Anyone broken their scaphoid?

If so, how long were you in plaster, how was recovery (ie back to riding) afterwards?

Broke mine on Sunday, currently in temporary cast, get proper one in a week so not 100% sure how long it’ll be on yet. Nurse said around 4 weeks.

If it all heals well then ‘standard’ is about 6 weeks for bone to heal plus physio time.

Problem with scaphoid’s is that they are small and have relatively poor blood supply so have a tendency not to heal well which can result in surgery so I wouldn’t try and rush things.

🙁

Have broken both

One diagnosed quickly and healed up ‘normally’ 13-14 weeks in plaster prob more than a year before I regained full movement

The other one wasn’t detected until the swelling went down had to have it re-broken, pinned and grafted That was 1995 it still doesn’t work properly

Nurse said around 4 weeks

Yes 4 weeks until you go back for them to look at it and decide it needs another 4 weeks

Bad luck GWS

Broke the scaphoid in my right wrist playing football, when I was 15. 20 years later, my wrist still clicks very loudly when I rotate it. I don’t really have any lasting problems but it is noticeable that my grip isn’t quite as strong in my right hand, as it is in my left – which is surprising, as I’m right handed. Always put this down to the scaphoid break.
Think I was in plaster for 4 weeks and then had a kind of removable wrist brace for a couple of weeks after that.

this isnt quite what i was hoping to hear!

I broke it when I was a teenager after getting in a drunken argument and punching a metal bin…. anyway, it looked like I had half a tennis ball under my skin, it was that swollen. Girlfriend at the time was a training nurse and her exact words were “you havent broken it”

I ignored her and went to A&E and it was a broken scaphoid. I was told that the scaphoid is a horrible break because it gets little oxygenated blood and takes ages to recover. I continued working and driving on mine but took it easy. I was in plaster a total of 3 months and as infuriatingly annoying it was I am glad because I have had NO issues since. Upon research it seems people dont give it enough time to heal and have all kinds of problems. They then get it operated on which generally makes the problem worse.

I went out to Morzine DHing in the alps for 2 weeks just a week after my cast came off and had no problems with it bar being a bit weak in that arm for a little while. I get no pain, no clicking, no disformity or strength issue. It doesnt ache with long days riding and I put that down to just letting it take its time.

I encourage you to keep the cast on longer, I am no doctor and I can only go from my own experience but I think 4 weeks isnt long enough. Im sure others will agree.

I broke my left scaphoid playing indoor football, hand out flat against a wall following a barge – typical scaphoid break they said.

I was in cast for 8-10 weeks, did drive as insurance & doctor both kept saying ask each other, and got bored of taking lifts. The position mine was set in (after a week in the wrong position), made it pretty awkward to do anything with fingers and thumb on that hand, but fitted gear knob perfectly, don’t think I’d have been able to drive if it was the other hand.

Mine seems to have healed fine, but I took it steady after the cast came off, it will be weak for a good while. Don’t try to rush the recovery.

So, I can see the theme here of ensuring full recovery before trying anything that may damage it.

My plan to be back on the bike in 4 weeks feels a little daft now!

Reckon I’ll be doing some running this summer then. 🙁

Unfortunately I reckon it will take a good few months. Its a choice, 2-3 months off the bike or a lifetime of possible uncomfort. Cross trainer will probably be ok as long as you lean on your elbows! 😕

Guess I was lucky(ish). 6 weeks in plaster, healed up nicely, was very weak for about a month afterwards and it did result in cancelling the Alps trip I had planned but it’s not given me any problems since, bar being a little weaker than it was before.

While it was in the cast I did do some gentle exercise, some turbo work and went on the back of a tandem for a road ride. Didn’t do any harm and it kept me from going mental when the sun was out.

it kept me from going mental when the sun was out

this is my main concern.

Finally had a Ti screw put in mine, over a year or so of faffing with splints, a right pain in the ar$e wrist.

I broke mine on my BMX – 5 weeks in plaster and riding almost immediately afterwards. 8 years later no problems.

Hope you get the same!

I broke mine on my BMX – 5 weeks in plaster and riding almost immediately afterwards. 8 years later no problems.

Hope you get the same!

Thank god! 8)

Mine was done under surgery too, I have a 6-7″ scar on the top and bottom of hand/wrist. I believe there was other damage in there too, but TBH considering the list of broken bones I had at the time, that was one of my lesser worries. My femur being ‘segmented’ in about 15 places was far more important that day.

I broke mine when I was 22 crashing a motorbike.

Like wwaswas I was given the it’s nasty, it might not heal, lack of blood flow, etc. Best not to push it too soon I’d say.

