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I've fractured my scaphoid bone but I left it 5 weeks before going to A&E because I thought it was just a sprain. Now I'm worried about the prognosis, possible complications and healing time. I'm supposed to be training for a half marathon! Does anyone have any experience of this? Thanks all.
Had a few over the years. Sometimes it can take weeks until a fracture can be seen in such a small bone. I have had no lasting issues with somewhere between 4-5 scaphoid fractures - only 2 were put in a cast. Unless it was a particularly bad fracture the body is designed to heal itself.
Thanks, did you require any minor surgery to unite the bones?Quote:
Originally Posted by Omegamanic
The good news is that it's my left (non dominant hand) so I can still carry out most tasks. The downside is that I can't wear any watches!
I had a troublesome one that ended up being screwed together. No ongoing complications, but the surgeon did comment that I'd experience Dupuytren's contracture sometime in the future (unrelated to the injury) and he was correct.
R
No, I was lucky enough that my fractures were never too serious - mostly down to racing enduros for years and falling off to often :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Man
The scaphoid can fail to unite because of its shape and blood supply. Has A+E reassured you that it is uniting? If not, I would seek and orthopaedic opinion.
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I broke mine years ago playing rugby but was diagnosed with a sprain. Got no better and went back again 3 months later and was told it was just a bad sprain and would settle down.
After 6 months I went back to A&E and said I'd just fell over so they would re x-ray it. They still said no break.
Anyeay after 10 months paid private and they x-ray'd from different angles and turns out it was the scaphoid.
The bone had ended up dying from lack of blood flow so I had a Herbert screw inserted and a bone graft off my hip.
Been great since I had the op and never had ant problems again until I broke the other one ! But that was just a cast
Lovely scarshttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4eb2f0d660.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f957bb3c61.jpg
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All this advice is very useful.Quote:
Originally Posted by JonRA
Scaphoid fractures and possible fractures should come through Fracture Clinic, where a reliable diagnosis can be made.
We use MRI at 3 weeks to confirm/deny.
Its a quite rare and quite tricky diagnosis.
I did my scaphoid in a mountain bike accident, took a week to diganose (when I lost the strength to push forward to change gear, it finally registered on me that all might not be well...)
I had no surgery, but all healed fine. I was told to staf off the bike for 8 weeks, but energy was still fine and could use static trainer. I think running should be fine, but same issue - if you fell and re-impacted the break it could be made worse. So training might be tricky, but I think healing should be fine. Mine is now 15 years later, and I've never noticed it since.
Thanks for all the helpful responses so far.
I've just spoken with an Orthopaedic Consultant who informed me that I have a nasty scaphoid fracture requiring surgery with a specialist, which they are trying to schedule for next week.
I am quite worried that I left it so long before seeking treatment now.
Sorry to hear that - all good wishes for a successful outcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Man
Try not to beat yourself up about your delay in seeking treatment - you certainly aren't the first and you certainly won't be the last (it could readily be confused with a simple sprain, in which case you would have most likely made an uneventful recovery). And if it was a nasty fracture, it may well have needed surgery anyway (there is a special position that scaphoid fractures are plastered in to try and maximize the chance of a successful union without surgery but it is not always successful).
ATB
Jon
BTW an indication that a painful wrist after a fall or similar trauma might involve the scaphoid is that the area at the side of the wrist/base of the thumb (in the hollow between tendons) is usually very tender
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Broke mine in 2 places, 15 years ago. Plaster for 2 months, no lingering effects, although in extremely cold weather, I occasionally get a bit of a dull ache..
This bone has a very poor blood supply hence the long period of imobilisation.... A broken femur will heal in less time than a broken scaphoid..
My dad broke his by pushing a wheel barrow up a scaffold board into a skip and slipped and the whole lot landed on his wrist, he was actually pretty lucky but it failed to knit, he was in a cast for 2 years, I know he had several operations and I believe the last one may have been to remove it
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Broke mine quite a few years back crashed a quad whilst on holiday in Gambia so at the time not a lot of point getting it sorted locally
Did the two weeks on barcardi
Got home hand in cast for a fair few weeks (god it itches)
Cast comes off happy days
Next day finished a game of squash slipped in the shower put arm out
and it brakes again
Cast on again deep joy
Now its ok sometimes aches a bit
Scaphoids are a funny thing
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I've now had the surgery, which was a closed reduction and internal fixation. I need to go back in 2 weeks for removal of sutures and cast change. DO any of the medics on here know what the likely recovery time might be. thanks all.
Scaphoid you say....
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6c4503d167.jpg
Surgery recovery time to simple re-use.... 6 weeks.
Actual recovery to how I was before accident.... years.
Hopefully yours is less than this
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Mine says hi.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivan Drago
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0f952fe73b.jpg
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i'm no expert but that looks pretty bad. what did you doQuote:
Originally Posted by notenoughwrists
Motorbike, roundabout, about 50mph diving forward roll by me. I can still feel how hard the tarmac was as I hit it. Way harder than I recalled from just falling off a bike or skateboard. It was like the weight of the world pushing back at me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Man
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