Fractured scaphoid

Dannyderasmo106
Edited Date/Time 2/21/2018 10:46am
Anyone ever do this, how long in a cast, or before you can ride again. My doctor says 8 weeks minimum, he says it's in place and in a good spot. Can anyone let me know how there recovery was.
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motokiwi
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motokiwi 6/28/2014 5:44pm
6/28/2014 5:44pm
Make sure you give it time and let it heal properly, it is one of the most common injuries that stop people riding forever because they dont let it heal, and it never knit's back together
steve_97060
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steve_97060 6/28/2014 5:58pm
6/28/2014 5:58pm
I was in a cast for 6 months..

was originally told 8 weeks minimum, but they would check x ray's every 8 weeks or so and leave it on or give me a new one.. as I am sure you have been told that bone doesn't get much blood so it is real slow to heal. I was just glad it didn't die and need surgery...

you just have to be patient..
iro
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iro 6/28/2014 6:00pm
6/28/2014 6:00pm
Mine was 8 months in a cast after surgery. I didn't ride for 13 or 14 months. It just didn't want to heal. That was 1995. It doesn't bother me now except for a little loss of mobility.
swtwtwtw
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swtwtwtw 6/28/2014 6:02pm
6/28/2014 6:02pm
surgery and a screw put in will have it healed quicker. Insist on it. just my 2 cents :-)

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DDMX18
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DDMX18 6/28/2014 6:30pm
6/28/2014 6:30pm
Sorry to hear that, i broke mine in 94 and had a screw put in it straight away. I had the screw taken out 12 months later as it was causing me trouble. Overall I lost some movement and its never been 100% but I know lots of guys that tried the cast and waited months for it to heal, but it never did, by then the bone died and they had replacements either by taking a piece of your hip bone and one guy i knew had a plastic one put in. Either way, give it heaps of time to heal and see a specialist in that field. I was lucky enough to be taken care of by the leading hand surgeon in Australia, Dr Tim Herbert (who invented the Herbert Screw). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Herbert
Dx3moto
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Dx3moto 6/28/2014 6:33pm
6/28/2014 6:33pm Edited Date/Time 6/28/2014 6:33pm
I broke mine over a hundred times (Reoccurring break over a time span of 6 months), and I was back riding after surgery by 6 months. It still gets fatigued to this day (I got surgery in 2009), so be careful making sure it's 100%. DO YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY (if recommended by doctor)! That's the biggest issue, getting your rotation back.
slipdog
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slipdog 6/28/2014 7:02pm
6/28/2014 7:02pm
DDMX18 wrote:
Sorry to hear that, i broke mine in 94 and had a screw put in it straight away. I had the screw taken out 12 months...
Sorry to hear that, i broke mine in 94 and had a screw put in it straight away. I had the screw taken out 12 months later as it was causing me trouble. Overall I lost some movement and its never been 100% but I know lots of guys that tried the cast and waited months for it to heal, but it never did, by then the bone died and they had replacements either by taking a piece of your hip bone and one guy i knew had a plastic one put in. Either way, give it heaps of time to heal and see a specialist in that field. I was lucky enough to be taken care of by the leading hand surgeon in Australia, Dr Tim Herbert (who invented the Herbert Screw). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Herbert
I got a Herbert screw in '93 after the third break in 2 years. They grafted bone from my hip and I ran an electrical bone stimulator for 3 months and its been a champ ever since.
nathan4765
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nathan4765 6/28/2014 7:03pm
6/28/2014 7:03pm
I broke mine on April 10 this year. I had a cast until surgery on April 28. Then I was in a soft cast for two weeks. Then a splint for two more. I went to the doctor 6 weeks ago and there was no sign of a fracture. I have one more appointment and have been doing physical therapy for the past 6 weeks. I have about 90% of motion back already and the physical therapist thinks I will get it all back. Now I'm just lacking strength and still can't put weight on it.

Surgery was a must, and do your physical therapy. Overall, Im only two months out after surgery and can do everyday things, but it will be another month or two before I can do a pushup, haha.

