NWR--Broken bones

phira

As the folks over in NEY already know, my partner J may have broken his wrist last week. He just had an appointment today (the ER told him to come in after a week if it didn't seem to be improving), and he has an appointment with an orthopedic specialist on Monday (where he'll find out what his x-rays showed and whether or not he needs an MRI). We're quietly panicking about the costs of everything, but J is very concerned about what it's like to recover from a broken bone, if he does have one.

So I'd love to hear feedback from you awesome people who've broken bones. Stuff like:

- What did you break?

- Did you suspect it was broken right away? What tipped you off that your injury might be a broken bone?

- How long did it take for doctors to diagnose it? Were there any reasons it took more than just an initial x-ray?

- What was your experience being in a brace or cast? How long did it last? J is mostly worried about being able to type and shower.

- After the cast was removed, did you need additional recover time until you returned to full activity?

Basically, any feedback would be helpful.

I've only broken a bone once; I broke my pinky toe pretty spectacularly when it got caught on my backpack as I was running to answer the phone. I'd sprained it before (and I've sprained it since), so I knew it was worse than a sprain. Since a sprain and a break for that toe are treated the same way (RICE, and tape it to the next to last toe, continue until it's better), we didn't get x-rays done. I had to keep it taped for a few weeks, and it was hard to walk, but otherwise, I was fine.

pinkshorts27

my nose and no, not the cartilage, I shattered the bone on the bridge of my nose. Well we knew something was wrong when my nose was sideways. I had two reconstructive surgeries to fix it so it was straight enough for me to breath (cartilage collapse and they created a sort-of "breath-right" strip with cartilage from my ear).

Probably not helpful. It was miserable though. I would never ever go through that surgery again if I could avoid it. My mom has fractured a few bones and had to wear a boot. no issues after boot came off.

Sugargirl1019

Perhaps it is a fracture? I think a fracture could possibly wear a brace instead of a cast - but it depends on the type of fracture. I think it heals in about 2-3 months - some people feel they need to work their fingers and wrist more after the wrist being immobilized for so long, but you shouldn't need any occupational therapy.

As long as typing does not cause pain, I don't see why he couldn't do it, but he must keep his brace on if it's a removable one. Showering.. a brace can be removed but it'snot smart to - shower the skin quickly and then put it back on and put a bag over it. Cast obviously cannot get wet, you'll have to baby wipe the skin you can get to and then put a bag over it during showers.

I'm no expert on broken bones, but this is my hunch after seeing other bones!

erinlin25

I never personally broke anything, but coached cheerleading for years so saw my fair share of broken bones unfortunately!  There was only situation when we knew it was broken right away--an arm, and it was a very bad break.  It took the girl about 4 months to fully recover and she still could not stunt for the rest of the year to be sure it did not re-injure herself. 

The others were over the silliest things; girls would say "ow" but it was always "I am fine."  Sometimes it would not even swell and yet 2 days later they come back with a cast   I swear we were cursed. lol That or I just had really tough girls, lol.  But with wrists it always seemed to vary on the type of break.  If it was a hairline fracture they would be a out for maybe a month and typically were right back doing what they did without hesitation as soon as the cast was off.    They would have to take it easy and it would always tell them to tell us if it was sore or hurt so they could take a break and not over-do it.  Sometimes they did not even need a hard cast, and other times you would think the got ran over by a truck with how big the cast was!  The broken arm and collar bone were the times they were "out" for a few months, but wrists/ankles were usually a quick recovery. It solely depends on how bad the break was.  A lot of times with wrists, they would not cast at first and would do like you are where they check it a week later-- sometimes they would then just come back with a brace and we had one time it actually was casted a week later. 

Even with arms/wrist injuries they were still able to do their school work/ type on the computer, etc.  Their fingers can still move so it is not like the cast or brace would stop them from functioning completely and they have bags you can wrap it in to wear in the shower so it does not get wet so I never saw those as issues.

edit: I remember they always had strengthening exercises they would have to do once the brace/cast was off to help the healing process as well. 

lyndausvi

- What did you break?   left collar bone,  Right hand,  right wrist and a whole bunch of toes.  All different incidents.

- Did you suspect it was broken right away? What tipped you off that your injury might be a broken bone? Collar bone, yes (and I was only about 7), 
right hand (age 9)-  sort-of.  Entire hand blew up like a balloon, could not move hand. 
right wrist (14-15)?  Not really, but something wasn't right.  It was only slightly swollen and I could move the wrist (although very painful). Back then the thought process was "if you can move it, it must not be broken" 
Toes, yes


- How long did it take for doctors to diagnose it? Were there any reasons it took more than just an initial x-ray? Collar bone and hand, right away. Both were clean break and very obvious on the xray.  Even I could see it clearly.  
Wrist - First it took my mom a few days to even believe I was hurt (see above thought process).   Then it was day after the xray the DR saw the break.   ***** Note I'm old and xray machines were much different back then.  The initial xray didn't show anything.  But after it "dried" you could see the slight break.  
Toes - never went to DR.




