Healed Fractures Hurt in Winter?

I know I'm not the only one.

As it get colder, previously fractured bones can become painful, especially in hands and feet. It's my understanding that it happens due to nerve endings responding to atmospheric changes. I don't know if this is BS or not, but the pain is very real. Hurts worse than the original fracture did, especially when lifting or a twisting motion in my wrist.

Other than Advil or anti-inflammatory, does anyone have anything that temporarily helps? It's getting bad enough that I might have to switch the mouse to the other hand (insert "Stranger" joke here).

 

Both wrists fractured, pinky knuckle fractured, ankle fractured/dislocated. I left VA and moved to San Diego. Much better.

 

Typically its more so in the joints.

 

With all the stuff i have broken in crashes, plus all the previous stuff from football and boxing, winter time sucks. My wrist is the worst thing. You are right, sometimes it hurts almost as bad as the original injury. I don't know why or what can help it, but it isnt just in your head.

 

yeap, I'm all hurty when it is cold and wet.

I just nut up and enjoy the pain.

 

Yep, shoulder and foot for me.

 

That's kinda what I've been doing... I "think" the fracture is right at a joint - where two bones in your hand join your wrist. The problem was, when I got hit, I was so amped up, I never stopped to consider my hand was broken. I didn't know it was broken until 6 weeks later. Now, I get a nice surprise every Christmas from the Nerve Beavers in my hand (that's a Ren & Stimpy reference for y'all).

 

It gets better with time or maybe you just don't notice it as much.

What I haven't busted list is shorter than what I have. Ever notice my stupid bob and weave walk? If I try and walk in a straight line long enough I'll end up right back where I started.

If chicks really dug scars, I'd be Brad Pitt.

 

No...

 

Like many here I'm sure, at 55 and countless broken bones later, going back to the 60s, I'm passed hurting when its cold. I'm always hurting(my back is aching as I type this). Especially after the last 2 crashes in as many yrs when I broke my back in both instances(both resulting in life flights). Thats 7 crushed(doc calls it "burst fractures")vertebra and 2 broken necks along with it resulting in a body brace and halo assembly . Then there's the 7 broken collarbones, destroyed knees and ankles, countless ribs, left arm, left and right hands, 2 dislocated shoulders, etc etc. Anyway at this point, I'm just glad to still be around to hurt.

 

No doubt cold weather sucks on old breaks. My biggest problem right now is a 2yr old rotator cuff surgury. Really sucks when it rains and cold

 

I just turned 60. I have fractures from skiing as a kid and teen, from motorcycling and various work stuff for most of my life. by the time I started racing I was re-fracturing old stuff.

For severe discomfort I find a combination of heat (or a warm sleeve on whatever hurts), and Advil works adequately. I can't do narcotics, so I have to stay away from all the opioids.

 

Anybody ever have any luck taking out unnecessary hardware? I broke 3 metatarsals, the cuboid, and 3 different fractures in my tibia. I had 5 pins and a screw in my foot along with a plate and 5 screws in my ankle. The foot hardware was taken out but everything in my ankle remains.

About a week ago we had a pretty good cold snap, by Texas standards anyway, and I had to work outside on my feet for about 10 hours. Afterwards I was walking with a bit of a limp and a whole lot of pain, up to this point there had been almost no pain. It was bad enough I started to wonder if I should get it removed in the future. Maybe I should just consider myself lucky, I've played golf with some medical people that can't believe I don't have a permanent limp or that I can run and play golf.

 

At 66, after rodeo, sub-optimal helicopter landings and 27 years of motorcycle racing, my LMT wife uses this to keep me simi mobil.

 

I get it in a finger I cut off while operating a band saw years ago.
Surgeon managed to put it back together but when it's cold out, it'll throb a bit.
I really notice it when I am surfing in the winter.....

 

I broke me knee in April. These super cold days in Calgary have been the worst. The ligaments in my knee hurt so bad at times I can hardly take a step.

 

Arinica (natural/homeopathic stuff) cream and tablets. I've also been using Australian Dream cream on my three previously broken fingers and thumb, seems to be helping.

I try to avoid chronic use ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.. because of potential side effects.

 

Multiple spots from various fractures/separations/surgeries, etc. all hurt much worse in the winter.

To your question: Years ago I had the plate removed a little over a year after a very nasty tibial plateu fracture. Still hurts (especially in the winter), but it felt better within a few weeks of removal.

Combining/alternating Advil & Tylenol may help, as they address pain differently from what I hear. Do your research/talk to doc about safe dosages.

 

Acupuncture and heat helps me a ton with my shoulder injury and wrists.