# broken arm - screws and plate :-(



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

Hi 
wondering if anyone on here has experience of recovering from a break which involved screws and plates ? 
during what was a good jumping lesson 10 days ago, failed miserably to stay on my youngster during a high jinks bucking session (frozen fields.. no turn out for 2 weeks sort of high jinks.. think you all know what I mean). 
anyway .. managed to go splat against the wall of the indoor school and shatter my humerus which then needed and op .. 13 screws and a plate later i am sat at home with the expectation that I cannot ride for 12 weeks :-( ... 

one of the doctors has been telling me I should give up riding (!) ... the surgeon I only spoke to briefly .. have an appointment with him next week .. he was slightly more down to earth, but did mention that with the plate still in , this would be a bit risky, esp if I managed to fall on the same arm again (I am clearly going to try to avoid that !) 

just wondering if any of you comp guys had a similar injury and if you took it careful when the metal work was still in .. ie no XC country, or no jumping .. I have been told the plate may be able to come out after a year ... 

am feeling horribly sorry for myself as was just getting to grips with the new boy and now have to sit and watch other people ride him ... I am lucky in that the ex owner is doing most of the riding and she is very good so not that i need to worry about his development .. but even so ... 12 weeks seems like a very long time at the moment :-(


----------



## millitiger (30 January 2013)

Ouch, sorry to hear about your injury.

I've got a lot of metal and screws in my collarbone and shoulder now after a nightmare break.

Worst part was the lovely NHS left it for 10 weeks before deciding I needed an emergency operation to plate it and in that 10 weeks I have done pretty awful damage to my muscles and ligaments and have lots of scar tissue over my back from it being so out of place.

I was back riding again about 6 days after my operation to plate it- mainly because it instantly felt so much better once plated.
I wore my body protector and P2 jacket for the first month or so.

I got bucked off about 6 weeks after my op (with my body protector on) and it was fine.

Got signed off by the hospital about 3 months after the op; unfortunately I can't have my plates out as the last x-ray showed that the bone hasn't regenerated enough to hold itself together 

My consultant assured me that my metalwork is now as strong as original bone but obviously if I land on it hard enough to break normal bone, the metal work will be damaged and due to all of the screws it will make quite a big mess.

I felt a bit windy about riding my very big and athletic horse for a few months and was permanently in my body protector but gradually got my nerve back and now am happy to ride/jump/hack in just a t-shirt (and jods! 

Last point, if you can, I would recommend going private for physio etc as the NHS were pretty horrendous in this respect- 2 weeks after op they were telling me to strengthen arm by lifting newspapers; I had driven to hospital and was already back at work fulltime by then! 
Private was much better and gave me really good exercises to do and were interested in what I needed in terms of mobility and strength whereas NHS seemed to only care enough that I could move enough to discharge me.
Only strength loss I have now is pushing something above me or lifting things down from high shelves.


----------



## sabel (30 January 2013)

Hi, 
Firstly I wanted to say sorry to hear about your accident. I came off at an event last September and broke my arm which required an op, although mine only had to be K-wired and the wires came out after 5 weeks.
However, my friend was kicked by a horse a few years ago which broke her arm . It was repaired using a plate and screws. I think the hospital did tell her that she must not break it again! However she went back to eventing and show jumping and all has been fine. I remember her being relieved the first time she fell off post op as she had been dreading falling off and damaging it. (No damage done).


----------



## FlyingCoo (30 January 2013)

Sorry to hear of your accident.

I too have lots of metal work holding my left arm together after a bad fall. I was only in plaster for about two weeks as the surgeon said that the metal work would make the bone even stronger and I have never had it removed.

I never rode for 2 years afterwards but that was more to do with how I felt about horses at the time rather than not being physically able to do it as had only broken my collarbone 3 months before doing my arm. 

Of course that never lasted and back eventing quite happily.First time I fell off afterwards people thought I was weird as jumped straight up onto my feet in joy that I hadn't broken anything! 

My only real problem now is that sometimes I can really feel it if I have been tanked with round cross country and have to support it with a brace. I have rebroken it since after being hit by a car when out hacking but removed the plaster after 12 hours of it being put on and continued riding with the brace.

I echo Millitiger's comments about the physio and ensure you get a good one if the NHS service is rubbish. I was very lucky as even though my NHS physio felt like a torture queen she ensured that my arm was back in full working order as I had a lot of nerve damage also and had to retrain my hand to work properly and I had about 6 months of twice weekly sessions.

Take the initial time out to allow it to heal as that is when the problems start and before you know it the 12 weeks will fly by and you will be back on board.


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

millitiger

wow ... that sounds like not much fun ! .. I am quite lucky in that I am in Germany at the moment so have a bit more faith in the health system here .. the physio I have at the moment is good .. and they are pleased with the movment I have already .. apparently there was a big worry about my elbow 
I am also a bit worried that I am going to be 'windy' when I get back to riding again, but like you mention, I figure I will just need to work through that and hopefully will improve  

at the end of the day, my attitude re the 'no more riding ever' .. is that I could have a car accident/ fall over on the street and mess the arm again , I am not going to be able to wrap myself in cotton wool for the rest of my life


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

sabel
sounds promising then .. I think I will be the same ... hope the first 'fall off' will be uneventful and then it should get better  ...


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

FlyingCoo

that is really encouraging to hear, I have a hard plastic shield thing at the moment that i need to wear .... mainly because the x rays they took the day of the accident did not show the real extent of the damage, so they were a bit shocked when they saw how bad it really was when they opened me up .. should have really had 2 plates , but did not have one long enough prepared (!) .. so they put a few extra screws in 

I think I will know more after my meeting with the surgeon on Monday re long term prognosis, think I am more worried about how my head will deal with it , don't want to have to turn into a  dressage diva


----------



## FlyingCoo (30 January 2013)

GermanyJo said:



			I think I will know more after my meeting with the surgeon on Monday re long term prognosis, think I am more worried about how my head will deal with it , don't want to have to turn into a  dressage diva 

Click to expand...

