broken wrist experiences

setanta159

Broke my wrist last week. Appears to have set and begun to heal. Luckily no complications with an operation or pins and is just a minor inconvenience when compared to the likes of the injuries Beasty suffered last year. Nonetheless it keeps me off the bike which is depressing enough. My arm is in a cast and will probably not come off for a few weeks yet. I have a turbo trainer that I will begin to make more use of. I am interested in hearing of other people's experience, recovery times and training regimes etc..... not seeking medical advice. Ideally I had hoped to spend some time this summer cycling in France but wonder if I am biting off more than I can chew at this point.

Beasty

What type of cast?

Plaster = bad
Fibreglass = better

Raam

I broke mine early December. No cast needed. It is mostly fine now, just a small bit of pain the odd time.

Cyclewizard

broke mine a few years ago and didnt let it heal properly = 2 operations and pins as a result. take your time and let it heal whatever you do. good luck

BoardsMember

And do exactly as the phyio says, when the time comes!!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Do you have to get a follow up scaphoid x-ray?.

I've broken my left twice and my right once and all healed just fine, last time I'd a fractured wrist and both elbows too so I didn't train or cycle but I think both other times I was back cycling fairly quickly but its not nice ~ if there's a next time I'll let time do the healing and leave any sort of training alone.

Actually I'm sure I fell off once because I tried to cycle with the cast on my left wrist, hit a pothole and couldn't hold on.

Best of luck with your recovery.

btw, if you've a follow up check on your scaphoid bone don't risk further injury and wait until you get the all-clear on that one.

furiousox

Broke my left wrist about 3 years ago.
(Car drove out in front of me while I was descending a hill)
I needed an operation, pin, and screw.
I was in a plaster cast for 6 weeks-ish.
You won't believe how weak your wrist will feel when the plaster is removed and how little mobility you will have (feels almost locked into position)
Don't panic, it will free up over a few days and the strength will come back.
You'll probably be sore and apprehensive for the first few weeks back on the bike, it can be a bit disheartening but try not to worry too much about it.
(I wore a wrist support and still do every now and again)
Every spin will bring you back closer to the strength you had in the wrist before and before you know it, your strength and confidence will return.

setanta159

It's a plaster cast... might be changed end of next week. Doc said could be cycling in 2 weeks but I'm in Holland and he probably thinks it would be just around town on my city bike. Realistically what are people's experiences of time frames to get back to even moderate 30 k spins?

mint man

when i broke mine and was asking about getting back on the bike the physio described the inside of the bone as an "aero " bar, as it has healed but still not solid , and we needed to wait until it was full repaired like a " dairy milk".
its an annoying injury but best give it time to heal as alot of vibrations come throught the bars.. obviously

dave_o_brien

Broke my left scaphoid a few years back, and 5.5 weeks ago broke my right one and a couple of metacarpals. Back on bike last week, and back on turbo after a week. It's still sore, but manageable, and the doctor and physio have both encouraged the cycling.

FWIW, the scaphoid seems to be a tricky one. It doesn't present a lot of pain, but if it heals poorly, may require surgery and often seems to move a couple of weeks after the initial break. Follow doctors instructions about avoiding use until they are happy it is healing right.

Caroline_ie

I broke my left spin on a boards spin in 2008. I was in the cast for 12 weeks. Because it was over the Christmas period, my main goal was not to eat too much. I walked a lot because I had no choice : I couldn't drive and I hate the bus.
I would try and turbo for 45min to 1hour at a time but it didn't keep me fit.

Just rest up and go for long walks, read, spend time with people.

Just take it easy.

Best of luck with the recovery.

Hail 2 Da Thief

furiousox wrote: »

You won't believe how weak your wrist will feel when the plaster is removed and how little mobility you will have

Too true. Surgeon decided I required a full arm cast for my broken wrist which wasn't fun. It took weeks for me to regain the strength & mobility after it was removed!

Beasty

Broke left wrist 5 years ago and was still able to start my racing career within 8 weeks. Broke the the right one over a year ago and it can still be painful particularly when a spin is lasting for an hour or more.

Andy Magic

I broke my left wrist in 2011, in the short time I couldn't use the bike I worked on running instead. I would recommend getting a pair of clip on aero bars for when you get back on the bike. Also on a positive note my wrist since I broke it is actually stronger.

fat bloke

Caroline_ie wrote: »

long walks, read, spend time with people.

Oh my God, a fate worse than death!

I broke both my wrists at the same time a while back. It created some non-immediately-obvious relationship pressures, to be sure, to be sure...:pac: - (Thank God for "for better, for worse; in sickness and in health). Happy to report all orthopedic and emotional trauma long since healed up and forgotten about.

cycleaddict

I am currently in cast broke my scaphoid 5 weeks ago now took them over 2 weeks to detect the break as nothing was showing up in Xray finally a MRI showed up the fracture.
I have been doing the Turbo most days with no problems (although very boring) doctors actually encouraged me to do the turbo to keep up my fitness levels as I was worried about losing this having put in good winter. I have been told the cast will be taken off next week but am little apprehensive as reading things online suggest most were in a cast for longer with this type of break. Any break the scaphoid and have cast off after 6 weeks and back training??

Beasty

cycleaddict wrote: »

I am currently in cast broke my scaphoid 5 weeks ago now took them over 2 weeks to detect the break as nothing was showing up in Xray finally a MRI showed up the fracture.
I have been doing the Turbo most days with no problems (although very boring) doctors actually encouraged me to do the turbo to keep up my fitness levels as I was worried about losing this having put in good winter. I have been told the cast will be taken off next week but am little apprehensive as reading things online suggest most were in a cast for longer with this type of break. Any break the scaphoid and have cast off after 6 weeks and back training??

You are effectively seeking medical advice which is not permitted on Boards. Speak to your doctor if you have any concerns

If anyone feels there is any value in re-opening this thread please PM me