1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Stiff fingers and wrist after distal radius surgery

Posted by ElaineG @elaineg1, Mar 4, 2018

I had 2 surgeries on a crushed wrist, the bone slipped and had to be redone. I’m 66 and have had no experience with this issue. I am in physical therapy but my fingers won’t bend and wrist won’t bend up or down.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 7 7:45pm
In reply to @abcdefghij123456789 "I fell December 18th 2024 and broke my wrist. I had surgery on 12/20/24 had plate..." + (show)
@abcdefghij123456789

I fell December 18th 2024 and broke my wrist. I had surgery on 12/20/24 had plate and screws put in. I had closed reduction wrist fracture. It has been 7 weeks since my surgery. My fingers are very stiff and swollen. I cannot make a fist and I cannot move my wrist. I have been doing some exercises at home with hand and fingers. I just cannot do alot Ithink due to the swelling in my fingers. My ortho doctor ordered therapy 3 days a week for 6 weeks. I start physical therapy on Monday. Is this normal after 7 weeks to still have severe stiffness and swelling in fingers?

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YES! Your experience is very normal after a traumatic wrist injury.
Please see this very recent discussion on the same topic.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/right-compound-distal-radial-and-ulnar-styloid-fracture/
Also, my EMT husband would advise you to ICE...Ice...ice - several times a day. It will really help the swelling.

REPLY
xanadu1980 | @xanadu1980 | Mar 25 11:16am

I had a distal radius fracture over four months ago. The fracture has healed but fingers are still stiff despite occupational therapy.The pinky and ring fingers are the worse. I have sensation in the fingers although the pinky one is a bit numb. The plastic surgeon thinks I have developed scar tissue in the fingers and might consider surgery. I mentioned to the doctor that maybe the ulnar nerve was compressed or pinched, but he disregard that option because I still have some sensation. No MRI was prescribed. I’ve read that it could take a year to get rid of the stiffness. I am still having physiotherapy because it has helped but as I said fingers are stiff.. Your thoughts

REPLY
1 reply
radelet | @radelet | Mar 26 5:30am
In reply to @mew100153 "None of these comments mentioned CRPS pain, so I hope none of you got CRPS. I..." + (show)
@mew100153

None of these comments mentioned CRPS pain, so I hope none of you got CRPS. I broke both wrists and have plates and screws. I’m on Day 87 and am doing well on right wrist and hand. However, left is still swollen and not moving due to CRPS. Pain has been consistently intense until about 10 days ago, the allodynia is improved and pain meds greatly reduced. I have an intense pulling stretching feeling where the hand meets the wrist at about the first part of the incision. Wrist is quite “frozen.”

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Same here I’m 2 1/2 months out from plate surgery. Fell December 24, 2024 broke both bones in my right arm. Continue to have lots of stiffness in my hand. Also the right side of my hand feels numb. I still exercise 3 times a day and the swelling is gone down a lot. I hate the pain I get when I try to bend my hand forward or backwards. It’s very stiff. Any suggestions are welcome .

REPLY
evalou921 | @evalou921 | Mar 26 9:28am
In reply to @xanadu1980 "I had a distal radius fracture over four months ago. The fracture has healed but fingers..." + (show)
@xanadu1980

I had a distal radius fracture over four months ago. The fracture has healed but fingers are still stiff despite occupational therapy.The pinky and ring fingers are the worse. I have sensation in the fingers although the pinky one is a bit numb. The plastic surgeon thinks I have developed scar tissue in the fingers and might consider surgery. I mentioned to the doctor that maybe the ulnar nerve was compressed or pinched, but he disregard that option because I still have some sensation. No MRI was prescribed. I’ve read that it could take a year to get rid of the stiffness. I am still having physiotherapy because it has helped but as I said fingers are stiff.. Your thoughts

Jump to this post

I fell and fractured my right wrist with both of those bones. I have a plate and seven screws. This happened November 16 of 2024 and I still have stiff fingers specially the pinky and the ring finger with electricity all kinds of pains and aches. my doctor is doing ulnar nerve compression there’s another procedure also but I can’t remember what the name is but it’s to help with scar tissue with my wrist to help it have more rotation. I also have very limited motion bending my wrist back and little bit better moving it forward . I hope this helps and I hope you get better soon. It is a process I’m learning as well.

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