Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Thought I'd posted this already, but realised I hadn't. Anyhoo, here is my blog recording my nasty wrist accident.

** Warning ** the very first posting (time-wise) is highly graphic in nature.

http://zeppidy.wordpress.com/category/misadventures/

Impressive break mate... it's amazing what they did to put it back together, can see why it would be a very long road back. Good luck for the future... I hope you get most of the use of your wrist back!.

how much do you weigh luci? and how fast were you going before OTB?
never seen such a nasty wrist break from cycling before.
several months ago, myself and a few more mature cyclists were going through the same bike skill drills as you. front wheel lifts over gutters, then brake and rear wheel lifts....we were doing them on the road too, in cleats, on roadies, which I wasn't really happy about, but our teacher thought that was the best thing. one of the guys went OTB in the first lesson when his front wheel hit the gutter...fortunately he landed on good grass and wasn't hurt at all. I practised fairly intensely for weeks after, and scared the hell out of myself one day when I breaked the front wheel a little too hard...felt my weight starting to go beyond point of no return, when I remembered to let the brake handle go.....and saved OTBing. Your accident confirms these skills are definitely better learned on grass. thanks for the trouble of posting your story. I'll refer a few people to have a look at it. I'm a physio and know how debilitating that must have been. hope the scaphoid ends up ok. I presume it must be a hard decision to decide whether to go back to riding. Landing on that wrist again would not be good. but then, wrappign yourself up in cotton wool is not a life hey? tough decision.

the bike had almost slowed to a stop and I weigh 65kg. The force must've been outrageous, certainly the pain was insane.

the scaphoid probably wont be OK but I'll address that when that's req'd.

I'm curious about how long wrist mobility takes to come back. I've got maybe +15degrees of upward+downward motion, interesting to see what I get back and how long it takes.

As for riding again, it's all I want to do!! the accident was horrendous yes, but my passion has only intensified if anything. Having said that I'm keener for mtb-ing where the falls are kinder (generally) than the road.

winstonw wrote:how much do you weigh luci? and how fast were you going before OTB?
never seen such a nasty wrist break from cycling before.
several months ago, myself and a few more mature cyclists were going through the same bike skill drills as you. front wheel lifts over gutters, then brake and rear wheel lifts....we were doing them on the road too, in cleats, on roadies, which I wasn't really happy about, but our teacher thought that was the best thing. one of the guys went OTB in the first lesson when his front wheel hit the gutter...fortunately he landed on good grass and wasn't hurt at all. I practised fairly intensely for weeks after, and scared the hell out of myself one day when I breaked the front wheel a little too hard...felt my weight starting to go beyond point of no return, when I remembered to let the brake handle go.....and saved OTBing. Your accident confirms these skills are definitely better learned on grass. thanks for the trouble of posting your story. I'll refer a few people to have a look at it. I'm a physio and know how debilitating that must have been. hope the scaphoid ends up ok. I presume it must be a hard decision to decide whether to go back to riding. Landing on that wrist again would not be good. but then, wrappign yourself up in cotton wool is not a life hey? tough decision.

I saw your post on rb and was impressed with both the gnarliness of the injury and your documentation of such. Thanks for reminding me to check back! Chin up with the possible avn, you have certainly done everything in your power to get out of it. Props for that. And good idea about the fluid trainer, nothing like some serious physical exercise to get you feeling good!

And I had to laugh at the hospital bogans comment. I used to work in that esteemed establishment and can't agree more. Unfortunately there isn't a hospital that doesn't suffer the same fate. Why oh why did I choose a profession where I am forced to share the same space as those people!?

