Broken bones/rehab

[The Pikey]

I was wondering what people have done to rehab themselves or regain normal flexibility, after a broken bone. I broke my thumb in December. I just had the pins taken out a few weeks ago, and have atrophy in my wrist and my thumb. Even stretching exercises do not seem to be helping that much. Maybe I need to be more patient, but the way my thumb feels, I can't for-see it being back to normal anytime soon. What ever I do to it, it feels like it will snap in half.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Scott

 

Peace

[Buck531]

I didn't know you could break your thumb by jerking off too much. hmm..

 

I had a boxers fracture about 10 years ago on my right pinky finger. Just was in a half cast for about 2-3 weeks and that was it. Seemed to be fine after that. (oh, I broke my finger punching a wall, not jerking off btw).

[kirks5oh]

they kept pins in your thumb for 2 1/2 months??? its normal to have a lot of stiffness from an injury like the one you describe. you don't have atrophy. your orthopedic dr. should be prescribing you physical therapy with a hand therapist. if he is not, you should insist on going to FORMAL therapy. follow your dr's directions, and do not do too much or you will end up worse off. also, post up some x-rays if you have them

[The Pikey]

they kept pins in your thumb for 2 1/2 months??? its normal to have a lot of stiffness from an injury like the one you describe. you don't have atrophy. your orthopedic dr. should be prescribing you physical therapy with a hand therapist. if he is not, you should insist on going to FORMAL therapy. follow your dr's directions, and do not do too much or you will end up worse off. also, post up some x-rays if you have them

 

Actually, they were in for a little less than 2 months. I post-poned surgery during the holidays. I'm trying to get experience advice, because I'm already getting raped for medical bills...and I do not want to add to the pile:o

 

I would have rather broken a leg than a thumb (hyperbole). You dont realize how much you need the damn thing, until you lose use of it for almost 3 months.

[kirks5oh]

I'm trying to get experience advice, because I'm already getting raped for medical bills...and I do not want to add to the pile:o

.

 

 

my advice IS experienced, trust me. do formal therapy--they will push you and make sure you make the necessary functional gains. many times, doing the surgery is the easiest part of the process. post-operative rehab is what makes the surgery a success or a failure.

[The Pikey]

my advice IS experienced, trust me. do formal therapy--they will push you and make sure you make the necessary functional gains. many times, doing the surgery is the easiest part of the process. post-operative rehab is what makes the surgery a success or a failure.

 

Thanks man...I really do appreciate the advice.

[AJ]

i cracked bones in my hand this year and it cause bone groth around the cracks, PT doesn't help. it takes a year or two before you will get all the movement back, i can't make a fist with my right hand because of it.

[kirks5oh]

Thanks man...I really do appreciate the advice.

 

 

no problem. i realize the surgery and medical bills can add up, but don't short change things at this time since you've already invested plenty of time and money into getting a good result. if you weren't too concerned about function, you could have had your thumb fused and been on with your life a while ago.

 

many people assume that once the surgery is over, they can rehab on their own--but that is often not the case. hand therapists can make protective splints, they know what your motion should be at each stage of the rehab/healing process, they can notify your surgeon if things are going too slow, they also have whirlpool therapy (i know it sounds weird, but it can be an absolute KEY to hand rehab), and they can motivate you in ways that you may not be able to do on your own. at the very least, go to a few therapy visits, learn the exercises, and do them at home religously.

 

good luck, let me know if you need any more info

 

kirk

[kirks5oh]

i cracked bones in my hand this year and it cause bone groth around the cracks, PT doesn't help. it takes a year or two before you will get all the movement back, i can't make a fist with my right hand because of it.

 

 

this has not been my experience. if you don't have your motion back after 6 months (give or take), you will usually not get it back without a manipulation. the bone growth around the fracture is called callus, its the body's normal response to a fracture (break).

 

not everyone needs physical therapy. someone with an uneventful boxer's fracture that is put in a splint for 3 weeks will not usually need therapy. but someone who broke their thumb 3 months ago and has been immobilized all that time and also had surgery WILL usually need physical therapy. i would expect them to be stiff as shit, and have pain with movement of the thumb--the exact situation the original poster is describing.

 

if you put a completely uninjured hand or wrist in a cast for 2 months, you'd be stiff as hell, and have pain with motion. use it or lose it, when it comes to joint motion.

[AJ]

this has not been my experience. if you don't have your motion back after 6 months (give or take), you will usually not get it back without a manipulation. the bone growth around the fracture is called callus, its the body's normal response to a fracture (break).

 

not everyone needs physical therapy. someone with an uneventful boxer's fracture that is put in a splint for 3 weeks will not usually need therapy. but someone who broke their thumb 3 months ago and has been immobilized all that time and also had surgery WILL usually need physical therapy. i would expect them to be stiff as shit, and have pain with movement of the thumb--the exact situation the original poster is describing.

 

if you put a completely uninjured hand or wrist in a cast for 2 months, you'd be stiff as hell, and have pain with motion. use it or lose it, when it comes to joint motion.

 

depends on where the "callus" is, mine is in a place where it stops my index finger from being able to bend past 45* and there is another one by my wrist that stops my hand from flexing back all the way. they said there is only two ways i would get motion back go in and grind it down and risk it comming back or let it go away on its on in about a year or two. so it depends on where his thumb broke it can happen. i did try the PT thing and i can now touch my thumb to my pinkey finger so it may be worth a try.

[kirks5oh]

depends on where the "callus" is, mine is in a place where it stops my index finger from being able to bend past 45* and there is another one by my wrist that stops my hand from flexing back all the way. they said there is only two ways i would get motion back go in and grind it down and risk it comming back or let it go away on its on in about a year or two. so it depends on where his thumb broke it can happen. i did try the PT thing and i can now touch my thumb to my pinkey finger so it may be worth a try.

 

 

sounds like you had a fracture into the joint which should have been operated on. unless you're a child (their bones remodel like crazy), it is unlikely that the callus will remodel enough for you to gain all of your motion back. it may remodel slightly, but not significantly.

 

if you fix a broken bone together with rigid fixation, you will not get callus formation--the crack will fill in with healing bone, and nothing more (no bump)