Cracked bone - how long to heal?

[KurriKurri]

My mother cracked a bone in her hand approx. four weeks ago, she cracked a rib at the same time, both as the result of a fall. I'm rather concerned that she is feeling no improvement in her hand. The rib although still uncomfortable is getting better.

She has had the hand in a splint, but still can't use her fingers, or lift anything - very awkward because it's her right hand, and she says it is very painful still.
She had a check up a week after her fall, and was told the pain was from bruising around the break (?).

Does this pain sound reasonable after 4 weeks, or should she go back to th hospital? (which she is reluctant to do ). She's 89, which may be relevant to the healing time.

My dh broke a tiny bone in his wrist 7 months ago, it was in a splint and pretty unmoveable for 3 months - 7 months on and he still can't do press ups and still doesn't have full mobility. He is 32 and incredibly fit and healthy.

I think it takes as long as it takes. He had to go back 3 times to the fracture clinic in the first 3 months though - has she got further appointments?

Which bone in her hand ? Some of them can be very, very slow to heal - like 10 weeks for the scaphoid.

But it really does sound like she needs to see someone about it, so try and persuade her to at least go to her GP

I think it is the scaphoid CMOT. She's only been back once to the hospital, - a week after it happened, - I think she needs follow up appointments, just to check it's on track.

GP has phoned her and got her going to a falls clinic once a week, which is some progress (although she's had to have 3 falls before they've given her a place - but that's a whole other story!)

I'll try to persuade her to go back again, - I don't live near, so will have to nag her by phone.

Laurie - 7 months - poor chap! I didn't realise these things took so long.

Scaphoids are a right beggar as they only have blood supply at one end, so a fracture cuts off the blood supply to the other end. According to this (written by my lovely hand surgeon) the splint is on for 6 weeks, and then reassessed.
Though I broke my scaphoid, it was in the context of a much greater injury, so couldn't remember exactly

Good that she is finally getting to a falls clinic. Maybe you could ring her GP and ask if they could ask her to come in to look at it ?

Thank you CMOT - that's very useful, I'll print it out for her. It definitely sounds as if she should be getting some sort of follow up, it's obviously a tricky thing to deal with. - Hope yours is healed now.