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Might never get full ROM

Started by Tomas Johansson, April 28, 2016 · 4 Replies · 262 Views

Tomas Johansson

I fractured my wrist about a half year ago, they say it might take a year before it's "fully" recovered 

I have ok wrist extension but flexion is lacking and might never be fully recovered.

How should I proceed with the strength elements? Stay on PE1 until I get full ROM, might never happen, or continue progression with less than full ROM?

Ronnicky Roy

The wrist stretches and Wrist PE's sound like the best option. It doesn't make sense to move on, when the basis of this course is balancing your strength and your mobility. Double up on mobility within reason. Don't hurt yourself, but regaining that mobility should be your prime directive.

Tomas Johansson

We'll I do priotitize mobility, have been doing 4 sessions per day the last 6 months and I'm now at 2 times per day plus foundation, handstand and stretch sessions. What I'm saying is that full ROM might never happen for me again, most likely for the wrist flexion.

Douglas Wadle

Tomas, don't worry.  patient persistence is your friend here.  It's only been 6 months.  That's a fraction of time.  Your body will amaze you with its plasticity if you give it the right stimulus.  You may be doing too much.  Stop doing 2 per day mobility sessions.  Do a little bit of wrist ROM and stretching daily, but save the real mobility work for just before your workouts. Take pictures now and compare in another 3 months.  You'll be reassured when you see progress.  6 months out from a fracture with all the associated soft tissue injuries is a major deal.  It could take 18 months - 2 years to really see progress here. The key is to not give up because you're not seeing short term gains.  

Ryan Bailey
On 4/28/2016 at 5:33 AM, Tomas Johansson said:

I have ok wrist extension but flexion is lacking and might never be fully recovered

This really irritates me. It is common for a Healthcare professional to give the patient a bleak prognosis, or outlook, WITHOUT giving a 2 year protocol for recovery of full mobility and strength prescription, (especially the needed facilitation of mechanical stress to stimulate bone healing during the later stages of remodeling, as I agree with Doug's realistic time frame above).

 (Sidenote, I am still on SLS  PE2 from old 3-bone ankle fracture when I was 12, doctor said 5 degrees of dorsiflexion was enough, no therapy needed. Extra Front split stretches are improving this, and I am almost ready to move on now after >12 month of self rehab only from Coach's protocols)

There is a chance your wrist prognosis may be correct. But if incorrect, many times leaves the patient physically depressed without a physical path towards correction. Many times nearly full recovery happens and the Healthcare practitioner looks like a hero because it "wasn't expected". Luckily you are in the right place with GymnasticBodies to give yourself that chance for smart, longterm healing. 

Best of Luck,

Ryan