IME, chances are you are unlikely to get more than 80% of your range of motion back for extension and flexion. and colder weather will stiffen it up considerably. there's a structure on the end of the ulna called the triangular fibrocartilaginous complex TFCC, that gets mangled and remains painful with extreme ROM. Nevertheless, with determination, accept nothing less than 100% ROM and you very well may get it. I'd suggest you start researching diet - what to eat to reduce low grade inflammation and gaining excessive weight. The more plant material (salad, vege, fruit) the better. And regular fasting (4-6x2day fasts a year) can make a big diff to the progress of arthritic symptoms in such injuries. PM me if you are interested and I'll point you to some reading. To enhance healing, I would have also encouraged you to get regular cardio from Day 1 post op. walking would have been ok for 10 days, but then stationary bike, squats, lunges, etc. and into the pool as soon as the wounds healed, meditation too. It all optimizes blood flow and fluid balance, and helps dump stress hormones and allow deeper sleep where healing is enhanced.

Looks like a DISI injury initially?

Do u have a pre-op X-ray?

I'm seeing some advanced chess skills on your blogging site lucifuge!

arkle

Dr_Mutley wrote:Looks like a DISI injury initially?

Do u have a pre-op X-ray?

DISI injury...I have no idea

As for pre-op Xray, yes. Its all there on the blog, but you will have to go right to the beginning (day 0).

arkle wrote:I'm seeing some advanced chess skills on your blogging site lucifuge!

arkle

cheers mate, must keep mind and body as active as I can

petie wrote:I saw your post on rb and was impressed with both the gnarliness of the injury and your documentation of such. Thanks for reminding me to check back! Chin up with the possible avn, you have certainly done everything in your power to get out of it. Props for that. And good idea about the fluid trainer, nothing like some serious physical exercise to get you feeling good!

And I had to laugh at the hospital bogans comment. I used to work in that esteemed establishment and can't agree more. Unfortunately there isn't a hospital that doesn't suffer the same fate. Why oh why did I choose a profession where I am forced to share the same space as those people!?

cheers petie, it's been hell...but I keep looking for the exit.

hospital bogans ...scary hey!

Wow, the initial X-ray was most impressive. The pods have done a nice job putting it all back together. Best in your recovery and physio! Yes, wear gloves and wrist protection when appropriate.

Terrible picture but here is my left wrist after a car pulled out in front of me on my commuter bike a few years ago. Managed to fracture the head of the radius into seven separate pieces, the CT scan was impressive! All the more worrying when you are a sports physio by trade. Two plates and eight fixation screws/pins - awesome!

Luci been through the same thing, broken left scaff and fractured the radius on my right wrist in a few places after being hit by A truck.
Now have a plate in my RH wrist.
I broke them both at once.
Summary of what to note and what to look forward too for the plated hand.
* Your first shower without bandages, plaster will be great.
* I often struggle lifting heavy things and occasionally my wrist will go .
* Tennis balls are great for building up muscle strength.
* Buy decent thick Bartape ( if your a roadie), I feel all sorts of things on my right hand, my left doesn't.
* Buy decent gloves see above.
* Dont be scared of traffic , it took me 2 years to be comfortable in car as a passenger or on a bike without freaking out everytime we come too a stop.
* Normal bars gave me wrist and arm pain after the accident , bought some FSA K-wing force bars that have channels for your hands.
* Dont to many kays straight away, build up your base and take panandol Osteo with you just in case and if your partner says dont go for a long ride its only cause there scared something might happen to you.

* Be prepared for your wrist to ache in cold weather.

LASTLY NEVER give up and you will be back on your bike before you know it..

did your scaff heal or was it a non-union? if the later are you experiencing avascular necrosis?

...or by plate do you mean full wrist fusion?

Saturnstarzz wrote:Luci been through the same thing, broken left scaff and fractured the radius on my right wrist in a few places after being hit by A truck.
Now have a plate in my RH wrist.
I broke them both at once.
Summary of what to note and what to look forward too for the plated hand.
* Your first shower without bandages, plaster will be great.
* I often struggle lifting heavy things and occasionally my wrist will go .
* Tennis balls are great for building up muscle strength.
* Buy decent thick Bartape ( if your a roadie), I feel all sorts of things on my right hand, my left doesn't.
* Buy decent gloves see above.
* Dont be scared of traffic , it took me 2 years to be comfortable in car as a passenger or on a bike without freaking out everytime we come too a stop.
* Normal bars gave me wrist and arm pain after the accident , bought some FSA K-wing force bars that have channels for your hands.
* Dont to many kays straight away, build up your base and take panandol Osteo with you just in case and if your partner says dont go for a long ride its only cause there scared something might happen to you.

