Broken wrist

[Stygimoloch]

Today I’ve broken two bones in my wrist playing football. I was in goal and saved a powerful shot and that was enough to break it! Doctor said it’s the two main bones. I knew instantly I’d done something bad.

Hospital have put a backslab on and I have to attend the fracture clinic next week. It’s incredibly painful.

Has anyone done anything similar? What can I expect at the fracture clinic? Will they change the backslab to something more manageable? I’m supposed to be going to Crete in 3 weeks? Will I be able to go? It’s my right hand and I’m right handed 😩. How long will it hurt like this?

Thanks!

Well done on the save!

I'm no expert, but broke mine in a backwards fall on the ice a few years ago. Yes, the fracture clinic are likely to give you a more lightweight support if it's a straightforward case, once any swelling is gone. But have they said if you might need surgery? Wrists and hands are complex things and they usually aim to repair as well as possible. I hope it hurts less soon.

You need one of those covers so you can shower! Limbo I think mine was called. Hopefully you'll be able to fly. You'll know more after the clinic.

Thank you for replying. It was a great save 😂 but regretting it now!

I’ve ordered a cover for the shower. No one mentioned surgery. I really hope not!

That's a much better way of fracturing your wrist than the boring fall I did! Mine needed surgery after 2 weeks but that was because the closed reduction they did (putting bones back into place) didn't hold and I needed surgery to realign the bones. Hopefully yours will be more straightforward and you'll just have a light cast by then and be able to go on holiday.

Fingers crossed. If they haven't said you need surgery then hopefully you don't. I was in the lighter plaster for about three weeks, then in a wrist brace for another three. I'm sure you'll be able to travel, but check with the airline and tell your travel insurance. Take painkillers to keep on top of any pain. Good luck. I was back at work after a week, but have an office job and it wasn't my dominant hand. I hope you have help at home.

The fracture clinic will likely change your back slab for a much lighter weight cylindrical cast. These can’t be applied immediately as there is no allowance for swelling.

You will be able to go on holiday but you must notify your insurance and probably worth speaking to the airline as some airlines don’t like cylindrical casts due to above mentioned risk of swelling

The pain will ease, make sure you are taking painkillers regularly - what painkillers do you have?
Keep your arm elevated on a couple of cushions (again, swelling)

I have co-codamol (which make me feel sick) and ibuprofen. It’s such a horrible sickening pain. I’m not usually a baby but this has made me cry.

It’s the possibility of surgery that I’m worried about most although it wasn’t mentioned at all today. The bones didn’t really look out of place on the x-ray but I don’t know anything! If I need surgery that will make my holiday less likely!

Thanks everyone.

Yes I have done this. Whether you need surgery or not depends on whether your fracture remains stable i.e. doesn't move out of place. There are various risk factors for this - age, menopause, general health, or you can just be unlucky, but if it looks okay so far then fingers crossed it stays in place. They will likely re x-ray at fracture clinic to check whether or not it has moved and if it does, likely surgery will be required, if not, probably a cast.

There are pros and cons to surgery anyway, a big pro being that recovery is actually usually quicker. I didn't need surgery so it was 6 weeks in plaster. I won't lie, it was a huge hassle (also r handed) but the pain eased off within a few days.

I’ve had the worst night and morning. I hardly slept because of the pain. The co-codamol didn’t seem to do anything other than make me feel sick and dizzy. I literally can’t do anything! My right hand is completely out of action and every movement/jolt is agony.

Please tell me things will get easier. I can’t stand 6 weeks of this! Will be able to use my right hand at all during the time the cast is on?

You have my sympathy, it's horrible to be in pain and unable to sleep. Have you got Naproxen as well? I had Naproxen and Co-codamol and I think the combination helped. I definitely couldn't use my right hand at all but I got much better at doing things with my left hand really quickly. Feels awkward at first but you will adapt. Get as much help from family and friends as you can. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

@Stygimoloch you will likely find the pain decrease significantly once it is properly stabilised, either (hopefully) in the full cast or following surgery. It's likely slightly too mobile in a back slab alone (by which I don't mean it indicates the fracture is moving out of place, just that even the smallest movement in your soft tissues is painful at this stage, as they are badly bruised as well as the bone). I was also in too much pain to sleep for the first few days so don't panic, it's not nice but it will improve soon.

