Broken Wrist - What to do?

torbrex

hartcjhart wrote: »

cheers Derek exactly what I was saying

BTW how are you? still amking those yummy jams

Fine CJ, on the scrap heap again though
I will be making some blackcurrant jam from frozen berries sometime next week, if you are passing through Fife, I will gift you a jar

Uncertain

hartcjhart wrote: »

[

sorry but it does, the employer cannot insist that the op works 'as normal' when there is significant risk of causing more damage to the injury,so therefor cannot discipline if they provide a 'sick note'

The "sick" note (actually a Fit Note) may suggest adjustments to allow the OP to work. The firm is under no obligation whatsoever to agree to those adjustments. If they don't they must treat the OP as off sick.

If off sick then the OP is subject to whatever sickness management policies the firm may have and any disciplinary action that follows.

dizzyrascal

The cast is there to prevent movement and allow the bones to heal. It is intended to prevent movement so if you continue to work and not rest it you could be setting yourself up for a life of pain and more operations to correct the wrist.
Also I hope that you are not driving with a cast on as you will not be insured.

MonteeMoose

kimbyanne wrote: »

I broke my wrist last week (right hand) after slipping on ice on the way to work. I still went into work but the pain became so bad I had to go to A&E who did x-rays and it was shown to be broken so I am now in a cast.

I had one day off work and went back in. However my job involves a lot of typing and I just can't do it. I have been trying to just use my left hand for the mouse and typing but this just makes my left hand cramp up and typing with one hand isn't particularly fast.

Anyway when I got home yesterday I was in agony as I am just having to let my right hand rest on the desk and my left do all all the work.

I am honestly considering saying I can't work and asking for sick leave for a few days or something - I was told the pain of the break should subside within a week or two so maybe I can do more with my fingers after that (fingers are fine, it's the wrist that is broken but at the moment any hand movement hurts). I just don't know.

I feel like its only my wrist but when my job is mainly typing it is just making things impossible. I have asked about other things to do but there just isn't anything else.

What do you think I should do?

Simliar thing happened to me this time last year , I fractured my hand but got signed off for 4 weeks. I type in my job, but it was mainly down to driving, and that I would not be safe to do so... do you drive to work?

MonteeMoose

Simliar thing happened to me this time last year , I fractured my hand but got signed off for 4 weeks. I type in my job, but it was mainly down to driving, and that I would not be safe to do so... do you drive to work?

heretolearn_2

I had a very bad wrist fracture that ended up with an operation and complications that had me at the hospital for treatment 3 times a week for 7 months.

I pushed things too hard and fast too soon - didn't have much choice as a small business owner - but it caused me extra pain and I do wonder if it would have healed better if I'd been able to rest it properly. My problems were really just bad luck, but part of me can't help thinking maybe they needn't have been quite so bad. Put it this way, working didn't help. So don't feel obliged to over-do things - I wouldn't if I were an employee.

From what I learned then, it takes 2 weeks for the ends of the bones to even start knitting together again, and another 4 weeks to finish the job. The cast should hold things pretty steady anyway, but you have to be careful, and it's easy to hurt yourself. I was in the office about a week after fracturing mine, a folder fell of a shelf and without thinking, just instinct, I reached out to catch it with that hand. BIG mistake.

On the other hand, DO move your fingers as much as possible, right from the start, it's very important. Typing shouldn't really do it any harm as long as your arm is well supported, but it's not easy and I don't see how you can work very well. I learned to type pretty fast with one hand (and write with my left hand) because I had to work as far as I was able to, but you don't have to, so don't.

So if it all happened again and I was an employee I'd probably take at least 3 weeks off to have it a fair way towards being stable before I went back to work.

Depends on the type of job of course.

thegirlintheattic

dizzyrascal wrote: »

The cast is there to prevent movement and allow the bones to heal. It is intended to prevent movement so if you continue to work and not rest it you could be setting yourself up for a life of pain and more operations to correct the wrist.
Also I hope that you are not driving with a cast on as you will not be insured.

From personal experience: As long as the doctor has not said the OP cannot drive, and she is still in full control of the vehicle, her insurance will still be valid (subject to the T&Cs of the policy - needs to call and check). However if she is in an accident, the cast will be investigated as a possible factor.. You can easily drive an automatic with a cast on, but if the OP is in pain it's probably not a good idea.

Savvy_Sue

When I shattered my shoulder, the doctor at the 'hot fracture' clinic wrote me a fit note for 8 weeks, straight off, no discussion. I renegotiated with my own GP to work from home rather sooner than that, and typed with my right hand, but it wasn't easy. and as htl found, it's all too easy to 'forget' and try to use the arm normally.

I do think you risk delaying the healing period if you don't rest it properly.

denla

I know someone who injured his wrist and continued working as a fitness instructor. He's now changed career and lost that hand. Amputated. The thing is, he never actually told his employer about his injury.

Only a fool risk his/her fragile limbs for the employer's sake.

dawyldthing

i had 6 weeks off when i broke my leg. I didn't rest it as much as i should have, but if they give you a fit note for it i would advise being off for it to give it time to heal as if it don't heal long term it will make it worse in the long term