# ughh... broken wrist



## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

title pretty much says it all...

i'm typing w/ 1 hand.

doctor says 6-8weeks for healing?? i'm in the middle of swim season :-(

anything like chinese herbal medicine to help speed up the healing? advice?

thi sucks:madman: :madman: :madman:


----------



## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

researchhed into those portable bone ultrasound things, anybody ever use one?
A bone healing improvement by 40%
would be fantastic.


----------



## Timeless (Mar 23, 2007)

yeah do not push it. it be 6weeks at best plus PT to get everything back in action. Trying the those so call things that make it heal faster is a great way to make it worse and do long lasting damage that will never heal to your wrist. Pretty much you swimming season is over as much as it sucks there just not much you can do about it. I would say take a lost on this season and not risk your future swimming seasons on a small chance of a being able to get back into it earlier.


----------



## Pegasos (Feb 9, 2007)

taikuodo said:


> researchhed into those portable bone ultrasound things, anybody ever use one?
> A bone healing improvement by 40%
> would be fantastic.


If by "those portable ultrasound things" you mean the LIPUS devices then, as the other post said, I wouldn't hold my breath. They are still in the experimental stage and I have seen treatment protocols which cover all the regular ultrasound treatment spectrum in terms of dosage, time, frequency etc. Plus, all the so called +ve studies have been extremely specific in choosing the injuries (as all good research should do). So to recap: depending on your type and extend of the fracture 6-8 weeks for bone consolidation, about 4 weeks of PT to regain mobility and basic strength and some time on the top of that in order to forget that you once broke your wrist and start using it without thinking about it. Sorry, but for the moment we still can't rush nature.


----------



## Psycho Mike (Apr 2, 2006)

Ditto...don't push it. Heal first...the last thing you want is to make a permanent injury by messing around with it too soon and doing more damage.

Here's hoping that you heal soon, though.


----------



## tommyrod74 (Jul 3, 2002)

taikuodo said:


> title pretty much says it all...
> 
> i'm typing w/ 1 hand.
> 
> ...


I feel your pain. Distal radius fracture (Collett's Fracture) 58 days (8+ weeks) ago.

My timeline:

Broke wrist on Sunday, went to urgent care place and got a temporary splint. Went to spin class (indoor cycling) starting the day after the accident (very careful not to let hand touch anything while on bike). That Thursday, got a hard cast from ortho. After 4 days with hard cast, went back to ortho for another option (spin class and running were causing massive sweat buildup, incredibly gross).

Ortho agreed to let me see PT for a hard, molded splint. I could take it off to bathe, and it was washable. I wore this through 5 weeks (should have been 6, but I was extremely careful).

So to recap- on indoor bike immediately following break, running within 5 days (with wrist secured by cast/splint, and very careful not to jar too much), road bike within 3 weeks of accident (hands on bar tops only until week 5), mountain bike after 7 weeks. Able to swim at 4 weeks (freestyle, and very carefully), lifting weights (light) at 7 weeks.

I came out of it much more fit than before the injury (would have been more fit if uninjured also- beginning of spring season/nice weather) and feeling great. Still some soreness when lifting weights or climbing out of saddle for long periods, but I'm racing MTB this Sunday- could have been much worse.

Use the time to do what you can to improve fitness, and be patient (but active as possible)- the bone needs 6 weeks to fully heal. Avoid putting weight on the joint for as long as possible. One-handed standing climbs on the spin bike will do wonders for your core strength 

My wrist break was also much less problematic than a broken bone in the wrist joint itself (navicular, etc.) and was only minimally displaced.

Good luck!


----------



## screeemer (Sep 14, 2006)

*Oh that just figures*

I am just coming out of a wrist break...Distal Radius. How bad is yours, mine had nearly no dislocation and healed relatively quick (5 weeks)...depending on the amount of bone seperation and or dislocation it could be quite a while to heal properly. As I also broke my colar bone last year with a 12 week non-union (the bones didn't heal) I was prescribed an electronic bone growth stimulator which even after insurance cost me over a grand out of pocket...and it still took almost 6 weeks for the bone to heal...I don't think it's worth it. The science is still too new in that field of healing. My best suggestion is get yourself some good quality calcium supplements with phosphorus to aid in the adsorbtion into the body...eat quality high nutrient meals and don't do anything for the first few weeks with the wrist. You're gonna get stiff as the muscles and ligaments within the wrist have more than likely been traumatized and will also require healing time, for this it is suggested by some to take glucosamene to feed flexible tissue. You'll get better, just be patient.:thumbsup:


----------



## the_godfather (Jan 19, 2007)

yep, i'd agree with screeemer there. High Protein and calcium diet with maybe some suplements. Rest it completely for the first couple of weeks - then after 1-2 weeks start moving it carefully and gradually as well as slowly if it doesn't hurt. IF IT DOES HURT AT ALL STOP MOVING IT!!! otherwise it will take a lot longer to heal. I know from experience. Chipped a huge chunk of bone in my ankle while playing football (soccer), didnt go doctors or hospital just rested it for a day or two then started playing football again even though it was still hurting. 5years later it still comes back to haunt me!


----------



## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

going to find out this afternoon at the orthopedic ppl.
This is what the radiologist said after seeing my xray.

"There is a slightly displaced and distracted fracture of the ulnar styloid process. There may be some dorsal subluxation of the ulna relative to the distal location"

so translated, basically I have some kind of fracture at the top of my ulna and it could be slightly dislocated.

Edit: got my pink cast today
4 weeks said the doctor =)
The cartilage ripped and took a chip off the ulna.


----------



## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

Wow........
just wow.
5 weeks later, cast didn't do much, I took an MRi, now I need an arthroscopy, and the earliest appointment is in two weeks, after that I need to be 6 weeks in a cast.

AGAIN.

The healthcare system pisses me off.
If they took an MRI right off the bat, and had a surgery 2 months ago I would be fine, now I have to have half my summer gone thanks to this...
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.


----------



## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

db.


----------

