Broken scaphoid bone

aoa321

Hi,

I broke the scaphoid bone in my right wrist about 5 weeks ago and the doctor tells me it's not healing correctly - the situation has become extremely boring and this enforced lay-off is beginning to do my head in. I have a simple/stupid question question for any of you who might know about such things ....

Will road running hinder my chances of recovery ? or should I just sit perfectly until this gets better ?

kerinsp

now I am worried.
I broke mine too 5 weeks ago. I am supposed to get the cast off next tuesday with an xray to see if its healed but I hacked off the cast myself at the weekend and my wrist is still not right so I think mine isn't healing either. I am just strapped up until tuesday. What is the doc going to do with yours. Another cast?
(personally I would do the road running if that was my thing, its almost impossible to do nothing for 5/6 weeks)

aoa321

why did you hack the cast off ? I've been able to resist the temptation to do the same thing !! I am totally frustrated with the situation but thankfully I have very little pain.

How did you break yours? I broke my bone playing 5-a-side football, and I cannot believe that such a simple accident has turned into this mini saga. I'm missing this summer's tag rugby tournament and my mates (who are all novices) are badly stuck without me.

I have been reading and hearing a LOT about this injury over the last few weeks. The seriousness of the injury depends on which part of the bone is broken, the main problem is that there is only blood supply into one end of the bone and if the break is on the end furthest away, the blood does not get to the fractured part in enough volume for it to heal properly - as in my case.

The doctor says he will leave the cast on for another 2 1/2 weeks and reassess, if at that stage there is no improvement he will put another cast on for a further six weeks - aaahhhhhrrrrrgggghhhhh !!!

I asked him would he have to operate to sort it out and he said it could be "a couple of months" before he made a decision on that - I'm going mental !! What I cannot understand is why it will take him so long to make a decision on an operation.

Surely if there is a piece of broken bone "floating" around in my hand without proper blood supply for a long time the bone may degrade seriously ... or worse !! I will be quizzing him about this at my next appointment.

I've just re-read this post - boy am I feeling sorry for myself today!!!

anyway, keep in touch - I'd love to hear how you get on over the next few weeks .

kerinsp

I hacked off the cast because it was in bits and stinking and I figured it was on for 5 weeks so it should be ok. I wish I left it on now. I felt no pain with it on and I was pissed off when I removed it and found out my wrist is still sore after 5 long weeks. It hurts to move my hand forward and back in a gay/spiderman way if you know what I mean. I am clinging on to the hope that its tendons or something but I think its bone related.
I am worried now that the doc will just stick on another cast for a while. I want to get back to the gym and I want to start kick boxing too and I have things I should be doing around the house with these long evenings. I know what you mean about the mini-saga and people just don't get it. All you hear is "Oh when I broke my thumb I didn't even know" sort of thing.
I broke mine punching something and caught my thumb. A silly accident at home ( not a violent thing either! I was doing some gardening!). I couldn't believe I broke it that easy too. I am right handed too so its been difficult dealing with keyboards/mouse, not being able to use a pen, showering with a bin bag over my arm, being off my motorbike etc.
I hope you get some improvement in the next 2.5 weeks. ( Did your doc do an x-ray with the cast on? ) I'll let you know how I get on Tuesday. I will be so annoyed/worried if it hasn't healed.

aoa321

we should form a support group !! I know what you mean about the stink and the jobs around the house - my wife is delighted with the situation - not !!!

My little boy came home from the creche yesterday and told me that the girl who works there has a sore hand like Daddy's - she has broken her scaphoid bone (tripped over the dog and landed badly) - we're taking over the world !!

I got a great link sent to my private mail box I've put the details below ... that's it for now, don't forget to log in next Tuesday/Wednesday and let me know how you get on

Good Luck

http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp04013.htm

kerinsp

hey mate,
I got good news from the doc yesterday. My scaphoid is healing. What a relief! After the x-ray I had a look myself before I met the doctor (a young wan too), and I could clearly see "the fracture line" still there so I assumed it wasn't healing. I was so depressed waiting to be seen but the doc said it was ok and that you would see that line anyway. She compared the before and after and you can see the two pieces of bone have become a bit closer together. Of course as soon as I got home I tried to lift a few weights and failed miserably. It will take a little time now to get it back to normal. Still hurts making certain movements but at least I know I can get rotavating the back garden soon!
I hope your next xray goes better. Let me know how it goes for you.
Paul

aoa321

Nice one Paul,

i'm delighted to hear it went so well for you - I'm presuming that you don't have the cast on any longer ? Did they make you wear a splint or a support bandage ?