You will know yourself when the time comes how your head deals with it. Just try and not over think about it just now as trust me demons grow in your head. When you do decide to go back jumping just take it steady and work with someone you trust and who will not just say "pah all you did was fall off"

As I said before after my jumping accident I walked away and said nope not for me but continued to groom for my brother and until one day said stuff this always being on my own feet and just jumped back on and decided to just point the horse at some fences and as they say the rest is history!

Good Luck with the healing


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

I am fighting off the demons at the moment .. good thing is they knocked me out to get me into the ambulance and put my arm back in the right direction . .. so alot of it is a blur .. the problem is the other people telling me how awful it looked, but have already told everyone to shut up about that  

is really encouraging to hear Flyingcoo .. thanks


----------



## FlyingCoo (30 January 2013)

GermanyJo said:



			I am fighting off the demons at the moment .. good thing is they knocked me out to get me into the ambulance and put my arm back in the right direction . .. so alot of it is a blur .. the problem is the other people telling me how awful it looked, but have already told everyone to shut up about that  

is really encouraging to hear Flyingcoo .. thanks 

Click to expand...

Ah yes sometimes friends bless them just like to let on too much information. I had a rotational fall 2 years ago in the XC warm up over a 2 ft log and never thought much about it as just jumped back on then proceeded to go clear XC.(Please note if I had known what had actually happened I wouldn't have got back on but all happened so quickly and sure there was some concussion involved!) 

However, my friend witnessed it all and even had to retire XC as she felt so ill after watching me and then kept giving me a full account of my fall and how X,Y & Z could have happened and kept going on about it. Needless to say I then took a few XC wobbles after that until I had to give myself a slap!!


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

friends .. got to love them sometimes


----------



## jakkibag (30 January 2013)

Sorry about your arm, My story is very similar to Flying Coo's except i didnt have a break from riding afterwards and tried to carry on with the same horse and eventually eroded my confidence away to nothing, I rarely jump nowadays! However reading stories about people with similar breaks, not being plated, i feel extremely lucky that they gave me more metal than i could ever need Lol! I had the whole never ride again, seems to be a standard hospital warning off, I had serious nerve damage and they had to reroute the nerve round the back of the plate, which slowed things down for me slightly, but as others have said, Do as much physio as you can, swimming three times a week helped mine no end, I was back on in 6weeks fell off again at 10 weeks , landed on my feet, jumped for joy, then had a reality check and tried to be a bit more sensible 

Im a couple of years on, and apart from a huge scar i dont often remember i have an arm full of metal, lol, It sometimes twinges if ive been doing too much! Try to take things easy and dont feel pressured into doing too much if you dont feel like it. I had a massive phobia about being disabled and about not being able to do what i used to, but tbh i just had to adjust to what i was capable of and not beat myself up about it  Good luck and i hope it heals quickly x


----------



## TrasaM (30 January 2013)

I broke my collarbone near the shoulder and at first the doc said that they would have to use a removable plate. I was operated on three days after the break happened and ended up with a permanent plate held in by eight screws. It happened five months ago and I returned to gentle hacks after 8 weeks and having lessons at 12 weeks. I've more or less forgotten it's there and although I can see a bump where the plate ends it's not causing me any discomfort.  
They did say that it could be removed if it caused me problems but so far so good. 

If your bone is set properly I can't see why you can't carry on as before. I think doctors err on the side if caution. They probably get fed up pinning horse riders back together.


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

thanks jakkibag


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

TrasaM - I think you have hit the nail on the head with the doctors ..is a bit like when I worked at a vet clinic.... you only see the lame horses and problems .. but you are only seeing the tip of the iceberg .. doctors only see the accidents and not the hundreds of riders who are not breaking themselves every day


----------



## ajf (30 January 2013)

Ouch!

I can offer no help but a serious amount of metal in HHOers!


----------



## Baileyhoss (30 January 2013)

Hi I have a plate and screws in my radius after having a bone tumour removed an a couple of inches of bone graft added in. That was in 2010. Its a permanent plate. Echo previous comment on getting a good physio even if that means bypassing nhs. I have pretty much full function back and no worries about riding jumping competing, xc etc. That arm is the strongest but of my body now!  Pain in the arse as it sometimes sets off metal detectors at airports.


----------



## OliveOyl (30 January 2013)

Mine doesn't apply to an arm, but I had a horse related accident 2 years ago which amongst other things smashed my jaw which still requires further surgery to get it something like functioning again.  I asked my surgeon what would happen if I broke it again, bearing in mind it's had 6 op's on it to date and he said you can't go through life avoiding things just in case, so his view was try not to take any stupid risks, but just get on with it as best as you can!


----------



## Sarah_Jane (30 January 2013)

I have plates and screws in my collar bone (since 99), Leg / ankle (since 2007) and hip (since 2011). Too be honest my mobility not quite the same as joints but I always understood if anything they would be stronger! I really wouldn't worry about it long term.


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

I feel quite inadequate compared with your metal work Sarah_Jane


----------



## Countrychic (30 January 2013)

I had a clean break of my distal humerus, cracked elbow, spiral fracture and my radial nerve was trapped by the broken bones. I had a 10cm plate and screws and my plate curves round the top of my elbow.

I was advised to wait a minimum of five months before i returned to riding but I chose to ride 4 weeks after my op which was undoubtably too early. My arm was very weak and if I'd have fallen off I could have caused irreparable damage.

