Broken bone recovery time

[mattnzl]

Had a bit of an off 6 weeks ago (OTB downhill landing on a solid rock face - :shit: ) and broke my arm & cracked a few wrist bones. Was feeling pretty sorry for myself, but looking forward to getting cast off. Got cast off yesterday, but now my arm feels WORSE!
I was expecting weak & skinny arm, but this is painfull - can't move my wrist more than 15 degrees or so. No way I could pull the clutch. Have physio appointment tomorrow, but can already tell there's no way I'll be back on a bike before feb. even a pushbike!
Have promised a few mates I'll be sorted for tussock buster, eeek!

Just ranting really, sorry everyone. Feeling a bit down not being able to ride for such a long time. Anyone pushing , errrr, 40 had a break like this and can give me good news....?

[thecharmed01]

I wouldn't stress yet. It takes a week or so after getting a cast off, for the muscles to get used to being able to move again.

The physio will give you exercises to do, to rebuild the muscles and if you do them regularly, it should only take 2-3 weeks to get the muscle tone back. But it could take longer if you have locked up a muscle somewhere. You won't know that though till you are assessed.

Remember, it's been restricted for 6 weeks, being back in A1 shape will take a little time!

[tigertim20]

Im not 40, but some days I fucking feel like it.
breaks arent the same, it differs and can be affected by your health, fitness and strength, even diet.

Main points are do NOT try to do too much too soon, or you will do more damage and extend your recovery time by alot more. just because it feels 'a bit better today' doesnt mean you can go and do some light weights. let it rest properly.

It sounds to me like you are looking at some tendon/ligament damage as well, which wouldnt be unusual given your description of the accident.
It sucks arse, but stay positive. take the time to do some maintenance, or general tinkering to give you something to do and keep your spirits up.

It will come right, just try to be patient, thought I realise that is the hardest part.

[rachprice]

Where in your arm and which wrist bones?

[yungatart]

Wrists are often a bit dicey in the healing process...be patient, young grasshopper.
Your physio will help you get the strength and movement back, but it does take time.

[green machine]

Hate to bum you out mate,but speaking from experience(i've broken a few)you're f**ked for life..............bit dramatic,haha but seriously they are never the same but you just learn to cope with it.............,8-10 weeks and i was good to go,time and exercise helps but look on the bright side,you'll be able to tell when rain is on the way....

[Taz]

I'm on my 10th week off work for a broken finger :facepalm:

[mattnzl]

Yea I'm taking it real easy, don't want to damage and have to start all over. Funny reading some posts on other sites about guys who ride while still in cast!
Have got me calcium pills & been laying off the fermented refreshments a bit.....

Radius in the arm and "ulna styloid avulsion" - whatever that means.

I've never broken a bone before in my life, so I guess thats why I don't know what to expect. Cheers for the replies everyone :-)

[pete.ktm]

I busted my wrist in 8 places a few years ago, on a bloody KDX as well.

Mine didn't feel too bad when i had the cast and pins taken out. Had a slack physio who would show me an exercise to do, sit me in a corner to do it and then talk to her mates on the phone. And also being a slacker I didn't really do them properly or continue doing them at home often enough which i'm sure contributed to my wrist never regaining the movement i had b4 the crash.

So make sure you get a good physio and do the exercises!!

[Kickaha]

I've found however long I have been in plaster it was about the same length of time to be back to 100%, both of my wrist injuries it was 2-3 weeks before even being close to the normal range of movement

[SMOKEU]

I broke my hand about 13 months ago (Bennett's fracture) and it still isn't right. Went to see a doc on the day of the crash and got a cast put on, but it still hurts sometimes. Shit happens, and at least I'm still able to ride so I can't really complain too much.

[Shadykiwi]

I hear what ya saying. Between the age of 37 - 39 I broke a total of 13 bones. All from riding. Went through the sorry for myself a number of times:violin:. On average, once out of the cast I took a further 2 months to get the confidence to push things. I always felt crap once the cast came off as it always hurt due to stiff joints and or muscle loss. I broke my humerous 3 years ago and it still gives my greif after a ride. One of the biggest things I did to reduce pain and further breaks was heaps of gym work. Loosing 20kg, Being fit and strong will always aid recovery but even more important it reduces the chances of getting seriously hurt. Good luck in the rehab, but wait till the voices start in your head when riding! Now thats the hard barrier to break through lol.

[Mom]

Was feeling pretty sorry for myself, but looking forward to getting cast off. Got cast off yesterday....
Just ranting really, sorry everyone. Feeling a bit down not being able to ride for such a long time. Anyone pushing , errrr, 40 had a break like this and can give me good news....?

Bummer about your wrist mate, that really sucks. I am on the other side of 50 and managed to break my ankle, while out for a walk, on September 3rd. I too was looking forward to getting the plaster off and getting back on my beloved Millie. I got over that fairly quickly, it still is not healed :lol:

In answer to your question, think of it this way. It has taken 6 weeks for your arm to degenerate to the place it is now, it will take the same amount of time to come back to what ever "normal" you are able to get back to. Dont stress, just do the excercises (all the time) and relax.