* Be prepared for your wrist to ache in cold weather.

LASTLY NEVER give up and you will be back on your bike before you know it..

lucifuge wrote:

arkle wrote:I'm seeing some advanced chess skills on your blogging site lucifuge!

arkle

cheers mate, must keep mind and body as active as I can

You don't fancy joining the BNA chess club and playing a few games on chess.com?

arkle

Luci, that is hands down the gnarliest wrist break I have ever seen. Wow. Not surprised you dont remember much. I wish i could say the same... What has been seen cannot be unseen

Good to hear recovery is progressing well.

I am already on chess.com via FB.

but what's the BNA chess club??

arkle wrote:

lucifuge wrote:

arkle wrote:I'm seeing some advanced chess skills on your blogging site lucifuge!

arkle

cheers mate, must keep mind and body as active as I can

You don't fancy joining the BNA chess club and playing a few games on chess.com?

arkle

Luci,

Scaff healed by itself although I had many xrays and CT scan (I think that what i was to show the break).
By plate I mean I have metal plate with pins and some screws that basically holds my wrist together If that's a full wrist fusion then yes,.
If I rotate my wrist and hold it with my other hand I can hear and feel it clicking ( like a stuffed bottom bracket), another quirk is the part on your wrist where they check your pulse now has a part of the plate there so you can see my pulse.
I was out cold for about 30 seconds came to thought crap this is no good but lets get on the bike and get home.
Was lying on my back sat up and tried to push myself up on my hands, then realized they didn't work.
This was almost 10 years next April occasionally I get some swelling and my rh wrist is a good 3cm's larger than my left.

Oh and just to clarify LH had the broken scaff, RH wrist had multiple breaks and has the plate in it. Two broken wrist's is always funs

lucifuge wrote:I am already on chess.com via FB.

but what's the BNA chess club??

arkle wrote:

lucifuge wrote:
cheers mate, must keep mind and body as active as I can

You don't fancy joining the BNA chess club and playing a few games on chess.com?

arkle

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=64382

arkle

Reading your blog so reminded me of my own personal injury and what I went through. I had my elbow shattered in a car accident about 10 years ago. Smashed it so bad that they had to use wire to tie some of the fragments together. I also severed the Ulna nerve, which meant that I lost function of and feeling in most of my fingers and a lot of my hand muscles atrophied away. Took about 12 months for the feeling to come back.

Thought I'd drop you a note to keep a positive outlook on things. Reality is that you'll probably have side-effects from the injury for the rest of your life. There'll be times when you may curse yourself for not being more careful, etc, etc. However - the human body is amazing and it adapts very well. You'll most likely go back to doing (almost) everything you did before. You'll probably have to take a little more care of your wrist, but life will essentially be back to normal.

In my case I never got the full range of motion back, though most of it came back with extended physio and exercise. My injury doesn't tolerate jerky arm movements very well (tennis, etc), but seems to be relatively ok with more predictable type of motion (weight lifting, swimming, paddling a kayak, etc). I also can't do too much of anything and my elbow will let me know when it's had enough. I usually just rest if for 3-4 days and use a compression wrap during the night to help expedite the recovery.

I was told that I'd get arthritic symptoms within a year or two of my accident. However, 10 years on and I have no arthritic symptoms. I may be wrong, but I attribute this to keeping the injured joint active at all times.

So, if I had a key piece of advice, it'd be to keep yourself and your wrist active, but do take care not to injure the same area again! Best of luck!

profound, accurate, and well written post apey.

Thanks Apey. It's good to hear such stories, although it's horrible what you obviously went through and continue to. But they do help me on my healing curve. I'm pretty amazed zI've got back the ROM that I have already. It seems each day is a progression, small as it is.