Pain wise I managed pretty well, until my op the pain was very bad because the nerve was between the bones (they hadn't realised). After the op I stayed in hospital for 6 days then the day I left I got a hospital bug and couldn't keep anything down which meant no pain killers. When I got better I decided I'd managed without so I chose to take none and felt fine.

I had a great recovery, when I went back at 10 weeks I was discharged. My surgeon wouldn't believe it was so quick he checked my records because he thought I was wrong. Im not sure what helped but I took calcium, didn't drink alcohol or use ibruprofen (both may slow healing). For 2 weeks I did nothing at all to allow the screws time to bed in. Then I did lots of physio (lots of air piano!!), and I used the arm as much as I could.

As far as riding with a plate. You'll only break your arm if you would have broken it anyway, the only difference is you will most likely break either side of of the plate. Because of nerve complications they don't want to remove mine so I'm stuck with it.

Long term effects for me (but im only 8 months post op)have been a slightly weaker arm, it swells when I do too much, it hurts if I bang it or someone grabs it, I use my left hand now for heavy lifting and sometimes my scar stings. I think I lost 6 degrees straightening but none bending

Good luck


----------



## kerilli (30 January 2013)

I fractured my humerus mid-shaft, it was plated and screwed (only 7 screws I think, I feel very inadequate). I started riding again a few months later (really can't remember how long I gave it) with doctors' warnings ringing in my ears, trying to ride defensively, and rode like crap, fell off more times than I care to remember! Then thought "stuff it" and just put it totally out of my mind, and was fine again (eventing at N level back then). Had plate removed after about a year on dr's advice, never given me a problem since. 
Good luck with your recovery.


----------



## blood_magik (30 January 2013)

It was ten years ago but I broke my arm and dislocated my elbow, and had a plate and six screws inserted. I was very lucky. I was only in cast for ten days and was given permission to start riding a week after that as long as I was careful. I _think_ I started jumping about 6 weeks after the break. I still have the metal work in. 


More recently (23rd November), I had my tibial plateau plated and was told I was looking at 12 weeks before even thinking about sitting on a horse again. I managed nine and a half and I was tacking up for my riders using one crutch to hobble around the yard on 
I've been on twice since the break and I've only managed one round of the arena in sitting trot on each rein. I don't want to push it and end up injuring myself again. I've found the muscle wastage to be a problem though.
I was told that my plate may have to come out but it isn't causing any issues so I'm going to leave it in. 

Good luck with your recovery.


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

Kerilli 
after hearing about Sarah_janes metalwork, I am feeling very very indequate  

I am hoping my plate will also come out .. did you have much time out after the op to remove the plate ? 
It definately sounds like as long as everything heals ok and just need to make sure my head is in order ... I do wish doctors would try not to be soooo over dramatic with these things


----------



## kerilli (30 January 2013)

I think the plate removal was the really easy part, the scar itself was sore and I think I was told to give it a bit of time for the screw-holes to fill in with bone to strengthen it completely (a doctor will probably now tell me that's rubbish, but I think that's what they said, it was ages ago!) and I'm sure I rode again that week. 
It is definitely as strong as it was pre-injury, it's my left arm and I'm left handed so I'd definitely notice. So, don't despair. Btw, in case physio doesn't tell you in time for you to try it (as happened with me!), don't try hanging from anything by your hands to test its strength etc.   I got very told off...
It feels exactly the same as the other one for all normal things, the only thing is that I can't fold it up behind my back the same as the other... with my right arm, I can fold it so my forearm is vertical along my spine, fingers touching neck, kind of thing, but with the one that had the op, it's about 4" off that position for some reason, maybe muscle damage or something, and won't go further. But that's a fairly unusual thing to ask it to do!


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

kerilli said:



			Btw, in case physio doesn't tell you in time for you to try it (as happened with me!), don't try hanging from anything by your hands to test its strength etc.   I got very told off...
		
Click to expand...

Needed to laugh at that  ... at the moment holding a coffee cup is too much weight for it, but will bear in mind in a week or 2 that I should not do any 'hanging tests'


----------



## ossy (30 January 2013)

goodness and there was me at home feeling sorry for myself having trapped nerves in my back and neck and no riding for 2 weeks, feeling very inadaquat 

My friend had to have a her arm pinned back together last year, pins are still in place but she is back riding infact doctor said it was fine infact I think it was at her final check up prob about 10 weeks after the op and the doctor told her to just crack on with it, he was irish, as she was at no greater risk of injury than if she hadn't had the pins in.  She has been out huntng this year and been fine. 

Wishing you a speedy recovery.


----------



## rara007 (30 January 2013)

I had my radius and ulna plated in 2004 and they've never come out. Until this year they've never caused any problems, I was always told that if I do break that arm again it would break around the metal as that was stronger. It is always a bit in the back of my mind as it was an open fracture so a bit of a bloody mess and I wasn't allowed to ride for 6 months and being 13 parents had final say, but it's certainly not stopped me doing anything


----------



## JDH01 (30 January 2013)

I am currently out of action with a complicated tibial fracture in an Ilizarov frame (external fixator - feel free to google it).  The injury was sustained in a very undramatic hunting accident at the end of September 2012.  As a nurse I fully understand why Drs will advise no riding or a long break but in the end only you can take responsibility for your actions once you have heard and balanced the advice given.  My priority is back to driving once frame is off and I will be riding as soon as I have sufficient knee movement.  The key is always lots of physio.  If your physio is an NHS one make sure they really understand just how much mobility you need, in my experience this works but again you need to do the work in between visits.


