Nikki Scott-Despaigne Jul 31, 2016:

Expression of instructions in French Whilst we learn the form : "ne pas se servir de" in the third person for an instruction, it is not at all unusual for the same formulation to be used in the first person. See page 28 of this document : http://www.centre-paul-strauss.fr/sites/default/files/docume...

Leila Howden (asker) Jul 30, 2016:

Thanks everyone, I agree it is the upper arm, as he was mobilised with a brace in some of the previous text and I think he is just stating the unnecessary here!

Daryo Jul 30, 2016:

this sounds like a fragment of: je ne peux pas me servir de mon épaule au-dessus du coude

which sounds slightly like talking for saying nothing - where else could the shoulder be if not above the elbow??

maybe this patient wanted to say "the part of the shoulder that is above the elbow is the part that is giving me troubles - there is nothing wrong around the collarbone or the shoulder blade"?

But to be sure of anything, we need first answers to the very relevant questions asked by Nikki!

Nikki Scott-Despaigne Jul 30, 2016:

Context If this is the phrase in a bullet-point list, then it is an indication that the person is not to use his/her should above the elbow... at least that is what it says. I agree mith Doc Manu. Perhaps the intended meaning is the other way round, that is, that the person must not raise his/her elbow above shoulder-level. That would suppose an inversion of shoulder/albow in the original text. Sounds unlikely.

One problem though is that we have no linguistic context :
- is this a report?
- from whom to whom?
- where does it appear in the original?
- what is the text before/after this phrase?

Leila Howden (asker) Jul 29, 2016:

I will check with the client as this is what is written and is ambiguous. I think it is referring to upper arm but it is confusing!

Drmanu49 Jul 29, 2016:

It just doesn't mean anything in French, there must be a mistake;

dwt2 Jul 29, 2016:

Sounds like a rotator cuff injury restricting shoulder movements including elevation of the elbow

Michele Fauble Jul 29, 2016:

Shoulder The shoulder bones include the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade) and the clavicle (collarbone).