Broke my right wrist, the good arm. Any ideas how long this breakage goes on?

[Sal1950]

8 weeks is a lot... lol.

It was pretty bad. It's still got a plate and pin up one side and screws up the other.
It was also the 3rd or 4th brake of that ankle, repercussions from getting drunk/high and falling
off my motorcycles. LOL

 

[DonH56]

My wife broke hers in a couple of places last year. It was around 6 weeks to get the cast off and perhaps 12 weeks before "full" use restored (able to lift etc.) But they said expect up to a year before it was fully back to normal, and there will always be sensitivity.

Do the PT. Religiously.

 

[Ken1951]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a reduction of pain. My periodontist swore by the combination of 3 Ibuprofen and 2 extra-strength Tylenol taken together. And speaking from experience from loads of big-time dental work, shoulder surgery, and knee surgery it works. Again, heal fast!

 

[GD Fan]

Agree with Don, don't skimp on the PT. It works wonders if you stick with it. Best of luck.

 

[restorer-john]

Just take it easy and watch out for slipping in the shower/wet tiles- you don't want to reactively go to grab something and shift the bone-set.

 

[DonR]

Get well soon! I broke my dominant wrist at 15. Learned to use the other hand...

 

[Keith_W]

6 weeks is a rough guideline, it might take longer if you are older, in poor health, on certain medications, or are malnourished. It will definitely take longer if the fracture is not set properly and it is able to move while you are healing. It will take less than 6 weeks if you are young and in excellent health. I have seen children / teenagers heal in 4 weeks.

Best of luck with your recovery.

 

[Tom C]

So sorry to hear this Doodski.
6 weeks is typical. If you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, that can potentially contribute to delayed healing.
I believe for an upper extremity you get OT (occupational therapy), rather than PT (physical therapy), but regardless, it’s important to do the exercises the way they tell you to. They’ve done this a lot, and they know what works and what doesn’t.

 

[Rottmannash]

Sorry about the fall/break/surgery/cast. I assume you're non weigh bearing? They will more than likely change the cast after a few weeks-one to look at the incision to ensure no drainage/infection and also it will be too large as our wrist/arm will shrink from atrophy and reduction in swelling. Good luck!

 

[Rottmannash]

So sorry to hear this Doodski.
6 weeks is typical. If you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, that can potentially contribute to delayed healing.
I believe for an upper extremity you get OT (occupational therapy), rather than PT (physical therapy), but regardless, it’s important to do the exercises the way they tell you to. They’ve done this a lot, and they know what works and what doesn’t.

He's in Canada so don't know much about their health care system but here in the US , if receiving Home Health services most likely he would receive PT, even for the UE injury, simply due to the shortage of OT's/COTA's in HH (at least it's this way here in TN). Even going to OP he would more than likely see a PT.

 

[Philbo King]

~9pm on the 15th I broke my wrist when I tripped on something behind me and extended my arm to block the fall. SNAP! I broke my shoulder going over the bars of my dirtbike and that made me vomit from pain but this wrist is a different aching pain when it happened. I'm in a big cast to the fingers and elbow, ate some tylenol X-strength and Advil X-strength, the cannabis feels like relief from pressure too. Watching lotsa bushcraft and catfishing videos and keeping my mind clear. Emergency nurse advised 6 weeks for this to end. Is that about right? That fentanyl they gave me before sedation and reduction was veryyyyy welcomed. It took 11.5 hours in emergency. I may just get bored and learn to type with my left hand...lol. Having a sense of humor about this but it's pretty serious for living alone. There was a big bump sticking out where the broken stuff and the joint had separated and stayed that way until they put me out and aligned everything. I heard word of a forked break compound fracture.

Depends on your age & general health. 6 weeks sounds about right.
I broke my left wrist (and 4 vertebrae) when I was 15 due to a 65 foot fall. The wrist cast was off in 5 weeks. The body cast, 9 months plus 9 more of wearing a back brace.

Survivor tip: Avoid pain pills, stick to the cannabis. Even NSAIDs like tylenol; they are a major cause of liver failure.

 

[Bleib]

I bicycle around the year and had the misfortune to for the first time fall with the bike and broke my hand. 2 days later it resulted into surgery, recovery took about 6 weeks.
And then started lots of training for the hand to make it possible to actually move it again normally, this was really difficult as it became extremely stiff.

It's in a couple months a full year since it happened and the arm is still not 100% back to its normal function, I still can't do pushups without some difficulty, but normal life has since long otherwise come back

After surgery:

These two metal pieces are inserted to put things back in place again:

And here it's time to remove them, simply pulled out. Doesn't hurt at all, looks worse than it is

 

[Billy Budapest]

He's in Canada so don't know much about their health care system but here in the US , if receiving Home Health services most likely he would receive PT, even for the UE injury, simply due to the shortage of OT's/COTA's in HH (at least it's this way here in TN). Even going to OP he would more than likely see a PT.

One big difference in the U.S.—your health insurance would in all probability approve narcotic pain relief Rx for a break and if they did not, an appeal with a communication from a doctor that they are medically necessary would most probably result in an Rx. But fentanyl is definitely something to stay away from. Anyway, here’s hoping you heal well!

 

[Blumlein 88]

Oh Doodski, sorry to hear this man. OUCH!

I too think it is ridiculous with what you have that you don't get some narcotic for the first week or two. The pendulum has swung the wrong way from giving the stuff out like candy. I supervised employees who daily took pretty strong stuff and obviously should not have been working only to be told they have a script and nothing I could do. Now I could have multiple compound fractures and they give me ibuprofen only. The suggestion for tylenol and ibuprofen together is a good one. With that kind of pain they work much better than either alone.

Like others have said do the PT.

 

[LTig]

Sorry to hear this. Try to get advice from a physician working in professional sports. They know best how to bring your former health back as fast as possible. Main thing is to move the hurt parts (first passive, then active) as soon as possible to reduce the recovering time.

 

[gene_stl]

Bone pain is one of the worst there is. Not giving you at least some Tramadol is malpractice. Of course suing a national health system is unlikely to succeed. But that is a travesty.
My wife just had some oral surgery and they did the same thing. Wouldn't prescribe anything a little more powerful than tylenol. Fortunately for her I am her husbin. I try not to rely on "the system". After three days the discomfort should be subsiding some.

If they offer you surgery take it. They won't offer it unless it would do some good. The dominant wrist is very important and surgery to place plates and screws usually yields a better outcome. If the fracture reduced well surgery isn't necessary but it often is in wrist fractures. People fall and break their fall with their hands and often get not one but two wrist fractures.

 

[TLEDDY]

Doodski - that really sucks! Especially limiting pain medications…

I wish you a rapid and uneventful recovery!

Tillman in Florida

 

[Chr1]

Seem to remember keeping it elevated is a good idea. I was also told to alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol, if you don't get prescription pain meds. That way you can take something every two hours...

Speedy recovery there!

 

[JSmith]

alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol

These can be taken together at the same time without issue, totally different types of medication. In fact there are brands that sell both in the one dosage.


JSmith

 

[Chr1]

These can be taken together at the same time without issue, totally different types of medication. In fact there are brands that sell both in the one dosage.


JSmith

Yes, sorry. That's what I meant. You can usually take them every 4 hours. But if you alternate it becomes 2 hours...