Scaphoid Fracture

[MX113]

I know I posted this on the old board and I couple of people suffered the same break. For those that don't know, I broke my scaphoid in Feb. The doc I went to near my school put me in a cast and left it there for 14-weeks. I had to switch docs when I moved home after graduation. He told me that he would have done surgery and that 14-weeks in a cast is insane. Now, I'm stuck with a partially healed fracture and stiff joints. I'm awaiting the result of a CT scan to see if we are going to do surgery or go back in a cast, but damn this sucks. It's in a splint for now and the pain from the joint stiffness is worse than the pain from breaking the bone.

[O'Brien#12]

I had 10 days in a cast and thats your lot!!!
It will heal itself, i have not got any problems from it! Although it can hurt from over exercise in really heavy weights

[DanielleJo22]

yeah, youre in a tough spot. there's a lot of rehabilitation you could do for the stiff joints but you cant really do it yet if the fracture is only partially healed.

how did you fracture it? fall on an outstretched arm or somethin?

[MX113]

Yep, I fell over a curb right onto the hand. The joint stiffness is a result of the atrophy that accompanies immobilization. It will get better the longer I am out of the cast. What sucks the most is the partial healing. There are significant complications from a non-union. Will see how it goes.

O'brien: I cannot believe they only had you in the cast for 10-days. Any surgery? Was it a full break? What pole of the bone broke?

[O'Brien#12]

No surgery and apparently it was a clean break......i wasn't told what pole it was.
They just said that "theres not alot you can do with it because of the position just take it steady when the cast is removed.....well me being me went dirt jumping on it the day i had my cast off and tweaked it quite bad doing an X-up!!!

I think i was lucky and it healed ok. I am looking forward to arthiritis when im older though!

[MX113]

No surgery and apparently it was a clean break......i wasn't told what pole it was.
They just said that "theres not alot you can do with it because of the position just take it steady when the cast is removed.....well me being me went dirt jumping on it the day i had my cast off and tweaked it quite bad doing an X-up!!!

I think i was lucky and it healed ok. I am looking forward to arthiritis when im older though!


That's craziness. I've read a lot about scaphoid fractures since my injury and nothing indicates only 10-days in a cast. The minimum suggested cast time without surgery is around 3-months. You must be a mutant.

[O'Brien#12]

Hahaha i have healed bloody quick recently as well......Cased a double on my MTB and the bike landed on my face. Took a chunk out of my face with the pedal......10 days later and i took the stitches out and it had healed...... :-S http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v195/154/60/503291827/n503291827_757587_3656.jpg


I reckon i'm like wolverine! :-D
The Forehead cut healed in a week! :-)

[Demon]

Hahaha i have healed bloody quick recently as well......Cased a double on my MTB and the bike landed on my face. Took a chunk out of my face with the pedal......10 days later and i took the stitches out and it had healed...... :-S http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v195/154/60/503291827/n503291827_757587_3656.jpg


I reckon i'm like wolverine! :-D
The Forehead cut healed in a week! :-)

MTB accident? Is that what your telling them? Put it this way guys he won't be calling me a Bloody Yank anymore :upset:













;-)

[O'Brien#12]

Hahahaha yeah it was a Dirtjumping accident, I nearly had the scars reopened earlier.....i asked if a canadian girl was american......hahahahah i knew it was risky but i thought it would be a laugh. I was wrong :-o

[MX113]

Still dude...

Skin is one thing; bone is completely different. Especially a bone that receives its blood supply backwards and is notorious for not healing.

Yikes.

[O'Brien#12]

Well thats true,
After this discussion i went into work and my colleague has broken hers as well.......the docs said the same thing to her as they did to me!! Surely there can't be that big a difference between the US and UK health service? It's quite scary though!

[MX113]

I didn't know you were in the UK. That could explain the difference. Do you see regular GP (general practioner) for this or do you see an orthopaedic surgeon?

[motodrew295]

I remember your post on the old board. Get a bone graph and get it pinned. ask your doc for bone growth stimulator also. Mine died after a few monthes out of a cast and it was not stop pain. I was in the exact situation you were in the doctor didnt want to do surgery right off and I ended up having to start all over agian. It's the same bone that is giving RVillo some troubles. After 3 years I dont have full range of motion and after riding it gets sore.