----------



## cptrayes (30 January 2013)

This is me eventing with a splint on:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IaGqwoQlnmA/SKRiSIVBUDI/AAAAAAAAAQs/36DxWZIQPDQ/s320/George080810.jpg



OK it's an Eskadron brushing boot  The hospital would not give me a splint and I needed it to protect the scar.


This is why:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IaGqwoQlnmA/SOs9oeu25FI/AAAAAAAAAYw/njxsiDMamkw/s320/ARM3WR.jpg

The doc told me it would be serious if I ever broke it again, but what's the option - never ride again? Never cross a road again? Never leave the house again?


----------



## cptrayes (30 January 2013)

kerilli said:



			I think the plate removal was the really easy part, the scar itself was sore and I think I was told to give it a bit of time for the screw-holes to fill in with bone to strengthen it completely (a doctor will probably now tell me that's rubbish, but I think that's what they said, it was ages ago!) and I'm sure I rode again that week.
		
Click to expand...

Doc told me that they won't take it out again because of the holes causing weakness Kerilli. I wish it were gone, it's stiffer than a normal bone and I can feel it. 

Can you give me the arguments your doc used to have yours taken out??


----------



## YummyHorses (30 January 2013)

Its only when you read a thread like this that you realise how many people are walking around (or limping in my case) with metal in them from a riding accident!! I wish you the best of luck - keep strong and focus on the positives if you can. Its not the best time of year to be going out and competing.....!!

I broke my leg and ankle last year and it resulted in a long metal plate and I think 7 or 9 screws in the leg and across the ankle. Was back on after 5 months and found it to be really sore. Battled on and 7 months later its still sore and weak but getting there. Did struggle with confidence when jumping again and did gulp a bit when my trainer started to put them up to a proper height but got there. 

Had a follow up with my consultant at Xmas and he said that they will not remove any of the metal work. My husband asked what would happen if I fell again on that leg...my consultants response was that 'it would more than likely break and not to worry as he could just put a longer plate in'.....my husband was horrified!!


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

JDH01 -  I fully understand the need to give the injury time to heal .. no problem with that .. but the 'that is the end of riding for you for ever' .. statements are what I think are a bit over the top at times


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

cptrayes said:



			The doc told me it would be serious if I ever broke it again, but what's the option - never ride again? Never cross a road again? Never leave the house again?
		
Click to expand...

Exactly my feeling .. ...


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

YummyHorses .. sounds like you had a good consultant  ...


----------



## dieseldog (30 January 2013)

Ouch, hope you feel better soon.

I broke my arm in 2010, I fell off show jumping, was taken to hospital signed the disclaimer to get my arm plated.  Next morning they cancelled the operation as they worked out I lived in a different NHS trust and said where I lived could do it instead.  So I got sent home with a half cast on, the temporary cast you are supposed to wear for a day, and the hospital didn't bother referring me back to my trust.    It was awful.  Everytime I moved all the bones moved and I was having to shake my arm to get the bones back in place.  I went to A&E and asked if it was normal that all the bones were moving around inside my arm, the doctor said she didn't know as she had never broken her arm.  It took 3 weeks to get operated on,

The pyshio was pathetic, they just made me flex my arm, that was it, totally pointless.

My plates are not coming out and I was allowed to ride 3 months after the operation.  I was in no hurry to ride.  I never got it back together on the horse I fell off, there just wasn't a reason for her to stop and I couldn't trust her again.  So I bought a new one, I am now a total wimp, but I have been happy jumping again up to about 90, but some days I have total breakdowns about it.  I have stopped myself watching fail riding videos on youtube.

On a positive have you ever watched Kickass the Movie?  The hero breaks all his bones, has lots of ops and it messes up his nerve endings so he no longer feels pain and becomes a super hero.  Its true! I have no feeling at all on one side of my arm, so break a few more things and I can start crime fighting 

This is what I did






And what it looks like now


----------



## JDH01 (30 January 2013)

My point is that you have to balance what you are told with what you want to be able to do. Most medics will be cautious to the extreme only you can make the 'will I ride again' decision. There will be some injuries where the future risk of a fall is felt by the individual to be too great - Mick Fitzgerald would be an example. There are loads of examples though where riders have continued to ride at high levels following serious and potentially career finishing injuries.


----------



## Baydale (30 January 2013)

I've only got three screws in the plate that's holding my ulna together  and I'd assumed they'd take the plate out eventually, but apparently not. I was back riding very soon after it was plated as I had no cast on and I put a tail bandage around the dressing to keep it all in place. My surgeon had already seen me for a fractured pelvis and has seen me since for a fractured tibia, so knew what he was dealing with and gave me a very realistic timescale for rehab.

Yours does sound very messy, GermanyJo, but my thinking is you're a long time dead and it's your body, so medical advice is just that, advice. I always make sure they explain what could go wrong if you ride, fall off etc, then I can make a decision based on that information. Fwiw I've fallen off loads since they plated my arm (mainly when I was having chemotherapy admittedly, although I can be a useless rider even when I'm in rude health ) and it still works and is pointing in the right direction.


