Broken wrist, how long does the pain last after removal of the cast?

We all heal surely differently and we aren't robots, doctor giving negative comments like that not really helpful. The ligaments have shortened, The physio has the right idea, encouragement is the right way for a doctor to guide you. I am in two minds about how I feel, with my cast coming off Monday. I am nervious as too how bones have mended, being 68, also the hard work starts. Listen to tge physio, she/he had more sence, and seen far more hand movement progress probably than this doctor.

maureen

Ouch.....that sounds painful.....I'm guessing you had pins like me as cast would come of sooner....or maybe no pins either.....I too was surprised at the swelling as the cast was on for 5 weeks, I thought the swelling would go down in that time...but no, I think my left arm resembled the elephant mans...I didn't have pain in my wrist unless I exercised it....you shouldn't have pain at rest but some others have had pain and couldn't sleep...swelling will begin to go down slowly, daily, post cast removal...at least you were told to go back if it doesn't...Some simply had no advice at all! Keep us posted.....

My cast was only on two weeks after, my distal radius break. I had plate and screws a week after accident. I was told about arnica tablets/gel for swelling and bruising, on a message board here. I found some arnica gel (Amazon) for massaging into areas of swelling/tenderness . I started very gentle massaging in with gel, as soon as my cast was removed (two weeks after op).I have a velcro suport given by hospital UK. The bruise came out and swelling started to go down very quickly. I am 6 days from operation and four weeks since accident on Monday 11th Sep 2017. I still have some swelling on my fingers and my thumb, not very mobile. I do think that Arnica Gel has helped, get the bruise out and swelling down. I can just about touch my thumb to first three fingers, not pinky. I can lift my hand from flat on cushion an inch off table, but most people seem to be still in cast, unlike me. So not rushing, my scar too still a bit scabby. Washing every four days and new large plaster replaced, same type hospital used (well known online site). 

Hi Maureen and all....it looks like Elaine and Ali have pulled the short straws...muma Mia...I wonder if it's got something to do with having plates and screws and why the difference....I mean, why plates and not screws and visa versa....maybe it's the complexity of the break....dunno but I'm feeling for you Elaine and Ali. Hope you start seeing some light at the end of the tunnel soon...I'm still progressing well but in light of what I keep reading, I think I'll hold my breath and keep my fingers crossed it stays that way. I'll give another update next Thursday as it'll be 12 weeks since fracture...a bit of a milestone in broken bones apparently.....wishing you all well....Mike

Thank you for your comments, I dnt know about Ali but I did have a very bad break on the back of my wrist. I was told by the consultant Id get about 50% movement back.

Well I had no idea it would still be this bad after all this time believe me!!

I do feel that the delay in intense physio helped contribute to the rigidness because I worked hard at all the exercises given to me. The feeling of not getting anywhere really gets you down but I vowed not to give up... as so many times I wanted too.

My new physio session starts next Monday but I shall be asking for an xray also to see how the bones are 'healed' now the plate & screws are gone.

I have to live in hope I will get more mobility back to lift my morale.

For anybody who thinks they are experiencing any of my symptoms please see your consultant & ask for all the help they can give.

Once I finish this message I shall continue my exercises however painful they get or I can take.

Good luck to all going through this horrendous experience...

Elaine....may I ask, for the sake of this board and others who may take a look...what kind of fracture did you have? I've looked through your posts and couldn't find any detail. I mean, I broke my radius close to the head of the bone. It wasn't half way down but right at the end, just before the knuckle. I only broke the radius, not the ulnar. I believe it was a pretty clean break. I fell from about 8 feet and my left hand took most of the cushioning. I mean if a truck ran over your wrist, that would result in a pretty serious break!!! I think it would be useful to know as others can make comparisons with their own injury. I feel for you very much...and Ali...you've had a horrendous experience...physio is a great thing and when bones can move, results will be seen...i dunno if you spotted it in an earlier post...but I used to be a nurse and worked for many years in orthopaedics...it was amazing what physio can achieve...I really hope you start seeing some results...they may be small and slow to come but as long as they come, you'll be on the right track...at last....

Gosh, I don't know. There were so many weird parts of my accident - the physio today thought that my rigid fingers go back to the first cast where they were set downwards and turned in. It was a bad break, but there are plenty of those. I wondered if it could be because it was so hot and I couldn't control my temperature when I was still in Italy (it got close to 40% and I was staying in a mobile home). It's a neurological condition, at the outset, so it's possible. But you know, I think it's simply bad luck - just like our falls.