- What was your experience being in a brace or cast? How long did it last? J is mostly worried about being able to type and shower.  Collar bone and hand I had brace or soft cast.  So I could just take them off to shower.  I think I had them for 3-4 weeks.   Wrist was a hard cast.  That sucked.  I had to put hand in plastic bag.   Then when it was time to come off it was so gross from not being washed for 4-5 weeks.

- After the cast was removed, did you need additional recover time until you returned to full activity? yes.  Your hand and wrist are  weak from non-usage.  Full recovery was a few weeks after the cast came off.

hikebikebemerry

Typing could depend on which part of his wrist is broken.  When you splint/ get a cast, the joint above and the joint below must be immobilized as well.  (I worked at a Walk-In Clinic and was Master Splinter.. ok, fine- not an official title, but I was really good at it.)

- What did you break? My hand

- Did you suspect it was broken right away? yes What tipped you off that your injury might be a broken bone? two of my fingers were facing the wrong direction

- How long did it take for doctors to diagnose it? They clearly knew there was something wrong, but took x-rays to see if it was broken or just dislocated Were there any reasons it took more than just an initial x-ray?

- What was your experience being in a brace or cast? I had a waterproof cast, and I worked on a farm, it really didn't effect me much (I only had my pointer and thumb free) but I became super efficient at typing with my left hand and the pointer finger and thumb of my right hand.. and I'm right handed. How long did it last? 6 weeks?J is mostly worried about being able to type and shower. They have water proof casts.. and he doesn't get one- tape and Glad Cling Wrap will be his BFF

- After the cast was removed, did you need additional recover time until you returned to full activity? No.  I did have an epic tan line.

Good luck!

jenna8984

Collar bone when I was 7- don't remember that. Opposite collar bone when I was 23. I knew instantly because it felt like it did when I was 7 lol. X-ray confirmed it right away. There is no "cast" for that, they just put you in a sling and say don't move it. So that was a real bitch, I had to pull on all shirts from my legs up (stretchy tank tops no t shirts) because I couldn't get my arm in a hole. I was in the sling for 1 month, then once it was off my arm was too weak to move. The muscles had totally atrophied from not being used so my whole shoulder was lower that the other. I had to go to about 2 months of physical therapy. My brother just broke his wrist around Christmas time. He was in a brace for 2 weeks because they were waiting for the swelling to go down before they could put it in a cast. The cast was on for about 1 month, then another small brace. I'm not sure if he's has physical therapy or not.

phira

Thanks for all the awesome feedback!

@lyndausvi That's pretty much his situation right now with his wrist. One of the reasons the ER doctor said it was a sprain was that J can move his wrist. But there's definitely a couple of specific directions and movements that give him VERY sharp pain when he does that. Typing and similar activities don't hurt him, but he can't open a door with his right hand because it's the wrong movement.

My best friend had a greenstick fracture in her arm (that was misdiagnosed by the same doctor twice before she went to a sports medicine doctor who got it right. She's a veterinarian with a ton of radiology experience; as soon as she saw the x-rays, she knew it was fractured!). When her cast came off, she sent me a photo of what her skin looked like!

HisGirlFriday13

A coworker of mine slipped and fell on the ice back before Christmas. He was initially diagnosed as a sprain. It didn't heal.

Then he was diagnosed as a hairline fracture and he had to wear a soft pressure cast. That still wasn't working to they put him in a full-on hard cast.

His thumb, hand, and up to his elbow are all in this cast. He was supposed to get it off last week.

He didn't. Something didn't heal right so he's still in the cast. It's his left hand (and he's left-handed), so he took to doing all his work on his smartphone, because he can type with his thumbs, which seemed to work for him.

JCbride2015

I broke my nose on my 16th birthday (sweet 16, yeah right!) in a field hockey game.  I got smacked in the face with the hockey ball.

I blacked out so we knew it was pretty bad.  At first I didn't think it could possibly be broken, but the trainer on the field squeezed it and we could hear the bones crunching in there.  So we knew pretty quickly.

My dad refused to take me to the hospital for some reason.  He said it would heal on its own.  I was in extreme pain, two black eyes, then got a sinus infection from all the swelling.  It was probably the most miserable I've ever been.  Something about pain in your face just is so unbearable.

The next week my mom took me to the doctor and he said they would have to re-break it to fix it, and I opted not to have surgery.  I have a divet in the side of my nose, but fortunately it's not visibly crooked or anything.  I guess in a weird way my dad was right.

RebeccaB88

- What did you break?  4th metacarpal in my right hand - one of the long thin bones. "Boxer's fracture" they said.

- Did you suspect it was broken right away? What tipped you off that your injury might be a broken bone?  It was poking out of the top of my hand.

- How long did it take for doctors to diagnose it? Were there any reasons it took more than just an initial x-ray?  They technically didn't need an x-ray to know it was broken. They took one to help them put it back in place.

