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Skier's thumb complications

Posted , 2 users are following.

tessa25597
tessa25597

Hi all

I fell while skiing at the end of February and got myself a classic skier's thumb - total ligament rupture with stener lesion. I had surgery straight away (ligament reattached with screw and sutures), wore a short (not to the elbow) spica resin cast for 4 weeks and then was released for physio.

As soon as the cast came off I had pain in my wrist. Since then I have developed several painful lumps on my wrist and in the palm of my hand. Most worryingly though is that my top thumb joint will not bend, is painful and swollen, bruised and the inside of joint is lumpy and deformed.

I returned to my orthopoedic surgeon with these problems. I was booked in for an MRI for the wrist - probable tendonitis of some sort (very long waiting list, so that won't be for a long while) and xrayed for the thumb joint. I was told that I had an 'old fracture' there and there was nothing that could be done.

My physiotherapist is doing his best, but we can't progress with the work on the original injury because of this 'old fracture' problem. I have no other history of thumb trauma other than what happened in February. So I'm not making any progress on the base of my thumb either, which is now very stiff.

My questions - what is happening to my thumb joint? Will it be permanent? Can it be improved or not? My orthopoedic surgeon has said he will not investigate it as it has nothing to do with the UCL repair. He will not be drawn on whether this could have been a fracture sustained at the same time as the UCL injury.

I have found a hand specialist to go to see, but this will be in many months time and I was hoping someone on here might give me some hope! This is my dominant hand and my occupation involves a lot of precise manual work. Very frustrated!

Thank you

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • deborah46099
    deborah46099 tessa25597

    Posted

    So sorry for your experience. I have no answers for you, but I do have a question. What country are you living in that it takes so long to see doctors? I am really curious.
    • tessa25597
      tessa25597 deborah46099

      Posted

      I live in rural France. Getting to see a GP, going through A&E, getting an operation is all quick here. GPs also give you loads of time, there are no constraints. BUT the MRI machine is mobile and travels in a truck between hosptials and so it's impossible to get a fast appointment for that. And specialists are all based a long way away - eg I found out this morning that to see a hand specialist I need to travel for 3 hours and wait until the end of June. I can't do this, we run a seasonal business and it's simply not possible to travel that far away from the business during the season, and certainly not for repeat appointments throughout the summer.

      Looks like I'm stuck with no functional thumb. Anyone got any ideas how to  mitigate daily life - cooking, opening things, housework, hobbies like knitting and riding my bike - without a thumb?!

  • deborah46099
    deborah46099 tessa25597

    Posted

    Wow That's too crazy. Thanks for your answer. I had a feeling you were in Europe. This is why we don't like the new Obamacare here in the USA. It has ruined our wonderful healthcare system. We now have to wait for specialist too. Not as long as you, but it will be like that one day. I am so sorry for your problems. I guess I would be afraid to do anything fun that might cause an injury in your case. Best wishes for you, and I hope you get help soon.
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