I can only echo Elaine and say if anyone has any concerns, ask and keep asking. I find that very hard though: brought up with the NHS, I'm always too conscious about saying something stupid and wasting time. But I felt like a total wimp to start with, when I couldn't move my wrist as the doctor expected, I didn't push the problems. With the diagnosis I felt both relieved - vindicated almost, and then a Wee bit concerned about the treatment ahead, and long term prognosis. But I feel quite positive now I'm over the initial shock.

good luck to everyone!

Morning all,

This was the report on my medical letter after my initial op on 17 Nov 2016..comminuted intra-articular fracture right hand distal radius.

I was in a cast for 1 week before the actual op. Pain was unbearable at that time.

Then the lastest op was for removal of metalwork from bone & primary tenolytis.

As I have not seen my surgeon since the op I do not know exactly was done regarding the tendons, scar tissue etc apart from manipulation.

I am someone who does like to be told the ins & outs of any procedure or risks & also the improvement benefits etc....

This I am yet to be told as I have not seen any consultant even though I was to have seen my surgeon last Monday but no appointment was available.

I shall be asking lots of questions on my visit next Monday for sure.

Has anybody else had that type of injury? I would be interested to know how you are getting on along this painful journey.

Hi Elaine...you definitely have a more serious injury than me....check out this web site....it's really good, and others too should have a look...

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00412

so dont be too disheartened by your progress but ask lots of questions...

Hi Elaine....I replied to you days ago but it's being moderated probably because I included a really great web site for you to see and others too. If you Google comminuted intra-articular fracture right hand distal radius....and look for an orthoinfo website....you should find it....if they don't allow my last post with the web site, I'll try some other way to get it to you....Mike 

Hi Mike, unfortunately I have not had your last message, just the last one an hour ago.

I will search for an ortho info site before my hospital visit Monday.

I shall again keep everybody post regarding my treatment etc....it has to have been a near success....roll on!!

Hi Elaine,

I have never been given that phrase as a diagnosis - but I broke my wrist in Italy, where I was simply told it was a bad break, with the paper work saying it was in many fragments, and have since been being treated in Germany where I was told yes, it was broken in 'lots'of pieces., but yes, that definition corresponds to my injury except that I also (apparently) dislocated my radius, and I broke my ulna - although just the tip off the end.Our journeys have sounded relatively similar so far. I'm going into hospital on Wednesday. My wrist is very up and down. I have just managed to hold a (very small) glass in my hand with no pain or problems at all. But at other times my hand is almost blue with purple pooling around my knuckles. It is still very rigid and swollen, but as I write, the colour is almost normal.

I hope your appointment helped you move forward.

You are right, the breaks are very similar. I was told it was such a badbreak, small fragments etc, Id be lucky to get 50% movement back....freaked me out tbh but you dnt really take in the implications at the time.

I had my stitches removed today.....fingers bend a bit more but not to make a clenched fist unless I force them. This I can do but it is very painful on all the middle finger joints. Numerous exercises yet again to do but I will do them...I live in hope they will help.

My disappointment today was to be told they maniplulated my fingers & thumb...hence little more movement...but not my wrist!! I felt so gutted.

My wrist was the one part I cud barely move & not much has changed right now.

Iv not seen my surgeon as appointments were messed up but I am goin to request to see him & ask why.

Now I have to start physio all over again but my wrist wnt budge & its painful when I try. Its almost as if Im rippin the skin kind of feeling...

Could you keep me posted as to how you get on with your treatment...I feel this maybe something I will need to look into having done myself.

Good luck for your imminent procedure, it sounds more hopeful than mine.

Best wishes, Elaine

Thank you for the link, makes interesting reading.

I had my stitches removed yesterday since plate & screw removal 2 wks ago.

However, I have a little more movement in my fingers but my wrist is the same.

I have not seen my consultant as yet but was told no manipulation was done on my wrist only my digits!!

To say I was shocked is an understatement...

My wrist was the worse part & I lived in hope of some flexation...nothings changed.

I feel so low & tearful...is this my future now....

Back to physio again once a week the rest I have to do myself at home. I can do that, I never failed to keep it up before the removal.

Right now my wrist is more stiff & more tender so Im not pushing it to hard for a few days as scarring is very tender.

Just need some restbite from this pain & discomfort......

