Shattered Distal Radius

Before that, thank you Elaine for your reply, I read it and never had the change to thank you. Its always nice to see support here, even if all our cases are different.

Now as a quick recap. Broke my wirst in March, had surgery in April (external fixator), everything was removed, so there is not metal in my hand at all.

After surgery the wrist was pretty bad, could hardly move at all, same as fingers. Now its been 4 months after my fixator was removed and I was fully into therapy (which I only do twice a month now). My fist its almost there (meaning I can make a fist but its not strong enough). My thumb is a it stiff still, but much better than before. Flexion and extension on the wrist have gotten much better as well. Extension its been super challenging to get better. Rotation has gottent better in the last weeks, before it hurt really bad when I try.

I saw my doctor two months ago and he said I could start using a 3lb/5lb dumbell if I wanted, to start losing my hand more (since my bone was healed enought to be ok). I started with the 3 pounds, it was extremely hard in the beggining, but just a week ago I could finally use a 5 pound dumbell. Its heavy for my hand, but its slowly getting bettter (please note that I dont go crazy on exercises, also dont try this without asking your doctor first). Its always important to be safe.

Im now working on trying to be able to do a push up maybe, but my wirst does not flex enough for it yet, its also too much weight for it i think. So I wil see how it goes on the next months.

For daily activities, I can drive,shower,do hair just fine, everything has to be slowly and carefully, but Im trying to use my hand as much as I can.

Wrist doesnt look exactly as my left one, but I think that after surgery and all my wrist its been to its not gonna look the same as before regardless, so I had accepted that by now, Im just focusing in trying to do my best to recover as much as possible. Doctor told me I will suffer from osteoporosis in the future as well, I read someone else that posted this, seems like its common after a broken bone that needed surgery or maybe just a broken bone. Not looking foward for it, but what else can be done now. So know that you are not alone on that one.

Sorry for the long post!, I would love to hear how everyone else is doing. Also if you just broke your wrist, be patient, it is a long process. Dont try to hurry to do things and hurt it, it will feel better, but it takes a long time. Im saying that from my long/paintful experience.

Signed up after seeing this topic, having felt very alone in terms or information about the future and my injury, Hope this helps someone else, reading through the previous posts has certainly cheered me up a bit and given me some hope.

I broke my distal radius just over a month ago, went to A&E, had a very bad experience and was sent home in a lot of pain, had to beg the next day to be seen by the fracture clinic asap. Luckily they agreed to see me later that week and they confirmed I had broken wrist, and i had an operation the next day, a week or so after sustaining.

I had shattered my distal radius at the joint with the end displaced and broken into a number of pieces. I had surgery and an external fixator with six pins and two sets of bars was fitted... As well as this my arm from the elbow to start of my fingers was bandaged. Spent a night in hospital.

Sent home next day with little information about what to do or expect. Upon returning home started leaking a large quantity of yellow fluid - at first very scary until i was told this was simply left over anasthethic and not to worry. will dry up in few days which it did.

First week was painful. Getting comfortable with the fixator and struggling with the everyday tasks. Found it very frustrating. Swelling was so much that i resorted to holding my arm raised well above my shoulder. having it in a sling was too painful and awkward. The slings just didn't seem to work with the external metal work. the supports were all in the wrong place and not movable.

Second week still painful, no change. Swelling still not stable. Fingers like sausages, limited if any movement. First round of xrays, first post op consultation.... bandages remove and advised to keep fixator on. Little plasters fitted around pin sites. come back in two weeks. Rest of the week was so painful as my arm would swell and contract, the little plasters pulling at my skin more painful than having the fixator in place.

Third week pain subsiding, but plasters still source of irritation.stopped pain killers, although feeling hot, tingles and sharp shooting pains. limited finger movement... felt hopefull

Fourth week Fixator still in place can move fingers and thumb although have lock up tension feeling along arm from time to time. No other pain to speak of. Can't wait for fixator to come off. Docs advised keeping on for further two weeks at least.advised about likely arthritis in joint and seriousness of injury. Advised they didn't need to change plasters or clean pin sites. If I felt need to clean them i could. skin around my hand was very dry and had started to shed a layer.

Left hospital depressed.

Fifth week Feeling a lot better, can now move all my fingers, enough to be able to type, have a dull numbness though in terms of feeling from fingers. fixator still in place, still lock up tension feelings now and then . dry skin, plaster/ pin site irritation. Also weather has got cold. Feeling the cold through the pins when i go outside.

Will update next week.....

Best wishes to all whatever your stage on the road to recovery.... and thanks for all the inspiring posts.

Neil

All such a long time ago for me now, no lasting problems & only 2 small scars left on my wrist from the pins.  I don't even have a problem in the winter months, someone told me I may have an 'achey' wrist during the cold weather but I've noticed nothing.

jessyks39 - Don't worry about the push-ups, you will eventually be able to take the weight on your wrist, that did take a little time.

neil031014 - I'm sure others following you (eventually), will take comfort from your story & updates will help them on their road to recovery as you progress down yours.  I think we all suffer from the "it's never going to be the same again" feeling but for most of us it seems it pretty well does fully recover in the end.

