# Old Scaphoid, non-union



## teamplayr (Nov 22, 2005)

OK here is the deal. When I was 14 I played basketball. Going up for a jump shot I was pushed and fell backwards. I broke the fall with my outstretched arms and ending up breaking both wrists. I will go ahead and make the joke now.....a cast on each arm and no girlfriend while 14 years old and raging with hormones :madman: At about 16 years old I started riding mountainbikes. New riders always crash and of course I did. Probably sprained the left wrist a couple times during my bike rides through the years. Fast forward to now and I am 31 years old and been riding pretty much ever since save for a 4 year break for higher education. Usually have a small bit of tenderness at the end of an epic (6-7 hrs) but other than that my left wrist has been fine. The other week I crashed really hard and of course landed on my outstretched left arm. X-rays showed a minor break in the elbow (radial head fracture) and a fracture in the scaphoid (wrist/hand). Had to get an MRI as well and the MRI showed that the fracture was not new, and had been there from a previous break that never healed. Wrist was just sprained. Ortho wants me to heal up elbow first then have surgery on the scaphoid. Surgey invovles a screw through the bone with a bone graft taken from the wrist or hip. Surgery has 80% success rate. Cast for 6 weeks after surgery then 6 weeks of re-hab.

So my question is should I opt for the surgery or just leave it as is? I know the doctors opinion is what I should listen to but has anyone ever had this break and left it alone and been fine? I mean it has been broken for this long which I didnt even know and I have been fine with really no pain. Also, MRI showed no necrosis of the bone so it is still living. This injury will not keep me off a bike forever so if I happen to crash on it again will the break be worse? If anyone has some insight on this pesky fracture, I would love to here it.


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## Lunchbox362 (Jun 27, 2009)

Just have it fixed, as you get older and older itll just get worse and worse, you dont want to be 60 and not able to use the left hand.


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## karpiel666 (Jan 7, 2005)

Get it fixed and practice falling.


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## EpicProportions (Jul 8, 2008)

Get the wrist fixed. Chronic non-union of the scaphoid bone can lead to significant arthritic changes in the wrist over time. You may be pain-free now, but over time, the arthritic changes can lead to carpal collapse (carpal = wrist bones) and distortion of the wrist's normal anatomic position. If you are interested to know more and to impress your surgeon, Google SNAC (scaphoid non-union advanced collapse) wrist and DISI (dorsal intercalated segment instability). 

Your body will thank you in your old age if you have it corrected now. Severe arthritis is never pleasant - young or old.


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## oldergoat (Mar 14, 2007)

*Have the surgery*

if you haven't done so yet. My story is similar to yours. I think I probably broke/cracked my scaphoid in a prior fall about 4 years previous to a fall where x-rays showed the fracture. I went through casting and braces for about 1 year before it was decided to have the surgery (screw and cells from my hip). Wrist/hand completely healed about 6 months after the surgery.


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