Broken Radius / Radial bone neck

[gasman]

Originally Posted by .RJ

no cast - he said normally they would immobilize for a few days, but in this case since it happened on friday its not worth it.

Glad to hear it.

Yes the pendulum has swung too far in terms of narcotic prescriptions.

[ghammer]

I had a similar fracture a few years ago at a bike race. Broke my elbow at the head of the radius, clean fracture, no cast, just a sling for a few days. I wish i could tell you more about the fracture itself, but what was made worse is i had a severe contusion of the pelvis (which i broke before - at a race too) and significant loss of skin. Yes, the broken elbow hurt, but i couldn't walk straight for a week, or barely walk at all. I was given percocet, and i found it helped with my busted hip. The elbow healed quickly, and as soon as i could walk without a hobble and the pelvis could support my weight on the bike, i was riding again. In total, 2-2 1/5 weeks off the bike, but it was quite necessary. I ditched the percs once my hip was no longer in agony, but i'm thankful for them. the problem with percocet is it screws up with your head in ways you can't notice till you see the emails you wrote at the time or hear yourself talk while under the influence. it's a horrible drug, i hated it, it should not be abused the way it is in the US. Anyway, obey the doctor's order, because if you crash or have to compensate by sitting funny or pulling the other arm more, you'd do a number on your tendons/back, etc. Take the time, come back fresh and ready.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by ghammer

Anyway, obey the doctor's order, because if you crash or have to compensate by sitting funny or pulling the other arm more, you'd do a number on your tendons/back, etc. Take the time, come back fresh and ready.

So far just long walks with my camera in the afternoons. I figure maybe this weekend try some zwift if I can hold my hand on the handlebar at all.... frustrating when I was cranking out 5-6 hour rides every weekend until this. Oh well.

[.RJ]

I'm about 4+ weeks out from the injury and things are moving along. I started riding again over the weekend, just short (1-1.5 hr) road rides at the moment - some discomfort but manageable - its just a slow, slow, slow recovery as things heal. I dont know why I thought a broken bone would heal in 4 weeks but I guess I'm getting old @ 40.

I had an appointment with a PT doc and it seems like most of the motion/exercises I'm supposed to do, I'm already doing in day to day activity.

[Toeclips]

Nothing like the inner strength of a cyclist
Good luck with your recovery

[.RJ]

I've been having some issues in my recovery, now nearly 4 months post crash... ortho initially suspected a soft tissue or tendon issue, but the MRI cleared those out but possibly showed the fracture has not really healed, report says "fracture deformity".

Followed up with the ortho today and next step is a CT scan - has anyone dealt with something similar, i.e. a bone that didnt heal?

[KJMUNC]

Originally Posted by .RJ

I've been having some issues in my recovery, now nearly 4 months post crash... ortho initially suspected a soft tissue or tendon issue, but the MRI cleared those out but possibly showed the fracture has not really healed, report says "fracture deformity".

Followed up with the ortho today and next step is a CT scan - has anyone dealt with something similar, i.e. a bone that didnt heal?

I had very similar fracture 2yrs ago (aged 42, dog ran into my front wheel) and put it in a sling vs. cast, against doc's recommendations (I broke it 48hrs before a 3 week trip to SE asia in the heat of summer and I was not about to deal with a cast in that weather.) In hindsight that was a really dumb decision.

Doc eventually cleared me as "healed" after 12 weeks (it was slow to heal and probably b/c I used it too much while traveling - including a 20mi MTB ride in Vietnam and several days on a beach cruiser with 1-hand), but it still hurt and I had limited range of motion. I didn't get completely pain free for almost a year....for months I had less than ideal range of motion and had pain any time I was twisting/torquing anything (taking a bottle cap off, turning a door handle). I had to consciously avoid using that arm for anything that required twisting and definitely avoided lifting anything heavy.

I know that's not a great answer, but that was my experience. If I'd have listed to the doc and done nothing for 12 weeks it likely would've been fine, but I kept pushing it and wanted to get back on the bike.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by KJMUNC

I know that's not a great answer, but that was my experience. If I'd have listed to the doc and done nothing for 12 weeks it likely would've been fine, but I kept pushing it and wanted to get back on the bike.

Did it eventually heal on its own?

[bigbill]

I crashed in a criterium in 1993 and had a similar fracture. Since I had so much road rash and the fracture wasn't displaced, my bandaged arm was in a sling for three weeks. It bugged me for about two years, when I would ride, I would have to change hand positions frequently or I'd get a dull ache. It eventually faded.

I'm a reformed submariner, in 1997, I broke a bone in my hand and the corpsman did the best he could without an xray. It was not quite straight when it healed, but by the time we returned to port three months later, it was not worth a re-break.