In a cast you can use it as much as you feel able to. For me that was gradual improvement from very little for the first week, when I used a sling almost all the time and had to do everything quite gingerly, though to no sling usage and doing lots of normal stuff (within what I could manage with just the fingers free to move) by 6 weeks, including running on the treadmill.

Sorry you are dealing with this, it is shitty for a period but it will improve quickly.

Have a chat to a real life HCP today - may be that the cast/injury needs reviewing (esp if moving your fingers is painful).

@LaughingLemur thank you. Is Naproxen a prescription only drug? I’ve never taken it. I’m willing to try anything!

@LondonKara you’re giving me some hope, thank you! I’m desperate to hear from the fracture clinic so I can get on with whatever needs doing to fix it. I’m a teacher and just about to start 6 week holiday (a little earlier than planned!) and I’m in despair at feeling like this the whole time. I feel like I’m going to be trapped inside not being able to drive. Feel bad for my kids too. Can you remember how long it took for the fracture clinic to contact you?

I broke my wrist playing netball about 35 years ago. The pain during x-ray made me cry and I am quite a tough cookie.

I don’t remember any pain once I had the proper cast.

Do get yourself a cocktail swizzle stick. You will get an itch under your cast and a swizzle stick is ideal to poke down and have a scratch.

I phoned my GP saying I was in pain and they prescribed the naproxen plus more Co-codamol. I had a fracture clinic appointment at about 10 days and they decided I needed surgery, so I got put on the emergency day list and it was done about 4 days later. After surgery I just had a wrist support rather than a cast which was good. What a shame for it to happen in your summer holidays. It was about 8 weeks before I could drive.

Keep it still. Really still.

Like on the sofa on a pillow not moving still.

That will help with the pain. It gets a lot better in a week or so, and then gradually more so for a long time after that. There’ll come a point with the cast where you can do most things while wearing it. That’s not this week. Sunbathing in Crete probably still an option at this point.

I broke mine playing tennis! So much for a healthy active lifestyle. I had a back slab which was heavy and awkward then they decided I needed surgery to fix all the broken bits rather than a manipulated reduction and a cast. After surgery I had a normal plaster cast which was itchy and uncomfortable and my arm looked and smelled disgusting when it finally came off. Hope they can reduce the fracture for you, it is the lesser of two evils imo.

Ps my fracture didn’t hurst at all at the time, and was uncomfortable rather than painful afterwards.

The worst thing was realising how many normal activities actually need two hands to perform, simple things like opening jars and bottles, carrying more than one item ( get a soft cloth bag you can put over your shoulder) washing your hair, doing up zips!

I’ve had my appointment come through for next Tuesday. I think I expected sooner than this. I’m worried now that it’s getting closer to our holiday on 3rd August. Especially if it turns out I need surgery. Feeling really sorry for myself.

It's so tough with the pain, uncertainty and not being able to do anything. Hopefully you'll get good news on Tuesday and not need surgery. I think it'll feel more supported in a cast and the pain will start to decrease.

Sorry to hear you’re in such pain @Stygimoloch.

I broke my wrist in January and they were amazingly quick fixing it surgically - had it done the next day and I didn’t need a cast at all (they put a temp plaster cast on in A & E overnight before getting me back next day for the surgery and I can honestly say that at that stage, beyond the initial pain of the break, it wasn’t very painful at all). It was also my dominant hand.

Recovery might be slow, just to warn you. If you have a cast there’s nothing much you can do except keep the whole arm moving, make sure to exercise your shoulder, put the arm behind your back, lift it regularly, etc etc. just keep mobility active.

If you do have surgery and no cast, you must do any exercises they give you and ideally go to a physio (they may provide an NHS one). Mobility is key as soon as it’s possible to move it safely.

I'm 6 months down the line, couldn’t drive for at least 4 months and while I'm using my hand normally now, it’s still got a way to go and is still painful at times. Massively better, though, and almost full range of movement back.

Sending you the best of luck.