Hi Elaine...the ortho info site just makes everything much clearer. It would seem you've had a bad break including bones of the wrist so the lack of movement I'd put down to that. Did you have an anaesthetic to remove the sutures....you say you had an MUA of fingers but not wrist...manipulation under anaesthetic....seems a bit extreme unless the MUA was on the cards anyway and they decided to remove the sutures at the same time? They may have thought the wrist too fragile for some heavy duty manipulation. I've only ever seen MUA's of the back and that's pretty extreme too. Movement should come in the wrist with physio....your wrist bones couldn't have fused to your radius or ulna...your surgeon would have told you if so...so you still have a joint there which can move, given some physio....yer, I agree, you've been through the mill with this injury and I don't blame your low mood but look at it this way, the only way is up....it's not going to get any worse, only better and as I said before progress can be in tiny steps...so look out for them....

You know, that's just the positivity I need right now tbh, so thank you.

Just on a downer but Il get over it.

My daughter always tells me PMA!! If only lol.

Tbh they said the plate was in a good position so it must be my tendons adhering to scar tissue or ligaments that has caused most of this problem. I am a bit annoyed I wasn't told anything by the surgeon apart from "make sure you do all the physio needed" Well, I always did .

They dnt like to do MUA I was told but in my case whilst they were removing the plate I guess it made sense.

It could be my wrist is more vulnerable atm now the plates gone so they decided to leave it.

Plenty of cream to keep scar moisturised but any massaging is out of the question...way to tender.

Thank you again for your support.

Hi Ali,

How are you getting on?

Have you had your manipulation done yet?

Ive been to physio today, all 30mins of it! Still no movement in my wrist.

I see my surgeon early Nov & will be asking why my wrist was not manipulated like my fingers wee! Seems ridiculous really when I was all numbed up...just dnt get it.

Anyway all the best & I sincerely pray it works for you.

I wait in anticipation to your treatment & recovery.

Good luck, regards Elaine

Dear Elaine and everyone,

I've now been in hospital for 14 days to try to reverse Sudeck's Atrophy in my hand (Type 1 CRPS).

I have a brachial plexus catheter permanently inserted under my arm (it took 2 attempts with the help of ultrasound to successfully insert it) This is connected to a pump which continuously pumps anaesthetic into my hand and arm. This idea is that far more intensive physiotherapy can therefore be undertaken - and of course much reduced pain. In addition, I am taking 1800 Ibruprofen a day (and something to counter the effects on my stomach lining), an anti-convulsive drug called Pregabalin and a very small dose of an opioid.

I see the physiotherapist once it twice a day, but spend the majority of the rest of the day exercising my hand and arm - I think my shoulder might now be a problem too...

Progress had been quite slow, but the swelling was reducing, movement very slowly but steadily returning, and my hand looking less like a corpse, and more like it belonged to me...Then, for the past 3 sessions, my physiotherapist has 'flossed' my hand and arm. The tightness of the band apparently can switch off blood supply to pain receptors, allowing for much deeper manipulation, then, when the band is removed very quickly, the flood of blood back into the hand brings nutrients to my atrophying bones and muscles.

 Compared to all previous physiotherapy, the effect has been dramatic. For the first time, I have upward movement in my hand.  I still can't make a fist, and my thumb can only touch my second finger only with difficulty p, but I'm confident now that I will get a lot of movement back. Today, I'm having my fingers flossed. I also have K-tape down both sides of hand and arms (very fetching leopard skin tape no less!) Yesterday 3 physiotherapists came for the flossing as they don't often get to practice here.

I am hopeful now of only being in hospital for a few more days, but intensive physio will follow, even after that.

I'll let you know in a week or two if the improvement continues.

Good luck With your surgeon - I'm thankful for all the support here, and hope you can get the same...I had 8 sessions of physio, with 4 in 6 days of the doctor diagnosing Sudeck's/CRPS. They treat it very seriously here because of long term issues if it can't be reversed.

Thank you also for your support.

Best, 

Ali

 

sorry, the last bit didn't make sense. I was trying to say that I was already having quite intensive physio before my diagnosis, but it was doing nothing by itself. And I was also doing lots of exercises p, but not in the way I am now.

Goid luck!

Hi Ali, I have been wondering how you got on & so happy you are getting treatment.

It all sounds so painful but I guess you are prepared to try anything to get some normality back in your life.

You seem to be on the right road reading your progress. I wish you all the very best for continued success. My plate & screws were removed but for some reason my wrist was not manipulated only my fingers & thumb.

Did not know this until my 1st physio session last week....I see my surgeon in Nov & I shall be questioning why!!

The main reason I went through the removal was the hope I could bend my wrist even if not fully. I was so disappointed & told my physio.

Continued recovery to you, do keep us updated as to how your progress goes. I live in hope....