# 7.5 months after wrist fracture



## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

Hi, I have seen some posts about wrist fractures but this is a particular question regarding something I am worried about.

The fracture was an intra-articular fracture of the radius + the ulnar styloid, surgery performed 48 hours after the accident, but waiting in the hospital bed in an emergency procedure.

They used 4 metal pins to recreate the head of the radius from the fragments, and an external fixator for 21 days, then 21 days in a cast.

The point is, now 7 and a half months later I have full movement of the wrist but not without pain in the extremes and when using force. Besides my bones are thicker in the injured wrist than in the other (I can see the tips of the distal ulna and radius hypertrophied and also can take the measures to confirm that) .

So the point would be, is it forever that your broken bones stay thicker, or do I have time yet for them to reduce their size? I guess the pain comes from the bones thicker in a joint thats what worries me. Thank you in advance!!

Brad.-


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## shellshocked (Jul 9, 2011)

Don't know the specific answer you are looking for but I have had a broken wrist with pins and external fixator. If you have full motion in the wrist you are doing very well - I have about 80% range of motion in mine compared to my uninjured wrist. It took me about a year to recover to the point I felt normal. I definitely had pain if I stressed or over extended my wrist movement but not with normal usage. The holes in my arm and hand where the fixator screws went into the bone took a long time (years) for the scar tissue to finally go away. Sounds like a discussion with you doc is in order.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

The scars are gone in just 7.5 months in may case, odd...

But I feel a bulge in the palmar side of the wrist, and another bulge where the head of the radius is on the dorsal side. The tip of the ulna is another bulge not so noticeable in my right hand.

The bones are definitely ticker than the ones on my right hand


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

The doctor just said go, everything is fine 4 months ago. And I believe her, just asking if the bones staying thicker is permanent.


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

Can't speak for the wrist, but I broke my tibia/fibula decades ago now. I still have a "bump" near my shin where the break occurred. Bone is thicker there. It doesn't bother me but is admittedly the most sensitive area on my shin. Don't want to say painful, just uncomfortable is that "spot" is touched with any amount of pressure.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

Good information, that's what I wanted to know.
For what I understand your fracture was not inside a joint? 
I cannot see how my joint can work painlessly with the bones staying thicker...
Thank you, hope somebody appears with a wrist experience here


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## tahic (Jul 21, 2008)

My ortho guy has a saying..what the bones look like at 10 days is what they will look like at 10yrs so you are probably stuck with it


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

tahic said:


> My ortho guy has a saying..what the bones look like at 10 days is what they will look like at 10yrs so you are probably stuck with it


Thanks :madman:


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## fergusd (Jan 17, 2010)

Hmmm, not my experience or research. The callus around a break will reduce in size as the bone heals, but this could take up to a couple of years to complete. My broken wrist took about a year before the lumps on the bones started to disappear, much better now but still of a larger diameter than it was, some of that may be the plate fitted or course. 14 months after repair it's still sore most days to some extent but it's strong and really is probably 95% as mobile as it was before repair. Usual distal radius very near the head of the bone with internal plate repair. As I was told, any non trivial injury requires a non trivial amounts of time to repair.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

Thank you fergus, you have cheered me up 
Already 8 and a half months, in my case I broke the head of the radius in several pieces and the tip of the ulna, not sure if what is swollen is a callus or a permanent deformity though :madman:

Anyway as in your case my wrist is strong, even stronger than before maybe, I tried "walking" hung from horizontal bars on the park and it resisted. Also there is no problem with mobility. But it hurts after using strength and with some movements, like sometimes pushing a door with mi little fingers or pushing a chair to get up from it.

So now I know with 14 months maybe will be better but not totally cured, thanks again for your optimistic comment :thumbsup:


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## Spec44 (Aug 17, 2013)

I broke my tibia and fibula at the ankle 5 years ago. End of tibia cracked laterally, so I have a couple screws going upward, and the fiibula has a plate that extends down just past the point where it sticks out the furthest, and has a plate and screws. That ankle is still close to double the circumference (not diameter), and depending on the weather and lots of other factors, I still get pain during certain activities.

