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I Broke my arm 6 weeks ago

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Liveinahospital
Liveinahospital

Hello, I am 14 years old and i have suffered a Salter Harris type III fracture to my distal radius. My Ulna and carpals were intact so it was only my Radius. They applied a fiber glass cast for 6 weeks now and i have had regular check ups followed by xrays. AFter i took my cast off my wrist has been hurting and limited to movment even though my doctor said that it has fully healed. I cant bend my wrist without supporting it with my other hand and my fingers are limited to stretching. My doctor said to do some hand movments but as long as there is no pain when i do them. But there is always pain and i either fight through it and risk another frcature or just stop. What should i do? Has anyone experienced that before?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • ian_14246
    ian_14246 Liveinahospital

    Posted

    Hopefully your age will make things easier but to give you hop- I broke my radius and ulna at Christmas (44 yr old male). Had k wite surgery in radius. Lots of pain and when the cast was removed it was weak and I could not do much with it. Q lots of physio. Its now almost 100% (infact I had minor surgery on the oppositw hand and it is now better than that one).

    Try and get your consultant / gp to get you physio. If they wont or / and in the interim google physio following wrist fracture and look at those exercises. They look basic but help a lot.

    I am no expert but given your age I think you will see good results.

    Good luck !

    • ian_14246
      ian_14246

      Posted

      That should say hope by the way!
  • susan97301
    susan97301 Liveinahospital

    Posted

    Hi Live-In.  What you are experiencing is normal. If you have access to (and insurance to pay for) a skilled occupational therapist to guide you through the exercises to retain movement in your wrist and hand, I would suggest you set up sessions. Otherwise, begin moving and stretching gently, to the point there is slight discomfort but not pain. You must move to get better. You will not break your wrist again (I was afraid of that, too), so you can ease your mind about that. I am now 7 weeks out of my cast from a similar fracture of the radial, and am just now about to fully bend my wrist, tolerate weight on it, and use my hand at about 80% of normal.  It will take time, but you will get there. When I expressed impatience to my MD, he kept telling me "it will take months, not weeks."  But you are young, so your recovery should be quicker than mine (I am 68).  Good luck to you.
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