Good luck and you should be riding soon enough.
Bineano
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Bineano 6/28/2014 7:05pm
6/28/2014 7:05pm
3 full months in a cast for me, TONS of physio... Mine healed 100%, no issues at all. Good luck, scaphoid breaks can be tricky to heal cause of poor blood flow.
Steve 396
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Steve 396 6/28/2014 7:16pm
6/28/2014 7:16pm
I broke mine 11 years ago and was in a cast 3 full months too. It still gets sore after a long day of riding but I have about 90-95% range of motion. It took forever for it too heal it seemed. Don't rush back from this injury...

downard254
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downard254 6/28/2014 8:01pm
6/28/2014 8:01pm
Yep, three months is about right. My problem was they didn't catch it on x-Ray the night I broke it, they cleared me to keep riding. I rode three more weeks with the wrist heavily taped. Still hurt so back to the doc. They then told me it was broken and it healed slightly shifted off centerline. I have full range motion inward, maybe 50 percent motion outward. Hurts every day, but hey, so does my back.
FCTRY
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FCTRY 6/28/2014 8:04pm
6/28/2014 8:04pm
I'm at 16 weeks right now, still haven't been cut loose. Last X-ray was looking better, hoping it will be good to go on next follow up in a week.
Tim507
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Tim507 6/28/2014 9:37pm
6/28/2014 9:37pm
Had a fractured scaphoid (navicular) cast for 3 months and no healing.......went to surgery in Seattle (Team Doc for the Sonics) and had a bone graft from my hip......100% healed in another 3 months. I was about 30 at the time. Wrist is still good.
StartedTooLate 6/28/2014 9:40pm
6/28/2014 9:40pm
Dannyderasmo106 wrote:
Anyone ever do this, how long in a cast, or before you can ride again. My doctor says 8 weeks minimum, he says it's in place...
Anyone ever do this, how long in a cast, or before you can ride again. My doctor says 8 weeks minimum, he says it's in place and in a good spot. Can anyone let me know how there recovery was.
This is the slowest healing bone in the body. If you are healthy, and the break is non-displaced with the fracture in a good location / direction, you can be out of a cast in 6-8 weeks. I did it 2 years ago, and was out of the cast in 7 weeks. It took about 10 weeks to be back to 100%. If the fracture is displaced, and in a bad location and direction, the recovery can take a LONG time, with surgery being required, etc. In fact...it can be a debilitating injury...and some times you are never the same. I was super lucky..and it sounds like you were too.
Tim507
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Tim507 6/28/2014 9:52pm
6/28/2014 9:52pm
In an adult the navicular has for all intents no blood supply...thus the bone marrow graft....
bvm111
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bvm111 6/28/2014 10:02pm
6/28/2014 10:02pm Edited Date/Time 6/29/2014 9:01am
DDMX18 wrote:
Sorry to hear that, i broke mine in 94 and had a screw put in it straight away. I had the screw taken out 12 months...
Sorry to hear that, i broke mine in 94 and had a screw put in it straight away. I had the screw taken out 12 months later as it was causing me trouble. Overall I lost some movement and its never been 100% but I know lots of guys that tried the cast and waited months for it to heal, but it never did, by then the bone died and they had replacements either by taking a piece of your hip bone and one guy i knew had a plastic one put in. Either way, give it heaps of time to heal and see a specialist in that field. I was lucky enough to be taken care of by the leading hand surgeon in Australia, Dr Tim Herbert (who invented the Herbert Screw). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Herbert
slipdog wrote:
I got a Herbert screw in '93 after the third break in 2 years. They grafted bone from my hip and I ran an electrical bone...
I got a Herbert screw in '93 after the third break in 2 years. They grafted bone from my hip and I ran an electrical bone stimulator for 3 months and its been a champ ever since.
Right there with you slip,

I still have that stimulator somewhere... I took 10 years off after mine healed. 12 months before I was released to ride, it was non union for 6 months and the doc told me he wanted to fuse it. I told him to shove it and it finally healed!

