Can't make a fist, straighten hand after wrist surgery 4 weeks ago
Posted , 67 users are following.
Hi,
Would appreciate to please hear of others experiences.
Five weeks ago fell and broke my wrist. Shattered a few bones. Had a cast for a few days until surgery -4 weeks ago. They put a plate in my wrist. Then they put a short cast for about 10 days. On the 21st of July my surgeon removed my cast and put a bandage. Obviously my hand is swollen and at a position like the image i uploaded.
A few days ago i started occupational therapy and was given an orthosis. The therapist told me that my hand is at a bad position.
She told me that i need to have the orthosis and arm slong pouch on at all times.
With the orthosis on it is straighter but when i take it off i have to force it not to fall. I still can't make a fist and can't bend my thumb on its own. My hand is swollen.
Today, my wrist and arm feel sore.
This is my dominant hand.
Is it ok that i still cant make a fist or move my thumb on its own? That my hand is bent? I am a computer programmer. How long till i will be able to type? In 3 weeks the therapist will start working on moving my wrist.
Thanks
5 likes, 249 replies
wendie24779 collie12
Posted
I fell and broke my wrist may 17 had surgery may 23rd had a splint put on all that time they just took the stitches out yesterday June 8 had a plate and screws put in the doctor told me yesterday June 8 I should b able to make a fist and bend my wrist back I can't do it I cry the pain. is so bad I'm a 55 yr old truckdriver mabe its y I can't do it yet but it's frustrating I. glad there r other people in the same boat as me I think it's too soon to try to make a fist and bend my wrist I would welcome someone else's opinion thank u wendie24
Pmhendrickd wendie24779
Posted
Wendie24
hang in there, it takes a lot of time and healing before you will be able to move your wrist back and forth. For me, it's been 1.5 years since. y surgery and I still do not have full functionality of my hand. Although I live with constant pain I do notice some improvement. Keep positive, don't let it consume you. Time and patience are extremely important virtues to have and your mental State of mind will also have an affect on the healing process. Don't forget to keep up with the physical therapy exercises as they will ultimately be the key to you reaching your goal.
Best
rachel48805 wendie24779
Posted
I'm surprised the doctor said that you should be able to do those things so soon. I had surgery with a plate and screws a year and a half ago, and it took months and lots of exercises before I could bend my hand backwards or make a fist. Can you get physical therapy? I don't know what I would have done without it. It was 6 months (which I think is standard) before I was moving the hand more-or-less normally, and they say it's a year for full healing, with possibly more improvement for another year. It's also painful for quite a while. After 3 months or so, I hardly had any pain. Now I can make a fist and bend the wrist pretty normally, and don't have pain. I got back maybe 9o% of my strength and mobility, and that's enough for me. I do have apparently some nerve damage (something like carpal tunnel maybe, but mild).
It's a long hard recovery, but it does get better.
jean11098 wendie24779
Posted
you're in for a long haul but you will get there. every injury and recovery is different. they had my trying to make a fist and bend it back 4 days post op. key word is try. to the point of extreme discomfort but not to the point of pain. good luck and hang tough.
lisa71754 rachel48805
Posted
I am happy your hand is doing good. Its been almost 2 years and i have no feeling in hand and i still cant make a fist. the bone that had the plate they cut the end of bone off, because it was healing wrong. i have CRPS and i am still in pain. it has been a nightmare.
lisa71754 Pmhendrickd
Posted
thanks, In OCT. it will be two years since the car accident. now i have CRPS And poor circulation i still cant feel my hand or fingers . i had 3 surgeries so far.
Pmhendrickd lisa71754
Posted
It's been 1.5 years since my surgery. I went in for what was considered a seemingly routine procedure but the end result turned out to be a disaster for me. After the Arthroplasty procedure on my thumb, I developed a severe case of CRPS, Fibromatosis in the palm of my hand and an acute case of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. A number of varying Nerve Blocks were performed to relieve the CRPS which ultimately has kept my hand in a partially deformed position but they served to no avail. I am unable to open and close my fingers completely and have an enormous amount of pain in all of my fingers and hand. Being on Medicare with a Supplemental Insurance plan only permitted me to go through a total of 4 weeks of Physical Therapy with no chance of extension. Sadly enough, I have only nominal use of my hand, can't play the guitar anymore and as a professional photographer have to make extreme adjustments in the way I hold my camera in order to depress the trigger button to take a photo.
Nevertheless, I refuse to let this get the best of me and work diligently to do as many of the exercises I practiced while in PT.
Although not always easy, I try to maintain a positive attitude and overcome the difficulties related to the handicap. In the back of my mind I continually remind myself that everything happens for a reason and is designed to in some way to make me a better person.
My heart goes out to everyone that is dealing with similar circumstances in their lives and hope that some form of encouragement will embrace your lives as you strive to mark some level of noticeable improvement.
420friendlyange collie12
Posted
i broke both bones in my wrist 11 weeks ago i had surgery and the put in metal and screws. as of today all swelling is gone except it m my knuckles. i can't hold my fingers completely straight.or make a gist yet and i keep getting muscles cramping in my wrist making it feel so tight it feels like its going to burst. and skin is very sensitive along my scar other than that i have most use back except gripping things. i quit going to follow up appointments because I don't see a point in it there is nothing more than can do for me. i never want to ho through all that pain again.
joshuapryce1987 collie12
Posted
If problem occurs see a doctor. I think it will get better with wrist exercises. I mean literal exercises.
sara65432 collie12
Posted
Hi everyone!
I was rollerskating and fell which caused a distal radius fracture on may 3. I had surgery to insert a plate and screws where the break was on may 14. Between that time I was in a splint and had it removed during the surgery, had a new one and had it removed may 27. It is my first day without one and I have almost no motion, I cannot make my palm straight up or straight down, a fist, thumbs up none of the sort. I understand progress is slow and my injury was recent but it is so upsetting. How is everyone doing?
alison_64461 collie12
Posted
just wondered how you are doing now? i broke my wrist badly four weeks ago,smashing the ulna and breaking the distal radius. Had surgery two days later and in my second cast with my next appt. on 23rd of this month. Intermittent pain, for which i take paracetomol and codeine when necessary. Cannot bend my thumb but can wiggle it as well as my fingers which are still all somewhat swollen. Luckily it is not my dominant hand but it is still so difficult to do things! Have not even any suitable clothes to wear! Have to pull everything up from my feet, including my bra! I also feel a bit unwell sometimes, lightheaded and nauseous. My platelets are/were very high possibly caused by the trauma. Because i tripped while out walking (i was an avid walker) i am afraid when i go out. but i count myself lucky that at 76, it wasnt my hip.