Wrist Rehab

[oggiesnr]

It's a long story but also includes a number of does and don'ts.

The back story, my day job is as a Market Trader and fretworker (I cut names and stuff out of wood). My busy period, the time I make my year's money is Christmas. So on November 5th I went to take part in a charity gig in Glasgow for some friends, at the interval I went out to check my van (it had all the market stock in), tripped over a sleeping policeman (it was dark ) and "ouch".

Therein it got worse, didn't go to casualty straight away but drove home to Hull and went next day. Up shot was a bust wrist but no displacement and the renedy six weeks in a cast.

Then came my BIG mistake, I had no option but to keep working which also involves loading a van packing boxes, the works. Outdoors, in winter. Kept taking the painkillers and kept going. Learning point - don't do it! Up shot was that whilst the bone was mending it was also displacing, not a lot but enough to be a problem as was shown when the cast came off.

I didn't think it was a problem when in the cast, out of it was a different matter. It hurt, I had limited movement, no grip strength (16%) and no finger span. Also probable CTS from using my wrist whilst in the cast. So physio and exercises.

Next learning point - do the bloody exercises religiously. They take a lot of time and it's easy to cut corners, do a few less reps but all that does is extend the hurting and lack of use period.

Then I started playing instrument again, six weeks playing mouthie only was enough. I started too soon and did too much. Next learning point - whilst pain in physio may be good, pain when playing an instrument isn't, it probably meaans you're doing damage in an unstructured way.

So here I am looking at a longer term wrist problem than I should be, still having pretty constant pain, still not able to play properly, and still not doing the fun part of my day job (being Pedally Steve on the streets of York). Next time (if there is one) I'll play it by the book which is my advice to anyone else unlucky enough to break their wrist.

Steve

[discreet]

Wow... thanks for sharing this cautionary tale. And get better soon, mate!