I wonder if nappy cream may help your dry skin & the irritation better than anything else?

Haven't fully followed all the subsequent posts to my initial one all that time ago, but think they will inspire those to come.

The pieces were manipulated into an 'acceptable' position in A&E and I've had two follow up x-rays to check the position which has stayed within acceptable limits.

I've been advised that I will have long term consequences of stiffness and and aches although the arthritis word hasn't been mentioned.

I'm so glad I've found this thread as I felt a bit clueless as to what would happen next. I kind of thought like another poster, that the cast would come off, it'd be a bit stiff for a while but almost back to normal pretty quickly with a few exercises. Now I think I'm prepared for a bit more of a long haul.

The consultant has said the cast will be taken off in two weeks (from now) and I'll have a splint for another two. Will I have to check with my insurance company if I can drive in it? I'm not sure of the regulations!

I had it in my mind that I'd be able to take my two year old back to her Puddle Ducks swimming lessons after Christmas, but after reading your comments I'm not sure I'll be ready.

What a disappointing thing to have happened. I feel for you all, but I also take comfort in your comments that it'll get better in time.

I'm also day six post tonsillectomy so I've a lot going on right now! But at least it's taken my mind off my wrist for a while! The thought of more painkillers after my cast comes off is an unpleasant one as I think I've had my quota for the whole year by now! I can't wait to be back to normal!!!

I was surprised by the comment that said they were not allowed back to work in a school for so long. I teach one day a week and was advised by my consultant that I'd be fine back at work. I took the first week off as I didn't feel ready but went in the following week. I have to say it wasn't easy and it ached awfully for a couple of days after, but the kids were great and helped out a lot! Although I'm not looking forward to going back with a weak voice and a weak arm!

Thanks again for starting this thread, as there is so little information out there for shattered wrists and it can be a bit of a lonely experience.

Ive been rubbing in coconut oil (my newest wonder product find!) And it seemed to help.

I took a bath yesterday without my limbo as it usually gets sweaty and uncomfortable in it. I laid my arm on a towel and the moisture softened my hand but my cast didn't get sweaty. I was a bit horrified to find my skin peeling off when I rubbed it with a towel!! But I read it's normal and it doesn't feel as dry now. I dread to see what state my arm will be in after six weeks! I might try coconut oil on that too.

Fingers feel normal, rotation almost normal, i got a bit more to go, flexion down almost normal, flexion up still half way (I think this is the most challenging one) but he said it will be better in the next months.

neil031014: There is so much I wish I could type for you, since you are going thru a lot of similar things when it comes to the fixator, etc. The pins pulling around the skin is normal (i know it hurts), I used to clean them with a mix of a bit of peroxide and water, then just clean around the pins carefully with a swab, but dont be rough on them, every 2 days should be fine.

When they remove my fixator, put it in sort of a half cast to hold it place, 1 month later they put me in a splint. My hand felt super heavy, thats normal, it will feel like that for a bit, so dont panic. Also my thumb felt numb contanly, but it went away little by little. Your hand will be swell for a while.

jeannette54: Thanks for starting the thread, its been def been helpfull for me!. I was wondering if you recover flexing up as the other hand, or less?. Therapists said I might not recover flexing up all the way as the other hand.

Also guys, dont worry about the dry skin, its completely normal, since we dont get to wash or use the hand at all, just keep lotion it. I used regular lotion, and after i could wash it, skin went back to normal little by little.

Glad to have found this site when looking for wrist excercises.

I fractured my wrist 7 weeks ago while in Greece - falling down slippy steps after warning others. Very efficient Greek A & E but rather brutal as I had two doctors and a nurse pulling on my arm and fingers (re aligning) withou any pain relief .  Wrist was set in a very strange bent over way rather like a swans neck.  

On return to UK 2 weeks later heavy greek plaster of paris caste was removed. I was told that the Greek doctors had done a good job as the bones had been crushed but wrist needed further re-alignment this time with a local thank goodness;   Another lighter cast was put on still in strange bent fashion.  Next visit consultant horrified at bent over cast position - had to try and put hand in neutral while re plastering -consultant told me not to raise fingers above neutral as I could crush bones which were healing - a bit scary.  

That was 4 weeks ago and today caste was removed. After 7 weeks in a caste  like others I have symptons of stiffness/ pain and swelling.  I am most concerned that I cannot turn my wrist face up- it is hard enough to get it at a right angle - I can't imagine how I will ever be able to rotate my wrist to get it palm upermost and excercises shown on the net don't seem to acknowledge this.

Consultant made a 'urgent' physio referral but he said the wait for for urgent cases was still 4 weeks.  His advice was to fill a bucket with warm water (he even said put fairy liquid in - I wonder if that is a magic ingredient) then I should submerge my arms in up to my elblows and keep wringing out a dishcloth while keeping arms in water,  Tomorrow I am going out to get a big bucket!

It has been useful to hear all your experiences and advice re excercises.