scaphoid fractures

kerinsp

Some of you guys might know about this. Last april I fractured my scaphoid in my wrist and was in a cast for 5 weeks. It healed up fine although it took ages. Last week I got kicked right in the wrist when sparring and it felt like it broke again but gradually its getting less and less painful. day one it hurt to move my wrist. now I can move it fine and can put weight on it. The doc knew it was broken before my poking his finger on a certain spot and I can poke there now and not feel pain so is this just a sprain? I will be crazy if I have to wear a cast again so soon. My plan is to give it another week or 2 to see if the pain goes away completly rather than spend a saturday trying to get an xray. I suppose I am asking, if its broken will you definetly feel some pain there?

Paul

dlofnep

It's probably just a sprain.. Did your wrist bend in anyway? If it bends then your tissue and muscle is being stretched which causes the sprain.. If it didn't however, I'd go see your doctor.

kerinsp

well after an uppercut to a pad on wednesday it hurt a bit, then when sparring on friday it hurt a lot but i dont remember what way I got kicked or if my wrist bent. Hopefully its just a sprain.

memphis

Why not get it checked out by your GP? Better to be safe than sorry don't you think?

kerinsp

you are right but trip to doc = 45 quid and time off work just to be sent for an xray anyway. If its causing more irksome discomfort in a week I'll see about getting another x-ray.

soma

This thread is good timing for me

I got hit on my wrist in training last week (a week ago today). At the time, it was sore but the pain subsided pretty quickly and I carried on, I even played guitar for about 20 mins when I got home.

About 30 mins b4 going to bed I noticed soreness starting to develop in my wrist & lower hand. Then I actually woke up at about 4am due to the discomfort.

Work was a no-go on the friday as typing was sore - my main symptom would be rotating my wrist clockwise resulted in pain & limited range between 2 & 4 o clock, My Akido buddy identified (correctly i think) this as a problem along my lunate bone.

Took a trip to the doc, he was a bit well.. inconclusive! He did a few physical tests etc but did mention that often if u get a wrist fracture, it doesnt show up on an X-Ray for a week.

So my question is - after a smack on the wrist like this - how long has it been before u guys recovered..? what do u reckon the cut-off point is time-wise that u should no longer be feeling pain/discomfort..?

At the moment (a week later - no training since) its still a bit sore (more like a slight dull ache) and Im not yet confident to put much pressure on it (e.g. a press-up). thoughts/experiences appreciated...

Colm_OReilly

Scaphoid fractures are norotiously difficult to diagnose. This is generally due to the angle x-rays are taken, and how the scaphoid is nestled in with the other wrist bones.

Also if left untreated you'll lose half your scaphoid, as the blood supply gets cut off due to the anatomy of the scaphoid.

I know it sucks, but you may as well get it checked, otherwise it will lead to pain later down the road.

Your wrist is comparatively weak anyway and a lot can go wrong with it, so it's a good idea to have someone take a look at it.

Hope this helps,
Colm

kerinsp

Soma,
When I fractured mine in June, the pain wasn't too bad but that night I didn't sleep and the next morning there was swelling and a dull ache pain that was a bitch. It hurt a fair bit and my doc did the same diagnosis but there was "Ay Carumba!" pain when he jabbed my snuffbox with his finger (this is a good indication the scaphoid is fracured). If you flatten your hand and stick all your fingers and thumb out, there is an indentation at the base of your thumb between some ligaments or whatever, thats the snuffbox. If its fractured you are looking at 3 months of recovery at least. I was in a cast for 5 weeks (then I cut it off). I was another few weeks before I could do a push up, then I started kickboxing from frustration.

Right now I think I have a sprain. If there is no pain in another week then it must be, if there is then I'll be trying to get another xray to have a look.

soma

kerinsp wrote:

It hurt a fair bit and my doc did the same diagnosis but there was "Ay Carumba!" pain when he jabbed my snuffbox with his finger (this is a good indication the scaphoid is fracured).

Yeah he did the snuffbox test - It was grand.

kerinsp wrote:

Right now I think I have a sprain.

Yeah I reckon I'm in sprain territory too - Im just raging I cant go surfing this weekend :mad:

Out of curiousity guys - If I decide to have an x-ray taken, what exactly is the procedure..? I'm lucky in the fact (touch wood) that I havent had to go to hospital before. Do I get a 'cert' or something from my doctor saying I need an x-ray or can I just call up e.g. an outpatient number & make an apointment..?