1. Ximona

    Ximona New Member

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    What damage would be caused by stabbing an elbow with a knife?

    Discussion in 'Research' started by Ximona, Dec 7, 2021.

    Kind of gruesome, I know, but I want to know just how bad of damage it could cause.

    It’s a fighting scene, where character A is a hot headed rush in first kind of dude and character B hangs back and plans carefully how to attack. B’s strength is being able to read an opponent’s movements but he’s lacking in physical strength and speed in comparison to A. So basically: Character A rushes in, making a very obvious hit, so character B turns A’s momentum against him, grabs his arm, and basically flips A over his shoulder and onto the ground. And since B is efficient, he immediately pulls a knife and stabs it into A’s elbow in order to debilitate but not kill A while A is still shocked from the fall.

    what kind of damage would this do? How hard would it be? I know joints are generally weaker but it’s still a bone. Would it ruin the entire lower arm? Temporally? Permanently? What if A twists the knife while it’s still in the elbow? Would B bleed out and die from this? Are there any other ways to quickly disable an aggressive opponent without killing them? I’m also interested in possible permanent disabilities as a result and I think it would be a fun challenge to write. Would allow some juicy development scenes as character A learns to adapt.
     
  2. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    It would depend on certain things, like how deep the knife goes, which side of the elbow is stabbed (inside or outside), and as you say, whether the knife is twisted or slides as opposed to simply being jabbed in.

    It could sever nerves and there's a major artery running along the inner side of the arm, where it would be somewhat protected by bone if the arm is raised.

    Is it a small thin dagger, or a big solid hunting or skinning or combat knife?

    At one end of the damage spectrum it would be little more than a pinprick, at the other end he could bleed out. He might lose the use of the hand if nerves and muscles are severed, or of part of it.

    But I don't know about medical stuff, you'd need to hear that from someone who does. And as is always said on threads like this, seek out message boards where similar subjects are discussed, for instance by people in therapy to recover from severe injuries. Maybe search using the terms stab wound arm (or even elbow).
     
  3. KiraAnn

    KiraAnn Senior Member

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    Bob Dole was shot in the right shoulder in WW2 and was never able to use that arm again.
     
  4. Glen Barrington

    Glen Barrington Senior Member

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    Then too, a "stab" is a puncture wound, but a more likely injury from a knife would be a slicing cut, especially so to an arm or a leg where the bone is closer to the surface.

    Those things hurt like hell, and would debilitate most people, particularly in the muscle part and done by a skilled fighter with knowledge of the human body. Few people are as stoic as TV/Movie heroes & villains when injured. Some wounds can really diminish the will to fight!

    The good thing is, I suspect that it would be relatively easy to heal. Certainly so, when compared to severing a bone or cutting a nerve. Even cutting a major artery could be non-fatal if treated in time. (Must be fast first-aid though)
     
  5. Glen Barrington

    Glen Barrington Senior Member

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    My understanding was that he had limited use. I recall during his presidential campaign, he was able to raise his right arm to shoulder height and had little fine motor control in his right hand. (Wrote with left hand, etc.). Plus, he was in pain most of his adult life. No question, he gave more to this country, than most.
     
  6. RandolphB

    RandolphB New Member

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    Welcome to the world that is Rapier. A point/ thrusting weapon targeted the soft parts of anatomy, such as joints and ligaments. Hence the ability to counterattack instead of defend. A solid hit to the elbow cuts the tendons and ligaments and hopefully an artery. Cut most of even one of those pretty much ruins the adjoining hand's ability to hold anything. In a fight you don't need to kill someone, just prevent them from harming you. Decades ago I read a Fencing Maestro's Thesis Paper about wounds. He made the point that opening an artery knocks you out in around 30 seconds, and kills you in a about two minutes. The main difference between a sword and knife is the distance they are fought at.
     

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