In the past 10 years I've been to Iraq once and Afghanistan twice with no issues, now I'm back riding and both my wrists still hurt mainly because I'm old but where the scaphoid is in the right wrist is with the screw it is perfect!!!!
zombieland
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zombieland 6/28/2014 10:51pm
6/28/2014 10:51pm
steve_97060 wrote:
I was in a cast for 6 months.. was originally told 8 weeks minimum, but they would check x ray's every 8 weeks or so and...
I was in a cast for 6 months..

was originally told 8 weeks minimum, but they would check x ray's every 8 weeks or so and leave it on or give me a new one.. as I am sure you have been told that bone doesn't get much blood so it is real slow to heal. I was just glad it didn't die and need surgery...

you just have to be patient..
Same here In a cast for 5 months , take your time with it .
MacBookMafia 6/28/2014 11:14pm
6/28/2014 11:14pm
I broke my scaphoid Last February. Mine was a non-union fracture (broke in two pieces with space in between them). Mine healed in 9 weeks after surgery. My doc was extremely surprised that it healed so soon. He told me Their was no way it would heal sooner then 12 weeks. I just started riding again a few weeks ago. It's been slow going. I don't have very good grip strength. But it's good to be back on the bike for sure. Good luck with you recovery. Hopefully you'll be back on the bike soon.



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Crush
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Crush 6/28/2014 11:21pm
6/28/2014 11:21pm
Fractured mine as a kid, soft cast, raced next weekend.

Never been quite as good as my other, but it's not my primary so it just makes the stranger a little awkward.
Dx3moto
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Dx3moto 6/28/2014 11:56pm
6/28/2014 11:56pm
I know the feeling. Wishing you get healed up 100%. It's not a fun injury.

Francis377
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Francis377 6/29/2014 1:03am
6/29/2014 1:03am
Welcome to the party Wink

Make sure you expose it to the least amount of vibrations (mainly from impacts but also from lifting or other stuff you do with your hand) , they will severely slow down healing in a bone that already does not see a lot of blood. If it's like mine there will be pain for the first 6months after its fully healed (mine took exactly 8 weeks, was fractured in 3 pieces though) still and prolly some loss in the "range of motion " category.

heal up.
68
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68 6/29/2014 1:48am
6/29/2014 1:48am
its shit house,

I did mine when i was 16 i was in and out of a cast for about 10 months before getting it screwed.
Re fractured it at the start of the year. Its always been a problem over the years with pain after riding

take your time in the cast and dont lift anything
Bultaco
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Bultaco 6/29/2014 5:03am
6/29/2014 5:03am
Yes in 1978. It is the only bone break I've had (out of 9) that did not heal 100%. The options today (Screw/graft) and PT are much better. Biggest lingering problem in my case is limited range of motion and pain. Can occasionally feel the weather with it, much like grandmas arthritis used to tell her a front was moving in.
Bulldog
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Bulldog 6/29/2014 5:54am
6/29/2014 5:54am
Surgery and pin - I got back riding faster and don't even notice it now...
kzizok
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kzizok 6/29/2014 8:31am
6/29/2014 8:31am
My son broke his in Jan and got his cast off in May. He is 100% but he is only 15. I have never heard of only 8 weeks in a cast, so make sure it is healed or you may retire like Rick Johnson did!
zookie
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zookie 6/29/2014 9:01am
6/29/2014 9:01am
Dirt bike forums are always a great place to ask health questions....

Scaphoid is very sensitive to stability during the healing process. Be careful and take your time.
abn166
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abn166 6/29/2014 10:25am
6/29/2014 10:25am
Back in 1981 my took 6 months in a cast after a bone graft from my hip bone. I lost some movement but I have no pain.
HitMan
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HitMan 6/29/2014 11:53am
6/29/2014 11:53am
There is no way I would risk just a cast. The Navicular sees very little blood and takes forever to heal. Like Slip said, get the Herbert screw and be done. I tried a cast for 3 months and the break only got worse. Herbert screw and I was back riding in 3 months (with tape).
jeffro503
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jeffro503 6/29/2014 12:15pm
6/29/2014 12:15pm
I've been lucky as that little bone is one of the very few in my body I haven't broke! I know they heal extremely slow and and it can seem like forever before they heal. Hope I never do ( Knock on wood! )
tobz
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tobz 2/19/2018 8:54pm
2/19/2018 8:54pm
Anybody suffer from immediate intense arm pump in the arm of the broken scaphoid?

Nearly 10 months on from breaking mine, surgery not needed as the doctor didn't pick it up until 7 weeks after my crash.

But god I've never had arm pump this bad in one arm, it's almost immediate about 3 or 4 corners into a lap.

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