- What was your experience being in a brace or cast? How long did it last? J is mostly worried about being able to type and shower.  They stink, they're itchy, and hurt like hell when you get punched in the back with one (my sister did that to me). And don't get sand inside it. Had mine for 5 weeks. I would duct tape a plastic bag around my hand/arm, then just do my best to keep it away from the water.  Got pretty good at hair washing with one hand, but shaving was a bitch.

- After the cast was removed, did you need additional recover time until you returned to full activity?   Just a little sore for a couple weeks. More embarassing was having to have my mom cut up my food in public, like when I was a little kid. And having someone else button my clothes and tie my shoes for me (my entire right hand was immobile, except my thumb).

WinstonsGirl

- What did you break?

Both arm bones (right) - broke the ulna right through and cracked the radius (age 10), several toes and middle finger playing basketball

- Did you suspect it was broken right away? What tipped you off that your injury might be a broken bone? 

Arm - yup.  I heard it crack and my arm was not normal shaped after.  It looked like a U shape.  Toes, yes, but there's nothing you can do.  Finger, wasn't sure

- How long did it take for doctors to diagnose it? Were there any reasons it took more than just an initial x-ray? 

Didn't see a Dr. except for the arm.  They told me that night, but sent me home in a sling and told me to have it set the next day when we got back home.  We were out of town 2.5 hours visiting my Baba.  I got a shot of painkiller that night the next morning and they set it back home the next afternoon

- What was your experience being in a brace or cast? How long did it last? J is mostly worried about being able to type and shower. I managed, though I had to learn to eat/brush teeth, etc. with my left hand.  My cast went half way up my upper arm with my elbow at a 90 degree angle, so I couldn't reach my mouth.  It was itchy, but I was young, so it didn't bother me too bad.  I bathed instead of showering, cos I could get away with it.  Otherwise I'd tie a plastic bag around it for showers and try to keep my arm out of the way.  Wore it 5-6 weeks. 

- After the cast was removed, did you need additional recover time until you returned to full activity?

Yup.  I missed 6 months of gymnastics total (and grew about a foot in that same time, killing any hopes I had of learning much as a kid) but took a lot of swimming to give me low impact strength.  My arm was shrivelled up smaller than the other.  I also had a physic type exercise to do, but I still don't have full range of motion.  It doesn't really bother me, though I can't do chin ups, cos I can't grab the bar.  I have to do pull ups.  

Chipmunk415

Ohh, here's a fun one.

I broke my left humerus when I was 5. Hairline fractures on the growth plate in two places.

My parents (doctor and nurse) didn't think it was broken for 24 hrs, when I came into their bedroom crying from pain, holding arm to chest, the whole arm bruised and swollen looking.

I did NOT like straightening out my arm for the x-ray table.

The first cast they put on me was too big/loose. So I got to have that removed, which immediately took away any fear of it hurting to get the cast cut off.  My second cast (right before Christmas) was red with snowmen. I was in the cast for 8 or 9 weeks.

Afterwards, my arm was weak, I had to build it back up. I'm also a lefty, so some stuff was awkward for a while. The doctors said one arm might end up shorter than the other due to the location of the breaks, but I got lucky, both arms are fine.

phira

@Chipmunk415 Yikes!! 

pumpkinsandturkeys

I've only broken my tailbone, which the doc told me is the most painful bone in the body to break (she had also broken hers once). She really wasn't lying.

I'm not much help here. All they had me do was lay on my stomach for about 3 weeks, and use a doughnut cushion when I was eventually able to sit as they can't exactly put your tailbone in a cast haha. They gave me T3s, but that didn't help with the nauseating pain.

Terrifying tidbit: If a broken tailbone (coccyx) doesn't heal in exactly the right position and ends up at an angle, there's a risk that, during childbirth, the baby can get stuck and they end up having to re-break your tailbone during labour. I'm really, really, really scared of that happening.

phira

@pumpkinsandturkeys Oh my god. I bruised my tailbone once (just bruised it) and I couldn't walk for a week. Breaking it sounds excruciating.

Also, there's another +1 for an epidural. Eek. (I have no idea if they'd let you have one if they had to rebreak your tailbone, but at the very least it's wishful thinking).

mysticl

phira said:

Thanks for all the awesome feedback!

@lyndausvi That's pretty much his situation right now with his wrist. One of the reasons the ER doctor said it was a sprain was that J can move his wrist. But there's definitely a couple of specific directions and movements that give him VERY sharp pain when he does that. Typing and similar activities don't hurt him, but he can't open a door with his right hand because it's the wrong movement.

My best friend had a greenstick fracture in her arm (that was misdiagnosed by the same doctor twice before she went to a sports medicine doctor who got it right. She's a veterinarian with a ton of radiology experience; as soon as she saw the x-rays, she knew it was fractured!). When her cast came off, she sent me a photo of what her skin looked like!

I knew a kid who hurt his wrist on a weekend.  It didn't appear broken and he was playing video games so they didn't take him to the ER.  A few days later it was still bothering him so he went to the doctor.  Broken.