[MX113]

I remember your post on the old board. Get a bone graph and get it pinned. ask your doc for bone growth stimulator also. Mine died after a few monthes out of a cast and it was not stop pain. I was in the exact situation you were in the doctor didnt want to do surgery right off and I ended up having to start all over agian. It's the same bone that is giving RVillo some troubles. After 3 years I dont have full range of motion and after riding it gets sore.

Luckily the bone on either side of the break looks healthy, so the risk of avascular necrosis (AVN) (bone death) is low. If I was at risk for AVN, a bone graft would be the way to go. At this point, we have to wait to see what the CT reveals before determining which course of action to follow.

According to my surgeon, there is still debate over whether to do surgery or to cast. I had a non-displaced scaphoid fracture on the proximal pole. A non-displaced fracture heals well in a cast and also does well in surgery - your treatment modality depends on your surgeon and the intricacies of your lifestyle.

If it were a displaced fracture, surgery is 100% the way to go.

I'm sorry to hear that you have ROM issues. Any arthritis? When you were in the cast, how long did they have you in? How long after the injury occured did they diagnose you with the scaphoid fracture?

[O'Brien#12]

I didn't know you were in the UK. That could explain the difference. Do you see regular GP (general practioner) for this or do you see an orthopaedic surgeon?
I saw an orthopaedic surgeon, i finished the race on the break, and went two days without even knowing. i had a badly painful wrist but i just thought i had tweaked it. Went to A and E and they sent me to the specialist. I think i was lucky to be honest, i have a pretty good range of motion (its limited but its not restricting) and it only hurts at the extremes of motion. been nearly a year now.

I think a non invasive option is always the best if it is feasible. Any surgery adds risks.

[MX113]

The difference in treatment between the UK and US is amazing. Since they recommended the same course of treatment for your friend you can assume that's the standard of care. I'm glad everything worked out.

[O'Brien#12]

Yeah me too!!
I think it worries me because i don't trust the UK level of care.
Well i wish you luck with your injuries and i hope it works out as well as mine!

[MX113]

Thanks. I've had it out of the splint more than I should and the joint stiffness is almost gone.

I know a few people from the UK and none are happy with the socialized medicine. Lack of specialists, long waits to get an appointment, etc. Do you think you guys would prefer privatized medicine or a reform of the current system?

[ktmmcc82]

I broke mine of May 17 last year, got the cast May 20, got the cast off October 3, went riding November 11. No surgery, but I had a bone stimulator from August too October and it worked wonders. I have a little bit of motion and it started to hurt after I was brush painting for a while at the camp I was working at.

[MX113]

Went to the doc for the CT results today: The CT revealed a partial-union (which means it's not completely healed yet) with possible ligament damage. The doc said there is nothing they can do to repair the particular ligament I may have damaged, so no need to worry about that. He's keeping me in a splint for two more weeks and no heavy lifting/exercise for three weeks. At three weeks, they plan to re X-ray. Everything still looks healthy so no need for bone growth stimulator. Hopefully it will heal in three weeks.

[motogrady]

I did my right over 30 years ago. I was 18 weeks in a cast. He had my
hand in a "throttle wide open position". When it came off, I went swimming
and the hand was like a dishrag.

It took a year after that to get strength, maybe another to get
about 80% range back. Tennis finally loosened that b@@@@ up.

Thinking back, it's the injury that ended my shot a racing career. Had just gotten
sponsored by the local shop, told me I could go anywhere, keep my bike as
a spare and race a brand new one for free. Gas, gear, everything. Time
I got healthy, I had gotten into other things.

Long term, sometimes it bothers me. When it's cold, but it's no big deal.

I've heard they just take 'em out now. Anyway you cut it, not good.
Good luck guy.

[MX113]

. I have a little bit of motion and it started to hurt after I was brush painting for a while at the camp I was working at.

Do you mean that you have minor range of motion issues or that you can only move the wrist a little?