# Broken Wrist



## FinsUp (Nov 12, 2006)

*Broken Wrist, scaphoid*

I am a cop. Just to get that out of the way, I got on my departments bicycle unit in October. Something I have wanted since I became an Officer. We are a full time unit, we ride year round, as long as there isn't ice on the ground. So, I got a few weeks in, then in a car due to ice. Finally get a day, February 8. No ice, cold, very cold. But at least we are riding.:thumbsup: After a few hours, a front moved in dumping snow and ice. Damn, back in a car. So, my partner and I head back to the station to get a car so we won't get hurt. After getting the car, we head out, work a few accidents etc. we decide to go get some coffee. 
We pulled up at a gas station, I open my door, and see a giant sheet of ice. I turn to my partner and say, "watch the ice". As soon as I say that I step out of the car, slipping on the ice. Luckily I hit the horn with my right elbow twice on the way down to draw attention . I hit my hand when I fell. Got coffee, headed back out. Stopped a couple of red lights runners, hmmmm. Can't hold my clipboard. Get back to the station and tell my supervisor. No biggie, I have fallen A LOT worse riding trails.
I went to the Dr. the next day, broken scaphoid bone. OK. I ended up having surgery last week. The fracture healed, but, the bone died below the fracture due to blood loss. Bone graft, four pin partial fusion. Off for 12 weeks. I am missing all the trails and getting paid to ride at work. At work I feel like the kid who got grounded, peeking through the blinds watching my friends get to go out and ride bikes. Doc said I will be back on the bike in 12 weeks. Thanks for reading.


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## Ace_mon (May 31, 2010)

I'm sorry to hear that man. I broke my wrist the other day hitting a drop and I'm in the same boat but for 25 more days. I hope it heals well!


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## PVDRIDER (May 9, 2010)

Im an officer as well.. and I ride at work... I broke my scaphoid last year as well.. fell at work and luckily the bone didn't die... Nothing like getting paid to ride at work... love it..


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## FinsUp (Nov 12, 2006)

PVDRIDER said:


> Im an officer as well.. and I ride at work... I broke my scaphoid last year as well.. fell at work and luckily the bone didn't die... Nothing like getting paid to ride at work... love it..


Absolutely, getting paid to ride is awesome. I think we have much better access to our community too.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

Being a cop is a tough job. Keep up the good work.

I broke my wrist, too, but it was a completely different kind of break. I messed up everything in there BUT the scaphoid, lucky me! If you want more specific comments on your break you might want to put a reference to a "broken scaphoid" in your title. Just sayin'...


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## FinsUp (Nov 12, 2006)

xcguy said:


> Being a cop is a tough job. Keep up the good work.
> 
> I broke my wrist, too, but it was a completely different kind of break. I messed up everything in there BUT the scaphoid, lucky me! If you want more specific comments on your break you might want to put a reference to a "broken scaphoid" in your title. Just sayin'...


Thanks


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## Craptasticycle (May 29, 2008)

Broke my scaphoid over a year ago, finally diagnosed this Febuary. Scaphoid fracture with avascular necrosis and partial collapse. Got a vascular bone graft (no fusion, yet) and been in cast for two months. Doc said "well maybe it might be starting to heal, a little, in one spot". Projected at least 6 months in cast, for a 50-50 shot of healing.

2 months after surgery:


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## FinsUp (Nov 12, 2006)

> Broke my scaphoid over a year ago, finally diagnosed this Febuary. Scaphoid fracture with avascular necrosis and partial collapse. Got a vascular bone graft (no fusion, yet) and been in cast for two months. Doc said "well maybe it might be starting to heal, a little, in one spot". Projected at least 6 months in cast, for a 50-50 shot of healing.
> 
> 2 months after surgery:


Dude, that sucks. My doc is saying I will be back on my bike by the end of summer. I am really hoping it's true.


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## Mysty (Oct 27, 2009)

I just broke my scaphoid at the 8 hour race a few weeks back. (July 24). It is 3 weeks now. After seeing my second x-ray around 10 days after the emerg x-ray, the surgeon tells me I have lost bone and that he doesn't think it will heal. May require surgery. 

I am waiting on a call to have a CT scan done after which the doc will tell me for certain what is happening.... I was originally told 12 weeks in a cast... now not so sure.