----------



## Dizzydancer (30 January 2013)

Don't rush back to riding- you need to be getting full range asap but only if that's what your post op allows- they don't always want you to go about 90degrees depending where was broken and how fixed. 
As for coming off again, it will snap at where plate ends if its going to but what is the worry for surgeons is it then becomes very hard to fix it- that's the real reason they don't want it back. Remember tho rush back to soon and bone won't mend correctly as will be put under stress and therefore plate will have to stay in  as militiger has found- its not the screws which mess up that's stronger than bone and therefore you have two weak points either end! 
Do follow the min of 8 weeks off to let it heal and callous form even tho held by pins you do want the bone to heal it self. 
Any questions pm me Im a physio! Treating loads of these at present! Ha ha


----------



## Mistatiger (30 January 2013)

Oh Jo I have sympathy for you!! As you know I have lots of pins and plates in my leg but I also have pins and plates in my arm!! Broke both bones. All fine now and don't really get any pain. Give yourself enough time and I am sure you will be as right as rain!! Much love.xx


----------



## kerilli (30 January 2013)

^^^ this is good advice. my surgeon told me when my plate was in place that the problem if I had a bad fall with the plate still in, is that bone will bend about 15 degrees before snapping. So, the bone would bend, the plate wouldn't... the bone could then fracture or shatter around the end of the plate (so, right near either elbow joint or shoulder joint) which would be far more difficult to fix. He did say that if it shattered into the joint we could be looking at amputation.  
Must admit I now give myself plenty of time to heal as well as I can, and don't regard medics as killjoys, but as experts who have seen it all before and KNOW how long it it likely to take...

Oh, the other thing, perhaps minor, is that when the plate was in, it used to get cold in winter (scrawny arms, here!) and ache like the blazes. Had to put a hot water bottle on sometimes to alleviate the ache. Another reason for me to be happy to wave it goodbye...


----------



## cptrayes (30 January 2013)

I know I'm crazy, but I had no cast on and they told me it was as strong with the plate as before it was broken. So it seemed to me that it didn't matter whether I broke it again the next day or the next decade, it was going to be the same problem. I didn't break it falling off, so that was a help confidence wise. I waited until my dislocated elbow felt strong enough and the check-up at 3 weeks, and then I rode. I competed cross country at about 7 weeks, I think, with the brushing boot on. I fell off too, but it wasn't a problem   I've fallen off about five more times since, but I don't even think about the arm any more.


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

thanks for all the advice / personal experience and of course good wishes  .. makes me feel a bit more optimistic 

Mistatiger ... in the same way as Sarah_Jane .. I feel very inadequate whinging about my arm when I think about what you went through ............sorry , no hat yet !!


----------



## GermanyJo (30 January 2013)

dieseldog -  that sounds horrendous .... I thought it was bad enough that I had to wait 24 hours for my op with a half cast which finished around about where the 3rd break in my arm was (... the x rays taken on the day of the accident were not the best ) ... and had to endure a night of feeling bones rubbing together every time I moved ... days / weeks of that pain I cannot begin to imagine


----------



## GermanyJo (3 February 2013)

in case anyone is interested .. managed to get the x ray pic .. off to the consultant tomorrow so hopefully get some more info re if the metal will eventually come out or not 

sorry if the image is huge .. not good at editing them


----------



## Tr0uble (3 February 2013)

Pah! Doctors always say 'no more riding ever' as a standard response.

I was told that when I broke my neck, when I broke my wrist and when I broke my knee.

Needless to say that was the only bit of advice I didn't follow!!


----------



## GermanyJo (3 February 2013)

that is what I like to hear


----------



## ArcticFox (3 February 2013)

Gosh how painful. Hope you are better soon. 

I was feeling sorry for myself when I landed on the arena rails yesterday but I'm only bruised with torn muscles. 

Get well v soon. 

Cx


----------



## GermanyJo (3 February 2013)

just seen your bruises.. that also looks very sore ... I watched your video and reminded me too much of what happened to me .. although mine put in a few bucks after the jump before depositing me against the wall 
torn muscles can be very painful .. you get well soon too ..


----------



## Dizzydancer (3 February 2013)

Torn muscles are usually worse than breaks- take longer to heal and can't give same rest and support to them as a break.
Heal quickly all in sick bay! 
Ps to the lady asking about removal of plates- it varies with each case and to how the bone heals. It does make it weaker for 12months as the bone isn't fully calloused until then so in essence its like having another break only stable so no pain.


----------



## daffy44 (3 February 2013)

Hi GermanyJo, i broke my arm badly several years ago, the first doctor who saw me thought it heal by itself, so i was in plaster from shoulder to knuckles for 8weeks during which time the bone grew in a wobbly lump around the break, as the break itself was very messy.  After the plaster failed miserably i was operated on, plated from elbow to wrist and lots of pins, post op felt fine, the metal work stayed in for about 18months, and i rode a lot in that time.  I was asked if i was going to continue riding, i said yes, so after the 18months all the metal was removed for all the reasons everyone else has said, that op was pretty pain free too, and the bone is fine.  So please dont be too despondant, you will heal in time.


----------



## millitiger (4 February 2013)

Dizzydancer said:



			...Remember tho rush back to soon and bone won't mend correctly as will be put under stress and therefore plate will have to stay in  as militiger has found- its not the screws which mess up that's stronger than bone and therefore you have two weak points either end!
		
Click to expand...

Actually it's not because I rushed back that the bone won't heal 

It's because the NHS left me for 10 weeks between breaking it and plating it and when it came to the operation they had to remove so much bone because it had callcified and hardened into shards at the break.

They removed so much bone that the plate effectively became a bridge of my collarbone and there was just too much room for my bone to try and stretch across.

The consultant said as the 2 ends of the break weren't touching (or even really remotely near each other) it was very unlikely I would have a complete collarbone again and that they would not be removing the plate- and that was the day after the operation before we even spoke about recovery time so nothing to do with me riding so quickly.


----------



## ArcticFox (4 February 2013)

Just saw you have put radiographs on. 

It looks like they have repaired the fracture well, both ends are in good alignment so should heal pretty well. My only concern would be that the plate at each end doesn't actually touch your bone so is not going to work as well - possibly why they have put you in a gutter splint? to keep your arm immobilised?  the plate should extend beyond the fracture ends so that they get a good couple of screws in the good bone but as you say the plate is a bit short. 