Me, I have no idea when I will get back on my bike, another x-ray in a couple of weeks will hopefully show the stupid thing healed.

[green machine]

I hear what ya saying. Between the age of 37 - 39 I broke a total of 13 bones. All from riding. Went through the sorry for myself a number of times:violin:. On average, once out of the cast I took a further 2 months to get the confidence to push things. I always felt crap once the cast came off as it always hurt due to stiff joints and or muscle loss. I broke my humerous 3 years ago and it still gives my greif after a ride. One of the biggest things I did to reduce pain and further breaks was heaps of gym work. Loosing 20kg, Being fit and strong will always aid recovery but even more important it reduces the chances of getting seriously hurt. Good luck in the rehab, but wait till the voices start in your head when riding! Now thats the hard barrier to break through lol.

Geez mate i,ve done 4 and i thought that was bad enough,all around the same age as you and like you all from riding,in fact i hadn't broken any until i took up riding at 37.Each time i break one i say to myself,that's it i'm giving up,but after a couple of months i'm itching to get back out there....and you're right about the mental barrier,it's tough,and remember you're first fall or crash after a return from a broken bone......once you get that out of the way the mind games ease off a bit,lol......you'll be right mattnzl,hell one of my breaks was two vertebrae and i'm still riding

[ajturbo]

FFS..HTFU...
just compare your little sore arm to my hangover i had the other day...

only THEN you can bitch and moan like a school girl who's daddy took her cell phone away..!!

[FJRider]

... Just ranting really, sorry everyone. Feeling a bit down not being able to ride for such a long time. Anyone pushing , errrr, 40 had a break like this and can give me good news....?

:no: :no: :no:

Dont count on a pain free ride anytime soon. If ever. :psst:

Ride (and risk more damage) too soon ... and it may never be the same again ... ever .. :blink:

Be patient ... :mellow:

Otherwise ... :facepalm:

[haydes55]

broken bones always feel like they are still broken once out of the cast. after 3 or 4 days usually the pain is gone and it only hurts when stretching the joints (the muscles will shorten and tighten up in a cast) just keep stretching, once you have full movement start on the weights, don't feel too ashamed when you start straining with a 2kg dumbell though :apumpin:

[Subike]

I broke by right arm at the elbow, clean break, in a fall 18mths ago.
6 weeks in a cast, got back on my bike, was ok.
A week later, 16mths ago, I broke my right arm, same bone, at the wrist.
6 weeks in a cast again,
But this time when the cast was removed, I had wrist pain, I did not ride my bike because of it for 6 mths.
It has taken a year for the incident of pain in the joint to stop.
I am an assembler and thus are constantly using hand tools and wrenches, which means working the wrist daily.
But I worked through the discomfort and adapted how I used the tools.
I daily took the pain to the edge of comfort and slowly full movement returned.
Physiotherapy by doing my job.
only in the past 6 weeks have I returned to the flexibility I use to have.
Use it or loose it,
I was able to do a ride of 700+ miles recently, with the mental fear of the pain returning , but had none.
Don't be in a hurry to get results, time and perseverance will be your best friends

[k14]

I broke my wrist 3 years ago and had it in cast for 14 weeks (including surgery to put some wires in there). When they took cast off it was just a skeleton! Two stroke seized while racing at ruapuna and got highsided. With regular physio and doing my exercises regularly I was riding my 125 again 3 weeks later and the dr was ok with that. I didn't have 100% flexibility back but it was quite manageable. Just do what your physio says and try go at least 2 times a week for next few weeks. I'd say you could be back on riding in 4 weeks. Off road is a bit harder on your wrists than road racing but you should be ok.

[mattnzl]

Well my physio is really positive & encouraging so that's made me feel better!
Only thing that made her shake her head was when she asked what I'd like to get better for (setting a goal) and I said to get back to dirt riding :innocent:

The weather is absolute shit here today, so I may as well get started on my hourly excercises!

Cheers, Matt.

[k14]

Well my physio is really positive & encouraging so that's made me feel better!
Only thing that made her shake her head was when she asked what I'd like to get better for (setting a goal) and I said to get back to dirt riding :innocent:

The weather is absolute shit here today, so I may as well get started on my hourly excercises!

Cheers, Matt.
Yeah I had a physio that was like that too, I found one that understood about living life. Their job is to support you to get back to where you were before the injury, not look down their nose at you when you say what you want to do when you have full function back!

[Chia]

I broke my wrist in the same place as you, as well as dislocating it (100% displacement) a few years ago.
3 months in cast with K-wires holding the wrist together.
When I got everything taken off my hand/wrist was just a stump that wouldn't move.
3 months of intensive physio helped me to get it to pretty much how it was before.

But make sure you do your exercises - I stopped every hour at work to do them for 15 mins for 3 months...

