Smith's fracture ORIF limited ROM

Hi All
I'd be grateful for any advice. I am 6 weeks post op, after having a volar plate fitted on a nasty fracture to my distal radius following a bike accident and I have next no movement in my wrist flexion. I can passively extend the wrist to about 45 degrees and 15 without assistance, but my wrist won't budge in the other direction (flexion), even with assistance. It feels like it's coming up against something solid and mechanically cannot move past.

I found out at my last fracture clinic appointment that I also fractured my ulna, but this was not mentioned before, so it clearly didn't concern the medical team, but I do feel pain on that side of my wrist.

My question is: is this normal or should I be seeing better results at this stage and how what can I do to speed up the process.

I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist for assessment and appropriate treatment. It is common for patients at your early stage to be very stiff. Appropriate exercises to restore flexibility and physiotherapy treatment to mobilise the wrist will help to accelerate recovery. This however should only begin after the surgeon and physiotherapist has indicated it is safe to do so.

Best of luck,

Thanks. I've been referred to a physio and will have my first appointment next week. Right now i'm so concerned at the lack of movement, especially flexion, and wanted a bit of feedback from those who've experienced severe Colles and Smiths fractures, so that I have an idea of what to expect.

Hi mudlark, not sure if you are still active on the forum but it would be interesting to hear how you have got on with your wrist. It is always nice to hear about the medium and long-term results and what people felt worked for them as the various rehabilitation stages.

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Originally Posted by physiobob

Hi mudlark, not sure if you are still active on the forum but it would be interesting to hear how you have got on with your wrist. It is always nice to hear about the medium and long-term results and what people felt worked for them as the various rehabilitation stages.

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Hi, no I haven't been on the forum since this thread was started i don't think, but thanks for enquiring.My wrist now is not that great really. Despite NHS physio, which wasn't that helpful, I never managed to better 45 degrees either way. Disappointing really, but I can ride my bike and play guitar, so I'm not going to grumble. It was a nasty break. Maybe i could've achieved better results if I'd had some kind of device, I don't know. As it was I spent many hours trying to stretch it further, but it didn't seem to want to budge more than 45. Oh well.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by physiobob

Hi mudlark, not sure if you are still active on the forum but it would be interesting to hear how you have got on with your wrist. It is always nice to hear about the medium and long-term results and what people felt worked for them as the various rehabilitation stages.

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Hi, no I haven't been on the forum since this thread was started i don't think, but thanks for enquiring.My wrist now is not that great really. Despite NHS physio, which wasn't that helpful, I never managed to better 45 degrees either way. Disappointing really, but I can ride my bike and play guitar, so I'm not going to grumble. It was a nasty break. Maybe i could've achieved better results if I'd had some kind of device, I don't know. As it was I spent many hours trying to stretch it further, but it didn't seem to want to budge more than 45. Oh well.