Scaphoid fracture, normal to still have pain after healing?

[mynewcr250]

I had a broken left scaphoid 4 weeks ago. It was a non displaced fracture. I spent 4 weeks in a short arm case and was xrayed. they told me it healed but i still have pain, not severe but i was told to stay in a splint for 4 more weeks and no pushing, pulling, heavy lifting etc.

my research online has showed me that the bone can take up to 10 weeks to fully heal due to its limited blood supply.

Is it normal to have some pain in this area even after the bone has supposedly healed while casted? i have no access to xrays as they wouldnt give them to me.

Edited July 12, 2010 by mynewcr250

[DrMark]

Broken bones hurt

[Xc-Freak]

I broke the same bone in basketball years ago. It continued to hurt for weeks afterwards even after it was "healed" as I kept being told. It depends on the pain, my was still sharp not dull like it is healing. I ended up going to a hand specialist and got an MRI. It was still broken and required surgery. Yes that particular bone is one of the worst to heal in your body.

[Riel250f]

I had a broken left scaphoid 4 weeks ago. It was a non displaced fracture. I spent 4 weeks in a short arm case and was xrayed. they told me it healed but i still have pain, not severe but i was told to stay in a splint for 4 more weeks and no pushing, pulling, heavy lifting etc.

my research online has showed me that the bone can take up to 10 weeks to fully heal due to its limited blood supply.

Is it normal to have some pain in this area even after the bone has supposedly healed while casted? i have no access to xrays as they wouldnt give them to me.

Yes! Do exactly what your doc says and do the therapy,

it's the most important part.

[mynewcr250]

I broke the same bone in basketball years ago. It continued to hurt for weeks afterwards even after it was "healed" as I kept being told. It depends on the pain, my was still sharp not dull like it is healing. I ended up going to a hand specialist and got an MRI. It was still broken and required surgery. Yes that particular bone is one of the worst to heal in your body.

i was referred to an orthopedic surgeon. he was the one who declared it as "healed" after the 4 weeks in cast. i hope he knows what hes doing as i put some trust in the people who work on me. can i ask you when you had pain? was it all the time, while doing range of motion exercises, for and aft movement, side to side, or flipping the hand over? just trying to gauge on if i should be in again to get another look.

Broken bones hurt

well yes, of course they do. but if its "healed" is it still suppose to hurt? or are you getting at "its not fully healed"...

Yes! Do exactly what your doc says and do the therapy,

it's the most important part.

my doctor didnt give me any therapy to do. he just said to keep it in the splint and limit use of it.

[DrMark]

If a guy still has pain, then it probably isn't healed. Scafoid fracture don't generally heal in four weeks, either.

[Riel250f]

Mine was 6 weeks hard cast (healed) then 6 more weeks

in soft cast (brace). Mine didn't tell me to do therapy either, he

said I'd be fine when I showed him my range of motion at the end

of 12 weeks. I started working on my own around week 7 or 8.

6 yrs later, still a stiff wrist and lost ROM.

Do the exercises on your own when you feel fit enough.

I'd recommend the "tennis elbow" exercises. They

are all wrist exercises. Good luck.

[Fast Forward]

I spent 12 weeks in a cast for complete healing of my right scaphoid (3 years ago). After the cast was removed and about four weeks of regaining my range of motion my wrist is fine with almost no unusual pain.

[Xc-Freak]

i ask you when you had pain? was it all the time, while doing range of motion exercises, for and aft movement, side to side, or flipping the hand over? just trying to gauge on if i should be in again to get another look.

Yes I was in pain almost all the time at first, especially when I bent my wrist back or for some reason hit it. Like I said it usually depends on the pain itself, pain while doing excersizes can be expected, constant pain not so much. After surgery I also had them shoot low level electricity through it which made the healing time much quicker. Something to think about for the future possibly.

[nytrainer]

Bad luck.

Very poor blood supply to that bone.

Most often, casting is a waste of time.

The technique now is to do a bone graft/screw right away.

See another surgeon.

Good luck!

[mynewcr250]

thanks guys

[Sandy62]

I broke my l scaphoid in Oct last year. Had a lot of pain. In cast for 8 wks. Hand surgeon said any longer then you have problems with tendons and ligaments and movement afterwards. Still had to have physio for movement after cast removed. 9 mths later and am healing well although still feel pain if I accidently bend my hand backwards. My surgeon requests regular x-rays until 12 months is up as he said due to slack blood supply in this area sometimes the bone can start to die. so hopefully your dr is going to follow this through. I took calcium and vit d and also used a TENS machine as I tried to optimise my chances of healing. I think it all helped as i had slight displacement My dr said it takes 12 mths to fully heal.

[1st4stroke41]

Damn, I broke mine a couple of years ago. Non displaced but Cracked in a cross shape top to bottom and across. Ask the doc about racing, first was told 12 weeks. I explained that wasn't in my plans. Wanted to race in 4 weeks. Was told go ahead but it's not going to feel good and don't wreck again. 3 weeks off the bike and I was back riding. Doc was right didn't feel good. Didn't race for a few more weeks.

Forget the splint, do what doesn't hurt bad and go on with your life. This break gives me NO trouble at all. Used the same theory on carpal tunnel surgery. Best outcome comes from not babying the problem. IMHO

[redswr]

Broken bones hurt

someones getting tired of their job...lol. i probably woulda typed the same thing though ?

Bad luck.

Very poor blood supply to that bone.

Most often, casting is a waste of time.

The technique now is to do a bone graft/screw right away.

See another surgeon.

Good luck!

yep this is what i need to have done from the same break april of 09... i still can't so pushups because i can't lay my hand flat and it sucks! i've been wrapping it so i can ride but still any hard landings hurt like a mother...

[CaptDan]

...yep this is what i need to have done from the same break april of 09... i still can't so pushups because i can't lay my hand flat and it sucks!

I tweeked my wrist and thumb June 13th, 2010 (hit a tree).

Visited a doctor 2 weeks later. He said the x-rays looked fine, wrapped my wrist in an ace bandage... and for phyical therapy? "Tap your thumb with your fingers."

3 months later, and just like redswr, I still can't lay my hand flat, can't do pushups (wrist/hand hurts soo much my arm collapses)... AND IT SUCKS!

Possible Scafoid fracture? Is it too late to have a specialist look at it?

[yama722]

I just broke my scaphiod last week, Dr. said 12 weeks in a cast. Im a little worried after reading some of these posts.

[DBMX 925]

My co worker broke his in February didn't show on X ray, constant pain and weakness. Cat scan found it. Now there is quite a separation in the bones fractured area. Scheduled for surgery in 2 weeks. Good luck to all.

[ABarnett426]

Ryan Villopoto broke the same bone. I found this video after I broke mine to kind of see what I was going to be dealing with while riding. I broke mine in Feb and had a screw put in it and it's currently November and it kills me everytime I ride or really do anything. Never stops hurting.

[DrMark]

How do you know if it ever healed?

[ABarnett426]

How do you know if it ever healed?

When I went back to the doctor he told me it was healed... haha but now I can't even go back to te doctor for my wrist because I had to switch health insurances and they wouldn't cover anything on my right wrist.