Great news. As I predicted last week the doctor rubber stamped me today saying the bone is officially healed. He said I'm a good radiologist and an even better healer but qualified the "fit for duty" part by saying something about needing to strengthen the atrophied tendons to avoid re-injury or some such nonsense (Mom I'm just kidding). Weight bearing starts with the therapist next week.I did treat myself to a fat-bike-road-ride when I got home so I could assess my fitness (I have none) and my wrist (it doesn't like bumps or the flat bar).
A couple other observations:
- My right hand is pasty white and the skin is softer than a baby's bottom. It is really weird when I rub my hands together, because one hand feels soft and smooth and the other hand feels rough and leathery. That's how it feels and it is really weird.
- There is nothing quite like immobilizing your wrist in an anatomically neutral position for two months then going for a short ride to show you how anatomically incorrect flat bars are. I see some risers or maybe Marys in my future.
With the spring equinox just two days away I cannot over-emphasize how incredibly awesome this news is.
Chris
Congrats!
ReplyDeleteIf there's any consolation it's that the trails around us can't currently be ridden. Even fatties are slipping & sliding.
Hopefully soon for all of us though!
Jason
That is some consolation. It would be tough if this were June and the woods were full of bikers and buff trails. I count myself lucky in a lot of ways...
ReplyDeleteFound your blog as I was searching about broken scaphoids, screw fixation,etc. Did mine 10 days ago and Doc is recommending surgery w/ screw (good spot to have break, nondisplaced, etc.). ....nervous to be honest, but really don't want 4 months in a cast. Any other insights? Good luck with yours!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous I was nervous as well but at this point pretty happy with the outcome. My advice is to be sure you have a good doctor who specializes in wrist fractures. My doctor is in a practice that only does hands (Philadelphia Hand Center). I went for the fixation because it seems to have slightly better outcome and the speed factor. Broke it on 1/17, surgery on 1/27, splinted for four weeks straight before starting light range of motion therapy. Now I'm off the splint (except for when running, crowd situations, etc where I could fall or bang on the wrist). Next week I start strengthening exercises. He said I have no restrictions at this point (let pain be my guide) but that I am susceptible to nasty sprains until tendons recover..
ReplyDeleteThe hand feels pretty good now. Range of motion is about 80% of what I had before, that's good enough to ride, and I think it will get even better with strengthening exercises. I'm curious to see how it does long term, in the cold, long rides, etc but I am optimistic, actually amazed how quickly I'm bouncing back. I've ordered a wrist brace from Troy Lee designs for some protection when I ride.
It's still early, but at this point if I had it to do all over again I'd opt for the surgery. Well actually I'd opt for not breaking the thing in the first place but...
Good luck with it. Don't hesitate to reach out if you want more information.
Chris
Thanks Chris, sounds like a pretty speedy process. I'm not a cyclist, however am an avid sailor, participating on an amateur race team through out the season (couldn't be a worse time of year for this to happen...)
DeleteIf you don't mind my asking, how long was the procedure and what type of anesthesia (general, local, etc.) was used?
Thanks again.
It was outpatient and the actual procedure took 1-2 hours. All told (checkin, prep, surgery, recovery) was pretty much the whole day. They gave me a nerve block (paralyzes and completely deadens the arm from the shoulder down) and general anesthesia. The nerve block ensures is insurance that you stay under during the procedure and also that you can recover, get home, and get on the pain killers before the sensation comes back. I was pretty uncomfortable for about 24-36 hours after the block wore off that evening, after that I was perfectly fine, no discomfort. Before the procedure I did ask since I had a nerve block, could I forgo the general anesthesia? They said that was a bad idea because in rare cases the nerve block is not entirely successful and in that case I'd be pretty "uncomfortable" during the procedure. That was enough to convince me.
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