Long term prog should be fine, they repaired it quickly following the initial break.  Have they said they will be removing the plate at a later stage? A plate is extremely strong (stronger than your bone) so if you were to fall off again you would break your arm around the plate so it would cause a huge mess.  

I don't think you should ride until the gutter splint is removed and you can move your arm more - physio a must.  Better to wait for a good recovery that do too much.  at least its early season, you'll be flying in no time. 

healing vibbes <<<>>>>


----------



## Dizzydancer (4 February 2013)

Militiger my apologies. Sounds like you had a dodgy surgeon they should have grafted it with bone from else where- leaving a plate to act as a bridge is just bad practice. 
Although it doesn't always go with having good healing means plate can go my OH has got to keep his plate eventhough its healed well- he did have a graft done too as so shattered.


----------



## HaydayHorses (26 September 2014)

Hey - I just found your post and I know it has been a year since you injury, but I just wanted to see how you are..? I was kicked 12 weeks ago. It was an open fracture which required a plate and 9 screws. I am having complications and I was just wondering how you are doing since you last post??

Im finding it difficult to remain hopeful/positive right now as you were in your early stages. I need to have my plate removed because it is pushing on my tricep tendon causing me not to be able to use my arm for any pushing type of movements. They won't remove the plate for 18-24 months from complete healing in an X-ray which as of todays X-rays - there is still no healing! Im feeling so frustrated!

Take care and I hope you are doing well!


----------



## GermanyJo (26 September 2014)

Hi haydayhorses, 
I ended up going for a third opinion 7 months after my accident,  there was almost no change on x ray, they also did a Ct scan. Due to the positioning of the breaks - the main one was right where the nerve for the hand goes round the humerus and the fact that I was EXTREMELY lucky not to have issues with my hand after my op (reading between the lines the first op was badly done &#128532 they opted to wait another 2 months before thinking about a bone graft. 
9 months on , there was some signs of healing so we made another appointment for Jan - 12 months after accident. Thankfully in Jan the CT and x ray looked much better - 80% healed. 

I have been told the metal must stay in , the risk of taking out with a big possibility of damaging the nerve and therefore making my right arm useless is simply too great &#128542;

So , was more than a year before I could think about riding properly again , I would say it took 18 months for it to be back to more or less normal . 

Seems to be quite common that nothing much happens for 6 to 9 months then suddenly it decides to stay healing


----------



## GermanyJo (26 September 2014)

Re the plate,  mine disturbs me much less now than in the first 6 months,  are you getting lots of physio?  That is really important, my elbow was great,  but my shoulder siezed up and took months to get it moving again.

One learning I had was, don't be scared to get another opinion if your are worried about progress, 

I hope you are feeling better soon and things start healing for you soon


----------



## HaydayHorses (26 September 2014)

Awe - Geez! Im so sorry all that happened to you. That is just awful. How did you cope with not riding? I asked the doctor today for Prozac and I will start it tonight. Im glad that there is healing for you and that the nerve is not compromised.

Since I had a plate in from day one I was only in a cast for two weeks. Then just an ace. I have nearly 95% of my range of motion. Since anytime I use my tricep tendon it feels like I am being stabbed with a knife - we can't do PT.. Oddly my wrist is sore and tight.. It is surprising how much the tricep tendon is used. Like pressing a soap dispenser, pushing off your pants, washing your hair.. Those are the simple things I can't do! SO frustrating. I did recently get on my horse. Ive ridden 4 times...  The doctor said if I fall off I will break it.. I said if I fall off Im gonna break something anyway!

Im almost 50 and was up for year end awards for USDF! All that is lost now.. I really don't have the want to get back on... :-( I think it is because they won't remove the plate until 18-24 months AFTER the bones are fully healed. So Im looking a two years from now then going through this crap again.

Im getting a second opinion and I am asking for a bone stimulator!

Im glad you are doing better!

Denise


----------



## cobwithattitude (26 September 2014)

Looks very ouch, get better and pain free soon. Healing vibes.


----------



## GermanyJo (26 September 2014)

The not riding was crappy, especially as I had a young horse,  managed to pay someone to ride him for me,  but after 6 months was getting too expensive so had to turn him away for 6 months.
Though that also ended up with some positives, I moved yards and managed to find a great yard with 24/7 turn out all year,  plus great facilities, did alot of groundwork when I could not ride and concentrated on a barefoot transition in the last months before I could ride, so going for lots of walks &#128515;, feel like I have a better relationship with my horse now


----------



## Piglit (28 September 2014)

Oh dear...I do feel your pain...mostly because as I write this I am recovering from my second operation on my arm 5 days ago. 2 years ago I got kicked in my arm. I didn't think it was so bad so I left it...8days later it still hurt so I went to hospital and found out it was broken. They put me in a cast for a week then when I went back told me the likelihood of it knitting was highly unlikely due to the nature of the break and they recommended surgery to fix a plate. I went ahead with it...

BUT...it came to light soon after that a screw was sticking out of my arm, and I had a few issues with it. Over the last 12 months it's got progressively worse with chronic inflammation and nerve damage to the point where I was in massive pain. On Tuesday I finally had my second operation to remove the plate because luckily my bone had knitted well but I'm now faced with 6weeks out of the saddle and I've had a crap week recovery wise being really sick. 

I must say while it never occurred to me at the time I think it really hit me confidence in a way I wouldn't admit. I sold my horses and took a year out and in my head it was because I wanted to focus on training and only in the last 3 months have I returned to riding again. I'm really buzzing with enthusiasm and passion to get going but with this damned operation.


----------



## Elsbells (26 June 2017)

I'd like to awaken this old thread and ask how everyone, if your still here on the forum of course) have progressed, how long it has taken in total and how have things changed if at all in your riding lives? 

