Broken wrist..cast taken off today..eek!!
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi all, so pleased to find a broken wrist support group somewhere (the irony!) I come to you asking for any tips, info & support & have found many of the posts on here really interesting..some have frightend the pants off me aswell I won't lie! 
My story of woe began 5wks ago..slipped & landed left hand 1st..I dislocated & broke it & had plaster put on under sedation. Couldn't believe it, 1st time in my 46yrs of life I'd ever broken anything & what a job I did! Wrist was put into a bent & twisted position (like a teapot spout!) so has been a both painful & crazy awkward!
Went to trauma clinic today expecting just an xray & was told the plaster was coming off..nearly made a run for it as there was no way I could imagine it being unsupported, it didn't feel any different than week I did it & 1st consultant I'd seen had told me it would be around 8wks!! So this is where I meet you..in a splint..the nurse had to bend the metal as I couldn't bend my wrist straight. My skin is flaking like an old suntan & everythiing's a bit odd, manky & scary! Dr was so concerned about my lack of hand movement he told me to get private physio if I don't hear from theirs in next day or 2! Decided to take splint off earlier, give arm a wash & put on some Bio oil to help flaking..ARGH.. Thought it was going to drop off, all floppy & felt like it was rebroken (apparently this won't happen unless I fall again) but argh!! Horrible time & hard to think about anything else. Trying to move fingers about & make a fist but not really happening yet..anyway hope you're all doing ok but totally understand if you're not & am sending a vertual hug to all x
3 likes, 29 replies
itiswhatitis kathacin
Posted
Mine was changed halfway through, from a strange position setting to the typical setting with the palm of the hand angled back a little compared to how you'd rest your arm.
What helped me with the flakiness was to moisturise it very, very well and using a loofah on it.
I was told not to lift anything heavy the first two weeks after the cast came off, but I was not given a splint so I do suppose it is not strange.
Were you told to move fingers while you were in a cast? I was informed that this is quite essential for a quicker healing, and a reduction of swelling as well as chance of trombosis in my arm. Upon removal of the cast, I had to move/flex my wrist, but I didn't have to lift anything while doing this. Just moving it up and down several times a day, and making rotating movements help.
It took me at least two months before I could make a fist pain-free, and it is only now that I can use the full function of my wrist without pain (even if I can see it is still a bit swollen, although I have very skinny and bony wrists). My doctors have also told me that it is more likely than not to /never/ regain 100% function of what I had before as a break is quite an extensive injury (and this was for a simple distal radius break in one place, no dislocation).
The weak parts in your wrist have received quite some damage as well in your fall, and they have gone stiff because of the lack of movement. Keep up with the exercises diligently, for several months, and when it's been 6/7/8 weeks since the fall do try to push through the pain in your wrist because it's true that you will not break the wrist again unless you fall!!! It's most likely your muscles hurting now, not your bone as much! (A bone rarely breaks twice in the same place, because the healed area thickens & therefore becomes stronger).
katejo11 itiswhatitis
Posted
Sorry to read your other entry about the foot crush injury. i can't help with that but hope if improves soon.
kathacin itiswhatitis
Posted
My job is an issue as quite physical, standing for 6hrs plus a day etc & due back next week..hoping the pain gives up a bit before then & is a worry! Have tried to do without splint last couple of days but can only go about 30mins or so will have to fib to Dr tomorrow I think ha!
kazzie85 kathacin
Posted
margaret68785 kathacin
Posted
All I can say is oućh and how cross I got about being referred to as 60+. At a vulnerable time it made me soooooo cross!!
My pot is now off.....thank goodness.......and thanks to lots of tlc from husband and friìends I am coping at home.
My worry is that I m still off work, doing my exercises but don't feel that I am making much progress. My wrist is swollen and uncomfortable. I want to go back to work but am listening to advice re not rushing it.
Until I found this thread I had no way of knowing what to expect. Thanks for all your comments.....so helpful!!!!
I can't make a fist yet but can use my fingers although my thumb is wierd. My wrist is very stiff but I am trying with the exercises.
I can hold a pen now but struggle with a knife as pressure is a problem. I haven' even tried to drive.....grip still poor!
I am going to see physio later today.....lots of questions to ask......
Boarderwoz kathacin
Posted
Hi, it's a couple of years since you posted, but wondered how you had got on with your wrist. My injury sounds very similar to yours. I had a right intaarticular right distal radius fracture with a dislocation and torn scapholunate ligament tear. Ended up having 2 operations to fix it. I'm a week out of the cast which is about 9 weeks since I first broke it. I can't move my wrist hardly at all. Though it is still very swollen. I measured my wrist diameter. It used to be 19cm circumference. It is now 22.5cm, so 3.5cm of swelling! im worried it will never move again.
vickip kathacin
Posted
Have just read your story and comments to other people I see this was 2 years ago how are things now I am 8 weeks into mine and go on the 1st Feb for a check
victoria90115 kathacin
Posted
went for final x Ray today.Wrist is healing nicely they say but I can't bend fingers...everything is tight. When will I be able to move hands?Anybody know