

Please advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concerns.

You have raised an important point. You need to think about how the job affects your arms.

There is very little chance of bending the plate or the screws used. This is not the issue that you should be worried about.

Orthopedic plates are made of titanium or stainless steel and are built to withstand forces far stronger than those generated by muscle contractions or body weight. A bend would occur when there is a serious impact, like a car crash or a fall. Hanging, pulling, or inversion will not cause the problem.

Loosening of the screws or pull-out of the plates is a more dangerous situation, particularly if it happens where the plate is attached to the bone, rather than being a result of breaking the metal part.

The hardware is more rigid than the bone around it, which means that the stress is concentrated around the plate. Your participation in repeated high-load physical activities might cause a fatigue fracture in this area.

If the fracture occurred four years ago, it has likely fully remodeled. However, this can be confirmed through imaging rather than by just feeling.

Hope the above information is helpful.

Best wishes.