I fell a week ago and at 56 I've broken my radius and several wrist bones. I also have 2 open wounds which advocated an immediate flush, debride and a plate and pin operation. My wrist is in a splint now and I've had the dressings changed every other day. After 3 full nights in hospital on strong painkillers and introvenous antibiotics I'm now home and the practicalities of life, home, a husband with MS and my pony in livery, I have a few worries and need to plan if that's possible. 

An update on how you all survived would be extremely useful to me right now and much appreciated.


----------



## Fire sign (26 June 2017)

Yes, I was catapulted off a young horse 10 months ago , badly breaking my collar bone and puncturing a lung. I was in hospital for a week waiting for the lung to reflate and then had the collarbone reset with a plate and screws.

There was a lot of pain and I was very frightened and shocked 

I was 57,had never had a serious accident and thought I was invincible 

When I came home I felt weak and wobbly and then frustrated because I needed help with even the simplest tasks. I could barely dress myself or wash my own hair and had a horse who needed 3 heavy soaked haynets tying up and lifting every day My husband is not horsy but I had good friends who really rallied round .

The first time I walked slowly to the yard ( half a mile ) I felt so weak and wobbly that all I could do was sit down and drink coffee and then someone had to give me a lift home in a car.

I must admit I felt devastated !

But slowly and surely I got better 

We invented a gadget to help me lift the haynets 

I mucked out on my hands and knees with rubber gloves because I was too weak to lift a shavings fork !

After 5 weeks I bought a ginormous body protector and got back on my horse. 

This was not the one that bucked me off but my tried and tested horse of a lifetime 

Then I walked slowly around the yard twice and got off ....

And in the following months I found that some of the things I had previously found easy were now a challenge . My naughty horse had to learn to stand still at a mounting block because I was too weak to clamber on..

She had to lead nicely to the field because my shoulder couldn't tolerate leaping and plunging at the end of the lead rope .

I absolutely could not afford to fall off because i had to protect the mending bones and this made me a rotten rider , the horse detected my caution and she really played me up. Had a "challenging "winter but we had some lessons with a really good instructor who made me forget about my injury and get on with riding. 

Horse returned to her former good behaviour and we recommenced hacking out and schooling

Yesterday we managed to get round the Somerford Park Farm ride on our own 

We trotted and cantered and hurtled over 4 or 5 of the tiniest jumps at speed and cantered down the track in a state of great excitement ! It wasn't the most stylish riding I must admit and there was some up undignified hauling of the reins to get us back to a place of safety but I was so delighted 

I may never be the rider I was but this is enough for me !

You will be OK I am sure

Us horsy folk are made of stern stuff 

It's just one day at a time and tiny steps at first 

Don't be afraid to ask for help and try and be patient ....


----------



## Elsbells (27 June 2017)

So pleased for you fire sign, but it does sound a long hard slog and damm hard work! I hope I'm up to the challenge too x


----------



## ycbm (27 June 2017)

Elsbells said:



			I'd like to awaken this old thread and ask how everyone, if your still here on the forum of course) have progressed, how long it has taken in total and how have things changed if at all in your riding lives? 

I fell a week ago and at 56 I've broken my radius and several wrist bones. I also have 2 open wounds which advocated an immediate flush, debride and a plate and pin operation. My wrist is in a splint now and I've had the dressings changed every other day. After 3 full nights in hospital on strong painkillers and introvenous antibiotics I'm now home and the practicalities of life, home, a husband with MS and my pony in livery, I have a few worries and need to plan if that's possible. 

An update on how you all survived would be extremely useful to me right now and much appreciated.
		
Click to expand...

I broke my radius and dislocated my elbow years ago and it was plated and it's not been any problem since.

I broke my wrist really badly last year, both bones (hand hanging free!) and was cast. You are lucky you are not in a cast because all my research suggested that the more movement you can get into it from four weeks onwards, the better. I took my cast off to do this myself. The result I have is leaving doctors open mouthed with wonder.

My advice is at about the month stage, depending on advice from your physio, work at increasing the range of motion on your wrist on a constant basis. Watching tv, lay your forearm on the arm of the chair and raise your hand as high as it will go easily, then ask for a tiny bit more. Do the same downwards, side to side, and rotating. I also massaged my solid tendons to free them. Day after day until you can't get any more improvement. I reached maximum at about six weeks. 

It was weak for at least three months, and I had a number of splints for different purposes. A heavy one for any time I was near horses. An air cast for when I was actually on a horse. A light one to sleep in. 

I mucked out one handed, and it was useable for light duties at about five weeks and rapidly improved. Lifting a saddle onto the horse's back was one of the most difficult and I still notice it now, a year later, but it causes no problem.

Use bio oil on the scars (out make your own with vitamin E and sudocrem) and they will hardly show. 

One slight bonus is that broken bones take massive amounts of calories to fix so you may be able to eat what you like for a couple of weeks 

Good luck!


----------



## Elsbells (27 June 2017)

Than you so much, you have given me hope. I've read this thread inside out gleaning any tips and I was happy to read yours as I am doing constant physio movements shown to me by the lady that fitted the splint for me. I'm quite determined to get full use back and can remember my shouting at the doctor as he manipulated my wrist in A&E, "keep going, I need it to be perfect to ride!" As I drew hard on the gas and air! My daughter said there was blood everywhere and he couldn't believe I didn't ask him to stop, hence the following X-rays looked really good before pinning.


----------



## ycbm (27 June 2017)

Elsbells said:



			Than you so much, you have given me hope. I've read this thread inside out gleaning any tips and I was happy to read yours as I am doing constant physio movements shown to me by the lady that fitted the splint for me. I'm quite determined to get full use back and can remember my shouting at the doctor as he manipulated my wrist in A&E, "keep going, I need it to be perfect to ride!" As I drew hard on the gas and air! My daughter said there was blood everywhere and he couldn't believe I didn't ask him to stop, hence the following X-rays looked really good before pinning.
		