I was in plaster for 6 weeks and it healed up, needed physio to get it mobile again (it looked like a scubby grannies hand…).

It healed fine in time. It would give me a bit of gyp now and again (usually in the cold). But it was before I was mountain biking so I can’t help on that front.

Some 25 odd years later I don’t notice any impairment with respect to its uninjured sibling…

Broke mine in Feb last year.

Just under 8 weeks in plaster.

A month of trying to get it moving.

Back on the bike in May.

99% fine now unless I do press-ups, which are weirdly painful.

I broke mine at the same time as my collarbone 2 years ago. I didn’t even know i had until the consultant did an X-ray “just in case”. I was in a cast for 3 months.

2 years on, I have no issues with it at all. Early diagnosis and full rehab period are the key to successful recovery. When the cast is off, good physio will help build strength in no time.

Teaboy – I struggled with press ups originally, in exactly the same way. Good physio will get the flex back in the wrist, then persevere with the press ups, and strength will return.

Broke mine 27 years ago in a rock climbing accident but wasn’t picked up until it had healed (badly) due to other more major injuries. 12 months later it was re broken and set in plaster. I think it was about 2 weeks before I started “easing” the cast with a pair of pliers to allow me to grip the steering wheel of my car! Anyway, it healed OK and plaster was on for about 6 weeks. It does still make itself known though even now, especially after long hard descents on the MTB

Mine took 10 to 12 weeks to heal. Afterwards had 2 weeks of physio and was told my movement range was pretty much back to normal and didn’t need any extra help. Full strength soon came back after a few months. 5 years later, I have no issues.

It was a bit border line and the first 2 or 3 check ups, I kept getting told I may still need an operation to pin it but lets see on the next visit if things look better.

I was told to wiggle my fingers lots to help the blood flow in my hand, which I did lots. I think I was the 4th visit, I was told the bone looks to be healing and I just need to wait a few more weeks for it to heal fully.

My consultant recently diagnosed an 80+ year old with a broken scaphoid, when asked how he did it he could only remember an accident he had during the war.

dantsw13 – Member
Teaboy – I struggled with press ups originally, in exactly the same way. Good physio will get the flex back in the wrist, then persevere with the press ups, and strength will return.

Thanks. I wasn’t given any physio – the consultant just said ‘get on with your life as normal’.

I’ll get googling physio and start trying again.

Initially, my wrist could only bend halfway back. Now its the same as the other. I think its the ligaments/tendons that need stretching out again.

In my case, whilst being VERY careful to protect and not excessively load the actual wrist with the break, making sure i stayed active during the healing process definitely helped quicken the healing process. I think, due to the poor bloody supply to it, ensuring you exercise with an elevated heart rate, and with some movement in that arm to help the lymph system pump, really helps!

(i’m talking about some walking -> vigerous walking -> maybe gentle jogging / 1 armed turbotrainer stuff, and doing a little bit (say only 20mins) per day)

if you just go “sod it”, and sit of the sofa for 8 wks i don’t think you’ll fix very quickly……..

Mega OTB had me in plaster for 6 weeks but straightforward

Was the wifes (then GF) birthday though so had to try and bluff out the chinese meal before making the decision to go to hospital – nearly passed out at the table and my dad came and picked me up just before the main arrived – chuffnuts.

Broke mine many years back, jumping a single on a bmx track only to realise it was a double while in the air, ouch.

Took 6 weeks in plaster, was turbo training in that time to try and not loose fitness as I had a race later in the year. Took another 4-6 weeks after that to ride outdoors, in that time I rode a few times on the road but off road slowly in that time, smooth stuff and about 6-8 weeks before offroad proper stuff, was still a little sore after rides but improved slowly.

Plus it gave rise to my forum name, I kept the ti screw in the wrist, still there today.

if you just go “sod it”, and sit of the sofa for 8 wks i don’t think you’ll fix very quickly……..

I see a PT weekly, 2/3 gym sessions on top (along with mtb).

I struggle more to sit on sofa than be off doing stuff. Will get PT to incorp the physio stuff into programme.

It all depends where it’s broken, one end has a better blood supply. I broke mine just over a year ago on a stupid otb incident. Had a splint on for a few weeks, kept using it, I was offered plaster but didn’t want to stop driving so just kept the splint on, I was back commuting on the bike a short distance within around 3 weeks and on gentle mtb rides soon after, it is a little sore on occasion but doesn’t affect me at all. I can’t remember where my break was, but it was xrayed the doctor didn’t seem concerned, hope you get lucky like I did!