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Orthopedic Sports Medicine (Expert Forum)
wrist fracture won't heal! help!
Answered by
Michael L Gross, MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Surgery, Athletic Trauma
Active Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Hackensack,Westwood - NJ
Questions in the Orthopedic Sports Medicine forum are answered by Michael L. Gross, MD the CEO of Active Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.
wrist fracture won't heal! help!
by bball55, Mar 18, 2009 06:34PM
3 weeks ago, i was playing basketball and fell on my wrist. There was no sharp pain at 1st so i didn't even know i had injured it. at night, when i had put pressure on it, there was some pain, which led me to believe it was just a minor sprain.
now fast forward 2 weeks, and the wrist hasn't drastically improved, so i went to the family doctor and got an x ray. he told me that i had micro fractured the tip of the ulna and it is unable to heal b/c i didn't take proper care of it. now there is muscle tissue in between the fracture, which is why when i move my wrist in a certain direction, it makes a cracking sound, though the pain isn't unbearable. he said something like "if the tip that was fractured was removed, there wouldn't be a problem, but now it probably wont grow together on its own" or along those lines.
he is not a surgeon and doesn't specialize in this field. i do not have health insurance, and i'm not doing too great financially. what is my next play? i do have the x rays with me and i could scan it on here if you're willing to take a look.
now fast forward 2 weeks, and the wrist hasn't drastically improved, so i went to the family doctor and got an x ray. he told me that i had micro fractured the tip of the ulna and it is unable to heal b/c i didn't take proper care of it. now there is muscle tissue in between the fracture, which is why when i move my wrist in a certain direction, it makes a cracking sound, though the pain isn't unbearable. he said something like "if the tip that was fractured was removed, there wouldn't be a problem, but now it probably wont grow together on its own" or along those lines.
he is not a surgeon and doesn't specialize in this field. i do not have health insurance, and i'm not doing too great financially. what is my next play? i do have the x rays with me and i could scan it on here if you're willing to take a look.
Doctor's Answer
by Michael L Gross, MD, Mar 22, 2009 10:01AM
, Mar 22, 2009 10:01AMTo: Bball55
While you do have a fracture of the ulna styloid, your symptoms could also be caused by a soft tissue injury (such as an injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex, TFCC) that cannot be seen on Xray. I would recommend evaluation by an orthopedist, preferably a hand specialist, as soon as possible.
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww198/pokertoker/wrist4a.jpg
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww198/pokertoker/wrist3.jpg
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww198/pokertoker/wrist2a.jpg
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww198/pokertoker/wrist2.jpg
http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww198/pokertoker/wrist1aa.jpg
it has been determined that the wrist hasn't been fractured, that the bone hanging out has been there since birth, and is common thing.
the problem is, i hurt the ligament, and the specialist told me to wait another 3-4 weeks to see if there is still pain, other wise mri.
it has already be almost 3 weeks, and there is just one part of the ulnar styloid that doesn't seem to be healing.
overall since the injury, it has been nearly 7 weeks. will i need surgery to repair this ligament problem or could it heal on its own. i dont have health insurance.