Click to expand...

Atta girl!

The doctors were asking me why I wasn't screaming or crying. I asked them whether it would do any good!

If your x rays were good, you've got a great chance. I had the most fabulous A&E doctor determined to set mine for me and he got it almost perfect from a huge displacement of both radius and ulna.   Put your foot behind that cabinet and BRACE, man, he shouted at the junior doctor helping him  

Keep working on it, you'll be using it before you know it. The bone should have joined by about four weeks, maximum strength after four months, but yours is plated so should be strong enough already. So listen to it and do as much as it is happy to do at the time. 

If it would help I will try and find the casts and splints I bought and point you to them? I thoroughly recommend the air splint for riding in, it gave me confidence that I wasn't going to damage it again.


----------



## Elsbells (27 June 2017)

ycbm said:



			Atta girl!

The doctors were asking me why I wasn't screaming or crying. I asked them whether it would do any good!

If your x rays were good, you've got a great chance. I had the most fabulous A&E doctor determined to set mine for me and he got it almost perfect from a huge displacement of both radius and ulna.   Put your foot behind that cabinet and BRACE, man, he shouted at the junior doctor helping him  

Keep working on it, you'll be using it before you know it. The bone should have joined by about four weeks, maximum strength after four months, but yours is plated so should be strong enough already. So listen to it and do as much as it is happy to do at the time. 

If it would help I will try and find the casts and splints I bought and point you to them? I thoroughly recommend the air splint for riding in, it gave me confidence that I wasn't going to damage it again.
		
Click to expand...

Love that the doctor shouted brace man!&#55357;&#56832;.
Yes if you can send me the links I can perhaps get them on prescription, if not I'll buy. It sounds like my break is a copy of yours too xx


----------



## Dizzydancer (30 June 2017)

Gosh Ells bells sorry to here that!!! Your local to me so if you need help give me a PM! 
Which hospital did you go to? 
Also in response to ycbm comment about the plate don't push it the pins and plates can easily be moved in the early weeks of injury (you still need 6weeks to allow bone to form in the site and then it will be ok to start doing anything with it) x
Make sure you have follow up Physio asap as a lady at my yard had hers pins and plated and they hadn't done it quite straight but Physio didn't start for 5months post op and by that point they had healed in wrong position but no one had picked up about her having lack of range of movement as the plate was sat too high. She is back riding now but it took 12months (although her horse is very quirky) x


----------



## ycbm (30 June 2017)

Also in response to ycbm comment about the plate don't push it the pins and plates can easily be moved in the early weeks of injury
		
Click to expand...


I understand your warning and I would repeat my recommendation to 'listen to it'.

She'd be superwoman if she could withstand the pain sufficiently to disturb the screws, even if she could get the range of movement to do it, which from experience I can say is probably extremely unlikely with that injury in the early weeks. 

I rode at six weeks, but only on my trustworthy horse. The other, I did not ride for more than three months. I didn't ride without a cast or a strong splint for a long time.


----------



## Elsbells (2 August 2017)

Dizzydancer said:



			Gosh Ells bells sorry to here that!!! Your local to me so if you need help give me a PM! 
Which hospital did you go to? 
Also in response to ycbm comment about the plate don't push it the pins and plates can easily be moved in the early weeks of injury (you still need 6weeks to allow bone to form in the site and then it will be ok to start doing anything with it) x
Make sure you have follow up Physio asap as a lady at my yard had hers pins and plated and they hadn't done it quite straight but Physio didn't start for 5months post op and by that point they had healed in wrong position but no one had picked up about her having lack of range of movement as the plate was sat too high. She is back riding now but it took 12months (although her horse is very quirky) x
		
Click to expand...

Oh sorry Dizzydancer, I did mean to say Thankyou for the offer of help I really appreciate it, very kind &#128522;.
As an update I am repairing into week 6. I've followed much if not the adive offered and the NHS have been fantastic. Still have the dressing changes as the hole in my arm is quite a beauty. My yard has been fantastic with the care of my pony(thank goodness it's summer) and I'm starting to feel like I'm getting somewhere positive.


----------



## Fitzpatrick81 (14 November 2018)

GermanyJo said:



			Hi
wondering if anyone on here has experience of recovering from a break which involved screws and plates ?
during what was a good jumping lesson 10 days ago, failed miserably to stay on my youngster during a high jinks bucking session (frozen fields.. no turn out for 2 weeks sort of high jinks.. think you all know what I mean).
anyway .. managed to go splat against the wall of the indoor school and shatter my humerus which then needed and op .. 13 screws and a plate later i am sat at home with the expectation that I cannot ride for 12 weeks :-( ...

one of the doctors has been telling me I should give up riding (!) ... the surgeon I only spoke to briefly .. have an appointment with him next week .. he was slightly more down to earth, but did mention that with the plate still in , this would be a bit risky, esp if I managed to fall on the same arm again (I am clearly going to try to avoid that !)

just wondering if any of you comp guys had a similar injury and if you took it careful when the metal work was still in .. ie no XC country, or no jumping .. I have been told the plate may be able to come out after a year ...

am feeling horribly sorry for myself as was just getting to grips with the new boy and now have to sit and watch other people ride him ... I am lucky in that the ex owner is doing most of the riding and she is very good so not that i need to worry about his development .. but even so ... 12 weeks seems like a very long time at the moment :-(
		
Click to expand...

Hi . I've been wondering the same thing as I have plates in my ribs now from a accident . How did you find riding ? With your metal work .


----------

