Scaphoid break not healing

[robwbright]

Well fellows - I know there have been some complaints that most of my posts - especially in the last 6 months - have been political posts. . . and I tend to "stir the pot". ;)

Anyway, part of the reason for my relative lack of MX posts is that I haven't really been able to ride since late June because of a broken scaphoid. I didn't know it was broken for 5 weeks - thought it was a bad sprain.

When I finally got to an ortho, found the break on the 2 sets of xrays my chiro had taken and he casted me for 6 weeks. After the cast was off, he told me it was healed and I was good to ride as long as I could hold on.

I tried to ride 2 or 3 times and couldn't really do it. I kept working it out and trying to increase the ROM, which seemed to be the primary problem - I couldn't bend it up much at all because of swelling. I don't have insurance, and money is tight, so an MRI was pretty much out of the question.

I now have a doc for a client and he has a LOT of pull at another local hospital. He got me a free MRI and all the free PT that I need.

However, the MRI showed that the scaphoid hasn't healed and my using the wrist has actually been "re-breaking" it. I'm pretty P.O.'d at the ortho - but that's par for the course at our local hospitals. Most of the docs are incompetent. For example, the other ortho at that hospital has been suspended for trying to do surgery while falling down drunk.

The good news is that it has always been and is still a non-displaced break and the remainder of the wrist is completely normal and intact - no necrosis.

My doc/client is now prescribing me a splint and TENS unit in hopes that we can get it healed by spring. We'll see.

Anyway, it's more than a minor possibility that my MX days are over.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Rob, sorry to hear about your situation. As if injury isn't frustrating enough, I'm sure have incompetent medical attention is only making it worse. If you'd like an easy 2nd opinion, try Dr. Mark here http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=48
He's an ortho in TX that has answered several questions for me about my current injury. I ride with one guy who had him do his knee surjery and he's been riding and racing all year in his 40's. Also, Dr. Mark will take a look at X-rays/images etc and offer an opinion and he's a MXer as well. He seems to try real hard to get people healthy enough to ride again. Good luck!

As for you're pot stirring, lol, sometimes I agreed with you sometimes I didn't, but it was interesting and I enjoy reading or listening to people with a different take. I'm not sure everyone posses the ability to debate maturely with someone who has a different slant though.

 

[XRpredator]

breaks in the wrist area are always sucktacular. Just ask Bob Hannah and Rick Johnson.

The only way you can heal from it is to absolutely not use that wrist for a good six weeks, then you gotta get that arm back into shape. Of course, impatience usually keeps a guy from following doctor's orders.

tap 'er light

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Of course, impatience usually keeps a guy from following doctor's orders.

+1

 

[James]

It's probably not going to heal on its own now. I needs to be immobilized those first few weeks while most people are trying to figure out if they have a sprain or not. Once it gets to the point of non-union, the piece without the blood supply will get broken down/reabsorbed.

My brother had the same injury, docs told him sprain, several weeks (maybe a month or two later) he was properly diagnosed, cast for 3 months I think, still not healed...then surgery. They need to do a bone graft to fix it after a certain point. The longer you wait, the less success with the outcome.

I am not a doctor, and hopefully a doctor may have better news for you, but this is what we learned going through his injury. He can ride now although his wrist gives him some trouble.

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Okiewan]

Mine took a good 6 months to "fully" heal. It sucked.

 

[robwbright]

Thanx guys.

The limited good news is that the MRI had (and I don't have it in front of me) T1 and T2 numbers which showed the likely presence of "ongoing healing".

That's my one hope of not having to do a bone graft. I'm confident in my client/doctor even though he's not a specialist - he learned his trade in Vietnam (his last name is Westmoreland - if that tells you anything - his dad was the general's brother) and his residency was in Florida "where every ER visit is critical." He seems to know more about any medical subject than any specialist I've come across. . .

Here's a link about what the DEA did to my client in 1995 - not part of my representation, of course, but it's certainly interesting. 17 agents with submachine guns throwing patients up against the wall, etc. . .

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=17428
Doctor seeks justice after DEA's clinic assault
Judge: 'One of the most outrageous things I've ever heard of'

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out why the Creator would have designed that particular bone with "poor blood supply" - as all the webpages seem to say about it. Doesn't seem to be much reason/purpose for that design.

And yes, RJ has come to mind on more than one occasion. He was my favorite rider when I was a kid and I was saddened when I learned of his injury. Anyone remember exactly what he broke?

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out why the Creator would have designed that particular bone with "poor blood supply" - as all the webpages seem to say about it. Doesn't seem to be much reason/purpose for that design.

lol, my Dr told me he was going to fuse the joints in my foot together (where the ligaments tore) because it was a "non essential joint, unless I was into Ballet". Nonessential? Apparently God put it there for something, but I remember thinking something just like what you wrote above.

 

[XRpredator]

And yes, RJ has come to mind on more than one occasion. He was my favorite rider when I was a kid and I was saddened when I learned of his injury. Anyone remember exactly what he broke?

I believe it was his navicular, as it was with Hannah. And there is the situation where "it feels okay today" so they try to race with it, and just end up doning more damage.

I broke the scaphoid process off of my ulna on my left arm, and probably did unseen wrist damage as well, but with the ulnar break I was casted for a good 6 weeks, so that probably helped me in not further damaging the wrist bones with the poor blood supply.

 

[robwbright]

http://archive.racerxill.com/racerhead_0227.cfm

As Racer X reported earlier this week, Travis Pastrana is apparently going to have to remain out until the last three nationals of the 2002 season. During a visit to his orthopedic surgeon, the doctor saw a shadow in the X-ray, which means six more weeks on the sideline for the SoBe Suzuki factory rider. . .

Travis has a broken navicular. So does AMA Pro Racing manager John Farris. Mike LaRocco just got off of one, and Rick Johnson pretty much lost his career to a broken navicular.

END QUOTE

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I can see it costing you a lot of time off the bike but I don't see why it would end your riding. I'm sure RJ still rides, just not at the level he used to.

 

[thorman75]

I've broken my Scaphoid(it used to be called a navicular, the only navicular now is in your ankle),(I just finished Anatomy at IU) in my left wrist 3X. the last time I had to see a hand/wrist ortho doc in Chicago. He graphed a piece of bone off my radius and then pinned it to the scaphoid. I ended up losing about 1/2 of my movement. I was in a cast for 5 months. A full arm for 3 then a short arm for 2. When I got back on the bike for the first time I was at Redbud and Mike Larocco showed up, so I talked with him about it, anyway that whole year I wore a modified roller blading wrist guard over my glove.It'll never be the same but I can still ride.
btw the doc in Chicago said if I ever break it again he would have to fuse my wrist and lose all movement.

 

[James]

If I remember correctly, RJs hand was completely displaced. Far worse than just a scaphoid break.

 

[robwbright]

It would end my riding if it becomes a non-union - which is apparently a very distinct possibility after 4 months.

However, as of last night, it feels as close to "normal" as it has since the break.

It seems to have improved by 25%+ overnight. Weird. I'm gonna give it 2-4 more weeks with the TENS unit and have a bone scan.

And yes, RJ still rides, but as I recall, his problem was so bad that they even tried to switch the throttle to the left side.

I had thought of duct taping my hand to the bars. . . ;)

 

[XRpredator]

. . . I'm gonna give it 2-4 more weeks with the TENS unit and have a bone scan.

Gotta love the magic box

 

[thorman75]

Mine was a nonunion thats why they pinned it. Find a good doc, don't give up hope.