Colles fracture, how to proceed?

Hello all!

I'm a 57 year old woman. In early august I was on a hiking trail when I didn't see the slippery growth on some rock I was climbing and slipped.

After 5 weeks of immobilization in a brace the hand was in RSD. Subsequent to 3 months of physiotherapy whereas everything else has improved the wrist remains very stiff. Any suggestions or similar experiences would be appreciated! Manipulation under GA has been suggested.

I had a colles fracture in my right wrist when I was a teenager took longer than that for me to get full mobility. I was in a full cast for at least two months though. I'm under the impression it takes longer because its on the "flare" of the bone before the end of the bone, more surface area to repair. I squeezed a tennis ball a week out of a cast and worked hard from there, took months though.

Tl;dr GO TO A PHYSICIAN AND STOP ASKING THE INTERNET FOR CRUCIAL MEDICAL ADVICE

RSD is pretty serious. I'd seek out a physician or PT who has experience treating it. Things like mirror box therapy are supposed to help.

jon apprill wrote:RSD is pretty serious. I'd seek out a physician or PT who has experience treating it...

What Jon said. I treat RSD (aka complex regional pain syndrome) but certainly not over the 'net! That said, if the CPRS findings have resolved - if you have no more edema, skin is not shiny and hair growth is normal, no hyperalgesia, etc. - then you can just concentrate on the stiffness. I recommend resorting to manipulation under anesthesia only if you aren't getting any progress after a few more months of diligent work on range of motion. It's not unusual to take 6 months to regain near-normal range of motion after a Colles or Smith fracture in people over 40.