Broken wrist - what to expect on the road to recovery

[Bleacher Bum]

Family was enjoying a weekend snowboarding on the meager snowpack (Tahoe) this weekend when the inevitable happened - 10 year old DD loses it near the end of a run and breaks her fall with an outstretched right (throwing) arm. Yup - broken wrist (Distal Radial fracture - non-displaced). Currently in a splint, and making the ortho appointments, but was wondering if anyone could share their experience with recovery time, what works for rehab, etc. Yes, we understand that everyone heals differently, and we'll let the doctor (and DD's comfort level) dictate how we proceed. But this is definitely going to put a huge crimp in the transition from being a bowler/pusher to I/R (which we had been working on over the previous months).

Also looking for suggestions on other things to work on while she doesn't have full use of her right hand.
- Bunting drills (in a few weeks after she's comfortable)?
- Help at practice catching for infield practice
- Ball spins (assuming her fingers aren't totally immobilized in the cast)

She's disappointed, as the 1st TB tourney of the season is scheduled for March 1, and obviously she's not going to be playing..... so she's looking for ways to stay involved and ways to improve.

 

[Vertigo]

Do you know if her growth plate was involved? If not, I'm guessing 3-4 weeks (if very slight fracture; longer if more severe) in a cast. Kids heal fast at that age, but wrist will be very stiff when cast is removed. Many times they don't need physical therapy, although since it is her dominant arm they may order it for her.

I would make sure the orthopod clears her for anything you are talking about possibly doing above while she's casted. Even though the cast will protect the injury, the jarring that my be caused by bunting or using the arm in general may cause discomfort. Just my 2 cents.

When my dd fractured her left forearm (also a radial fracture, but more proximal), he did not want her on the field at all until a week after the cast was removed. I hope she heals quickly!!!

 

[Sweet Lou]

I had similar injury at age 14. It was 6 weeks in a cast. 2 weeks after cast off before it really felt right due to atrophy while in cast. And 3 weeks after that before it really started to feel normal. Of course that was 30 years ago and I did zero actual rehab so your DD may heal quicker as I had a compound fracture of the ulna and radius where they reached the wrist.

Good luck on the healing and sorry to hear about the accident.

She can do a ton of stuff helping out at practice left handed but if they immobilize the arm from elbow to wrist like me she won't be able to much with the right arm.

 

[James Smith]

She can also catch the pitchers. Just give P a bucket of balls, your DD has an empty bucket, then switch when the P is out of balls.

10YOs heal quick but take it slow.

(Have her doing soft toss(left handed) or putting the ball on the tee for the batters should be good too)

 

[Bleacher Bum]

All good inputs. Thanks! As for the bunting - yes, I wasn't going to have her do any of that until several weeks down the road, as I was also concerned about the impact (jarring).

As for growth plate - don't know. At the urgent care on the mountain, they didn't mention it. The break is about 1.5-2cm from the end of the radius. From what I've seen on various web sites, it looks to be below the growth plate (in the metaphysis). But this is just a non-physician dad interpreting an X-ray (always a dangerous thing!). The swelling is about 1" up from her 'wrist'. I'm mostly worried about the violent 'whipping' of her hand when she eventually throws or pitches.

It will be interesting to see what the ortho says....

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I wouldn't have her do anything softball. She will need released from the doctor, before she should proceed. Good luck. Those docs on the mountain, see a lot of breaks. I have been there, done that. When I got home, my ortho guy said "Leave it alone. They do these things several times a day."

 

[fastpitchdad8]

I wouldn't have her do anything softball.

why not....??

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Because she is 10. A coach shouldn't let her on the field until she is released to play, without restrictions.

 

[fastpitchdad8]

Because she is 10. A coach shouldn't let her on the field until she is released to play, without restrictions.

The OP typed that his DD "is looking for ways to stay involved and looking to improve" while she's in a cast. Noone's implying that she should play games or even participate in practice, but there's plenty of things she can be doing while her wrist is healing

 

[Bleacher Bum]

She's not going to be doing much of anything until after she sees the ortho (other than learning to use her left hand to feed herself and make rainbow loom bracelets). She's a multi-sport kid who will be missing several events (basketball tourney, futsal) in addition to the upcoming TB tourneys mentioned above (softball is by far her favorite). So I expect her to get cabin fever very soon (she's already bored because school is out for the week). I just want to be sure that she avoids atrophy in her forearm/wrist/hand. So, if the ortho says it's OK to do something, I'll let her try if she wants. If the ortho says "no way", then no way. But everything is on hold until the appointment and the cast gets put on. With the splint, there's just too much opportunity for accidental injury.
But if anyone has suggestions on safe things to do (once she gets an OK), we're all ears.