Update On My Broken Wrist!

[CRF450RDR]

I finally got the left wrist cast off yesterday, 1 day short of 6 weeks. Let me tell you this thing hurts like hell now! When I broke it I would've sweared it was just sprained, it was sore but I was making cell phone calls to my wife, and I had a full range of motion (it just felt like it needed ice). Now I have no motion and the thing cramps up on me and hurts like crazy when I try to rotate my wrist. I couldn't imagine using a clutch for about 3-4 weeks!! (I won't be because of my right ankle!).

Does this sound OK to you guys who've broken wrists. I could still flex my forearm under the cast and was doing isometric exercises, so I though it would feel better than this!!

[dav]

what exactly did you break

[wickidchikin]

My father had the same problem when he broke his thumb skiing. When he got the cast off, his whole wrist and thumb hurt like hell. After a week or so of excersizing it, he felt back to normal. Supposedly a lot of people have this problem.

[NOMADAK]

Sounds like the muscles in your arm have atrophied from limited usage. Very common with casts of any sort. That is why I like pins!

Did you take the cast off yourself or was it done by your orthopedist?

If you did, you probably shouldn't have.

An M.D. usually has to sign off on these things. After the exam, he can prescribe physical therapy if it is needed. I've had a couple of broken wrists, my range of motion needed help from a physical therapist each time. The doc. usually gives you a couple of weeks after the cast is removed then checks your strength and ROM and makes his determination.

take it slow, the muscle tone will return with usage, just don't over do it.

But do go see the dr. if you took it off yourself.

[Skydmark1]

this is sort of unrelated, but I sliced the knuckle of left thumb right down to the bone a few years back.....Took forever to heal because I split it back open once. Anyway, because I couldn't bend my thumb for a long time the skin got very tight and it took a month or so by the time I could bend it all the way, and it still hurt when I did it. I guess the point of my story is that your wrist is probably similar. Give it a little time, if in doubt, ask the doc.

[stevieray1958]

I'm going through the same thing with my right wrist. I have a very limited range of motion after having the cast off, the wrist is full of tendons and connecting vessels and damage to them is probable due to the broken bone. I guess it is a tough one to heal, how old you are may have some bearing too, I am 47 and so do not heal as well as I did as a kid. Best of luck to you, I know how you are feeling at the moment.

[twoblackbelts]

It's probly a tumor. Walk it off.

[CRF450RDR]

I let the Orthopedic take it off, it was a brake of the radius. The thing was shattered but nothing was out of alignment (that's why they didn't pin it), so I assume most of what I'm feeling is atrophy. The cast came up past my elbow, my biceps haven't been this small since I was 14!!! he wants me do do some therapy on my own, which I'm all for. I have a follow-up in two weeks where my right ankle cast comes off!

[gibben]

I just had a cast removed from my left wrist about 3 weeks ago. That puppy was on for just on 12 weeks.

Lost a lot of motion and muscle condition over that time, getting better now ... but still hurts in the morning and after a long ride ....

[NOMADAK]

I let the Orthopedic take it off, it was a brake of the radius. The thing was shattered but nothing was out of alignment (that's why they didn't pin it), so I assume most of what I'm feeling is atrophy. The cast came up past my elbow, my biceps haven't been this small since I was 14!!! he wants me do do some therapy on my own, which I'm all for. I have a follow-up in two weeks where my right ankle cast comes off!

Good to hear RDR, it is hard not to take action on your own but you did the right thing by waiting (would you have waited if you didn't have the ankle cast?)

Ask for some thera-band. It will help you do strengthening excercises.

After working your shrunken muscles, using some simple icepacks will help alot.

[twoblackbelts]

Don't forget CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS!!!!!

[dav]

being a radius fx with time and exercise you should regain full ROM and strength. the Dr should have given you specific exercises to do. if he didnt ask him. physical therapy does help, but most of the time it is not needed on a radius fx (i hate to say that because it takes money out of my pocket) you should get some thera putty or a rubber ball to squeeze. moist heat before stretching will also help you regain the ROM faster. if you dont see marked improvement in a few weeks ask for a physical therapy order. we can isolate the correct muscles, use modalities such as ultrasound and e-stim to speed up the healing process. good luck

[ktmr]

Glad to hear that you got one cast off. One more and you will be back it in no time.