Take it easy for a while so that you don't damage it again

My next appointment at the hospital is June 8th, hopefully it will be all good news but I am preparing myself for the worst - just in case !!

I will check in when I have anymore news

Kieran

kerinsp

Not wearing any bandage or splint or anything. Its great to be able to use 2 hands in the shower again!
The wrist is still sore under pressure but I think its getting slowly better. I can't do a push up for example, too sore.
let us know how you get on in June.

RedRaven

Ok guys this is the craic,

I broke my right one 5 years ago training in Muay Thai, I trained for 12 weeks unaware cause never broke a bone before I just thought it was sprained, anyhow went to get x-ray it revealed the brake so I got it cast for six weeks- it didnt heal so had it cast again for six weeks that didnt work so I had corrective surgery- they took bone from my hip and joined the two parts with a herbert pin.
It took six weeks again before the next xray the sugery was a success,how ever the consultant said no more martial atrs boo hoo, but the guy who operated said it was a 98% heal and fight away no problem, infac he was so happy with the heal that he wanted to use the before and after x-rays in his lectures, so happy days after I heard that, It actually took 2 years before i could punch with real conviction because of the psycological damage suffered. But hey thats was my bad luck and also a long process, the main thing is blood supply to the area affected, you should take calcuim to repair the bone and vitamin d help absorb the calcium otherwise you will just .... out the excess calcium. So good look with the healing guys I wouldnt wish anybody to go through the pain and depression I went through.

kerinsp

Thats bad luck mate. the bone graft is the last straw at fixing it isn't it? Thats a good tip on the calcium but one question. Can I just drink a pantload of milk instead of looking for tablets. I don't take any supplements and don't want too either.
Good luck with the muay thai too! I am going to try to take up kick boxing soon.
Paul

RedRaven

Yes I think the bone graft is the last straw, and I dont take suppliments either but for this I think its essential for the repair proccess, I think milk only has 20% R.D.A. of calcium,maybe Im wrong but a suppiment will give 100% R.D.A which would be much better.

Good luck with the kickboxing too, maybe give Muay Thai a go as well 8 weapons better than 4!!!!!

aoa321

a quick update ... I was in the hospital earlier in the week, the bone is still broken, but there is some "callus" showing on the x-ray, which apparently is new bone.

So I have a new cast on for the next 3 weeks, I'm actually completely used to this now. There has been no mention of an operation yet, so if the doctors want me to keep the cast on for yet more time I will go along with it to try to avoid the operation (I have this fear of an operation on my hand - all those wee nerves and muscles - any little thing could go wrong)

If you're not completely bored of this saga I'll keep you posted - I am completely bored of it - maybe it's life's way of teaching me patience !!

kerinsp

which hospital are you at? Hopefully "new bone" means its starting to heal.
Mine is still sore sometimes. I can't really put too much weight on it still but I can do a few push ups which is an improvement.
good luck!

aoa321

kerinsp wrote:

which hospital are you at?

I'm at Waterford Regional, and to be fair I have no complaints about the service I'm getting. I was told on day one in Accident and Emergency that I was in big trouble because of the bone and the nature of the break on it, I was also told that I could be in a cast for up to 2 and a half months, and I'm still well inside that.

At the time I heard what they were saying but I wasn't really listening - like in Father Ted when the bishop is speaking to Dougal and all Dougal can hear is "bla bla bla", well I'll listen up next time - I honestly thought I would be getting the all-clear after 4 weeks - dream on !!

RedRaven

Hey thats good news about the new bone dude but keep feeding it with the calcium and the vitatin d, the itch is a bitch eh?? Ah well soldier on my man and keep me posted. Goodluck