I also have to be careful when buying shoes/boots with high ankles because the head of the screw on that bone sticking out rubs against the inside of my skin pretty badly. And I have a numb spot over most of the plate, but the edges when pressed give me a bit of a zing.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

Spec, it hurts just reading your post 

With 5 years now what's your experience with evolution through time? Do you think with 8,5 months I have at least some room for improvement?

Thanks for sharing!


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## Spec44 (Aug 17, 2013)

I think most of the random pains I get these days are ligament and/or tendon related, and I get some deep bone aching pain (screws?) once in a while, but the recurrences are fewer and far between these days. I didn't get all of my range of motion back, so walking uphill and up stairs sucks. But getting back on the bike and getting blood flowing to it helped the most, once I decided to stop babying it.

I was about 55 lbs overweight when it happened, and almost 40, and it was an ankle (lots of weight on it), and went back to work way too soon. So hopefully you'll have better luck.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

Spec, I have read that those of us that had a fracture affecting a joint will get arthritis sooner or later because of the damage to the joint. I have not screws neither any metallic parts left inside, they removed all the screws 45 days after the surgery.

I had the luck the company I work for had no problem leaving me 2 months at home so I didn't have to hurry back to work so soon. I appreciate that.

But what I do not appreciate is the attitude of the insurance company AIG, I was hit by a car driver coming in reverse at pretty high speed (the driver himself testified to the police he was coming in reverse) but AIG lawyers just manage not to accept their responsibility.

I guess anyway there is no way to compensate the damage they have done but at least accepting responsibility would be a first step to take, bad people that company.


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## Tracer650 (Nov 19, 2012)

I've had major fusion in my wrist. I lost a lot of range but have zero pain. A little stiff some times but I wouldnt call it pain. Get yourself the all sport dynamics wrist brace. It's worth every penny

sent with a telegraph


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## jimw (Aug 10, 2004)

Tracer650 said:


> Get yourself the all sport dynamics wrist brace. It's worth every penny


I second this! These things are great and will fit over a mtb glove (they can even modify your gloves to attach them to the braces for an even more custom fit). They are not cheap, but are worth it. Sometimes you can find them on craigslist for a bit cheaper.

Another thing worth mentioning is that depending on your insurance, you *might* be able to get a custom brace from them at least partially covered. In my case I was able to get both a right an left custom brace from them for around $150 per brace, which is waaay cheaper than retail and well worth it. They have more custom brace options than listed on their main products page. The one I got is called the "Exte-flex", which is basically an OH2 with an additional piece that also limits flexion, along with other options (limiting side to side motion, and an optional palmar stay). I believe the standard OH2 only limits extension.

Info on their standard braces is here, but doesn't include info on their custom orthotics:
Allsport Dynamics

I'd say give Allsport Dynamics a call and ask them about the options, they've been super nice and helpful every time I've talked to them.

I also have had thumb injuries, and the Allsport Dynamics braces don't have thumb support, so recently I've been looking for some cheaper braces that I can wear in the interim that provide both thumb and wrist support. After trying a bunch of different braces, this is the best one I've found in terms of actual thumb/wrist support and also being ergonomic enough to wear while riding:
Amazon.com: U2 Universal Thumb Spica Brace, Right: Health & Personal Care

It's also way cheap compared to custom braces. At $25 a pop you can buy several of these (that's the one downside, I don't think they were really intended to be used for mountain biking, so they tend to wear out after a few months of riding). The part on the inside of the forearm has a sock-like cotton piece presumably to make them more comfortable, but I just cut that off because it just aborbs sweat and takes forever to dry out.


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## bradmoss (Sep 22, 2014)

thanks, will see.


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