Told not to do anything with this hand except wiggle my fingers. I get solid sharp pain and it swells slightly on humid days.

Is there any way of keeping my arm in shape to increase blood flow and retain muscle and healthy tissue while in a cast without lifting or stressing my wrist??


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

Mysty said:


> I just broke my scaphoid at the 8 hour race a few weeks back. (July 24). It is 3 weeks now. After seeing my second x-ray around 10 days after the emerg x-ray, the surgeon tells me I have lost bone and that he doesn't think it will heal. May require surgery.
> 
> I am waiting on a call to have a CT scan done after which the doc will tell me for certain what is happening.... I was originally told 12 weeks in a cast... now not so sure.
> 
> ...


When my right wrist was in a cast I was told to keep my cast elevated so I held it up in the air. That sorta took care of my deltoids but that was it. I was a heavy weight lifter before and never imagined my arm muscles would disappear like they did.

Hold your cast up behind your head and work your triceps. Then in front of you to work your biceps. It took a loooong time before I could do even that (when I finally realized I should be doing that) so when you can you can push your cast right against a wall, then towards your body against a wall. Let the pain and your doc be your guide. I went from 160 lbs to 144. I don't know how much of that was my thin right arm but just not being active shrunk me.

There's no getting away from the fact your arm is gonna shrink big time. Working on your ROM after your cast is off/surgery is #1, the strength will come back. My now pumped back up right arm is testament to that, but it will take time.


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## FinsUp (Nov 12, 2006)

IT's gonna suck. I had the surgery in May, still off the bike. I lost about 50% of my mobility, doc said that's as good as I am ever going to get. He did say I would be back on the bike. Just not as soon as I hoped. Mine had partially collapsed, four pin fusion. It really does hurt, and it sucks!!!


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## Mysty (Oct 27, 2009)

xcguy said:


> I went from 160 lbs to 144. I don't know how much of that was my thin right arm but just not being active shrunk me.
> 
> There's no getting away from the fact your arm is gonna shrink big time. Working on your ROM after your cast is off/surgery is #1, the strength will come back. My now pumped back up right arm is testament to that, but it will take time.


I started off at 128 and now dropped to 123. I already had little toned arms, but the injured one has turned to mush...

My muscle memory is good - so I don't have worries on that... I know I am looking at a slow recovery... I am in alot of pain now and I have had the cast on for almost 4 weeks...

I appreciate all the feedback... I found myself depressed after I found out. It's not easy being injured.


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## squads (Feb 8, 2004)

Craptasticycle said:


> Broke my scaphoid over a year ago, finally diagnosed this Febuary. Scaphoid fracture with avascular necrosis and partial collapse. Got a vascular bone graft (no fusion, yet) and been in cast for two months. Doc said "well maybe it might be starting to heal, a little, in one spot". Projected at least 6 months in cast, for a 50-50 shot of healing.
> 
> 2 months after surgery:


Hey so I am curious...were you having serious pain long after the break? I crashed about a year ago and I feel like I might have broken the scaphoid. I get some minor pains and irritations in my wrist still, but I was interested to see how yours manifested itself. I should go get an x-ray in any case.


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## Craptasticycle (May 29, 2008)

Hurt a bit all along, hurt ALOT when trying to do flat handed pushups. Started losing grip strength at the end as scaphoid collapsed and also started getting tendonitis as wrist geometry shifted. I'm still in a splint cast, looks like it won't ever fully heal.

New rule for me, any pain at base of thumb/snuffbox area after crash will be treated as broken scaphoid till proven otherwise


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## Mysty (Oct 27, 2009)

*week 8 update*

I finally had the cast removed. After 8 gruelling weeks (at least for me with pain and swelling in the cast)...

The surgeon was quite shocked that my scaphoid healed in 8 weeks, he tells me it is at least 12 weeks minimum... he had to keep asking me when it was I broke it as he was in disbelief... I am guessing that is good? His comment was "WOW you heal fast"...:thumbsup:

Only crappy part is that the CT scan taken 3 weeks age tells him that I torn my Scaphonulate Ligament... NOT good... will need repair, but he still has to make sure the bone is fully healed... he will do another x-ray in one month...

I have a gap that shows in the CT...

He wants me to stay in a splint for 2 weeks and start mobility with minor exercises...

here is more on the *Scaphonulate Ligament* injury...


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