When I started riding again it used to swell up and hurt like hell by the end of the day but that goes away with time.

It won't ever be the same again but it'll be sweet ...positive thinking :msn-wink:

[tri boy]

I'm on my 10th week off work for a broken finger :facepalm:

Must of been one hell of a booga.:bleh:

[Jay GTI]

Glad the physio is helping you feel a bit more positive. Different parts of the body take different lengths of time to heal, but with luck you'll have 90% of your movement back within a couple of weeks. I snapped a finger (clean break) which got all sorts of complicated, had me scared for a while as I'm a guitarist and it was on my fretting hand, but the physio had me back shredding away in no time. Just keep up with the stretches and strengthening exercises and you should be all good!

[haydes55]

I was riding my 125 again 3 weeks later and the dr was ok with that.

:bs: BS! who is your doctor? my brother got knocked out at speedway after a few weeks of travelling around NZ racing and a month later he went to our doctor to get clearance and he refused to give him clearance saying he still wasn't healed from being knocked out because he couldn't remember the date (none of us even knew what day of the week we were racing we were in invercargill at our 3rd meeting that week starting at auckland). after I broke my arm the doctor wanted to check up on my arm after a few weeks out of the cast and told me I shouldn't ever race again (he forgot about that when I turned up a year later with my leg in a cast and same story he didn't want me to race ever again :facepalm: obviously I have an idiot for a doctor. :doctor:

[Kickaha]

:bs: BS! who is your doctor? my brother got knocked out at speedway after a few weeks of travelling around NZ racing and a month later he went to our doctor to get clearance and he refused to give him clearance saying he still wasn't healed from being knocked out because he couldn't remember the date (none of us even knew what day of the week we were racing we were in invercargill at our 3rd meeting that week starting at auckland). after I broke my arm the doctor wanted to check up on my arm after a few weeks out of the cast and told me I shouldn't ever race again (he forgot about that when I turned up a year later with my leg in a cast and same story he didn't want me to race ever again :facepalm: obviously I have an idiot for a doctor. :doctor:

I got clearance to race 3 weeks after coming out of a cast after breaking an ankle, concussion I think is minimum 28 days stand down

[rachprice]

An ulna styloid avulsion fracture is a fracture of the knobby bit on the outside of your wrist if palm is down

Avulsion is when the bone fractures at the site of insertion of ligaments/tendons

It's commonly associated with distal radial fracture too

It is also associated with damage to the cartilage in between the 2 forearm bone at the wrist. Without knowing the details of your injury the pain maybe due to cartilage damage, unfortunately cartilage is a bitch when it comes the healing so will take a lot longer

Like everyone said - do your physio and don't push it if you don't feel you can. Do things when you think you are ready

[CRF119]

Partner broke her wrist 8 months ago still having trouble now. Be nice to it maybe where a splint/wrist brace during sleep or any other time may damage it.

Find any thimg that will help with bone recovery

Your doing better then me. I just got out of hospital for burns to face and arm. No sun for the whole summer! Only MX ill get in will be on PS3.

[k14]

I broke my wrist in the same place as you, as well as dislocating it (100% displacement) a few years ago.
3 months in cast with K-wires holding the wrist together.
When I got everything taken off my hand/wrist was just a stump that wouldn't move.
3 months of intensive physio helped me to get it to pretty much how it was before.

But make sure you do your exercises - I stopped every hour at work to do them for 15 mins for 3 months...

When I started riding again it used to swell up and hurt like hell by the end of the day but that goes away with time.

It won't ever be the same again but it'll be sweet ...positive thinking :msn-wink:
Sounds like you were the same as me! Radius 7 breaks, ulna 1 and scaphoid 1. 3 k wires. I've got a video of the dr taking one of the k wires out too :laugh:

It is 99% back to how it was before injury now. It sometimes gets a little stiff on cold days but apart from that it is fine.

[cheese]

I sprained my wrist badly when I fell off my bike and it took around a year for it to be 100% again.

[rachprice]

Sounds like you were the same as me! Radius 7 breaks, ulna 1 and scaphoid 1. 3 k wires. I've got a video of the dr taking one of the k wires out too :laugh:

It is 99% back to how it was before injury now. It sometimes gets a little stiff on cold days but apart from that it is fine.

Colles fractures normally heal pretty good

Yay that it's good now

[rachprice]

I sprained my wrist badly when I fell off my bike and it took around a year for it to be 100% again.

And yeah honestly breaking a bone (clean break) is better than fucking your tendons and ligaments those things take forever to heal! Bastard things I swear if you do them bad they will be fucked a long long time!!

[Chia]

Sounds like you were the same as me! Radius 7 breaks, ulna 1 and scaphoid 1. 3 k wires. I've got a video of the dr taking one of the k wires out too :laugh:

It is 99% back to how it was before injury now. It sometimes gets a little stiff on cold days but apart from that it is fine.

Yip yours is very similar to mine, having the k wires out was horrible!!

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