WWYD - geting a possible broken hand x-rayed?

Birker2020

Birker2020

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 October 2008
Messages
23,597
Visit site
I think I may have broken my hand falling off my horse on Sunday whilst out jumping. My horse stopped at a fence in an indoor arena as there was a shaft of sunlight shining on the surface right after the fence. He is very sharp and stopped at the last minute and shot to the right dropping his shoulder at the same time. As falls go it was a 'nice' fall and more of a slip down and fall than some of the nasty 'spinal board' ones I've had.

I put out my hand to save myself (like an idiot) and landed on my arm and must have taken a lot of weight on my hand. Initially the pain seemed to come from under my arm but then I realised it was where my thumb and first finger join my wrist where the bit of flesh sticks up (if this makes sense). I can touch each finger with my thumb and make a fist but it is incredibly painful to hold anything slightly weighty and if I try to rotate my hand back forwards or to the side it hurts like hell.

I put an instant ice pack on it which I keep in my horsey first aid kit in the boot (break the capsule inside the bag and shake) and this really helped. Then I strapped it for support and managed to drive back to the yard.

I want to go to A&E and xray it (tonight when Coronation St is on and it will be quiet!)

But my questions are:

If it is my hand that is broken will they plaster cast it?
Will I be able to drive with it in plaster? If I do drive will I be insured?
If I go to A&E will they report me if they know I intend to drive with it in plaster and I am not allowed?

I have 20 years no claims so am a safe driver. I can change gear and turn the wheel fine but struggle with handbrake and reverse and have to use my other hand for these tasks.

I am on DIY livery and have to drive to the yard and back some 18 miles round trip, which is why I ask the question. WHAT WOULD YOU DO????
 
I don't know about insurance, but either way, get it x-rayed!

Not having it seen to, and the effect on you long term, would be worse than not being able to drive short term.
 
The only thing you can do is get it X-rayed and then deal with those issues- you can't wander round with a broken hand, you'll cause yourself more issues in the long run.
 
Yes they will plaster it, probably badly, you may need to go back several times. You will not be able to drive with any limb in plaster, sorry. Start arranging alternate transport. Better yet, can you afford full livery to back you up? You are probably looking at six weeks. Every sympathy and remember to chase the doctors for proper diagnosis. If possible, take a very insistant friend or relative with you to A&E, as they will try to ignore you. Do the physio exercises you are given. It will be horrible.

Can you tell we've been through this ourselves?
 
Cheiro1 said:
I don't know about insurance, but either way, get it x-rayed!

Not having it seen to, and the effect on you long term, would be worse than not being able to drive short term.
Click to expand...

I suppose you are right.

I don't want to do anything illegal or immoral but find the thought of not being able to look after my horse incredibly hard. Just wondered if there are any A&E staff/doctors on this site that might know the answer.
 
How they plaster it will depend on the break. My partner broke his second metacarpal and ended up with plaster up to his knuckles. He could drive, but couldn't initially do things like chopping up onions. It was his right hand he buggered up.
 
Arizahn said:
Yes they will plaster it, probably badly, you may need to go back several times. You will not be able to drive with any limb in plaster, sorry. Start arranging alternate transport. Better yet, can you afford full livery to back you up? You are probably looking at six weeks. Every sympathy and remember to chase the doctors for proper diagnosis. If possible, take a very insistant friend or relative with you to A&E, as they will try to ignore you. Do the physio exercises you are given. It will be horrible.

Can you tell we've been through this ourselves?
Click to expand...

OMG this sounds horrendous. I have had to lie to my elderly parents and tell them I slipped of my trailer ramp as they are continually worrying about me jumping. I know there are a lot of small bones in the hand so think it could be broken, I can't believe that it can hurt doing some movements and yet others its fine.

But I am already on codeine for my slipped disc so probably not even realising it.
 
applecart14 said:
OMG this sounds horrendous. I have had to lie to my elderly parents and tell them I slipped of my trailer ramp as they are continually worrying about me jumping. I know there are a lot of small bones in the hand so think it could be broken, I can't believe that it can hurt doing some movements and yet others its fine.

But I am already on codeine for my slipped disc so probably not even realising it.
Click to expand...

Codeine? Get to A&E NOW! And tell them that you are already on strong pain relief that is masking your injury. My husband sat for seven hours without being seen after triage mistook his break for a minor sprain due to his being on pain relief for his back. Then the pain relief wore off, and he collapsed...it wasn't pretty.
 
Arizahn said:
Codeine? Get to A&E NOW! And tell them that you are already on strong pain relief that is masking your injury. My husband sat for seven hours without being seen after triage mistook his break for a minor sprain due to his being on pain relief for his back. Then the pain relief wore off, and he collapsed...it wasn't pretty.
Click to expand...

Ok I will go tonight, I can't go now as I am at work and about to minute an important safeguarding meeting. But I will go tonight.
 
Sounds like a possible scaphoid fracture, common amongst snowboarders who put their hands out to save themselves (like me!!). Unlikely to be insured to drive, my sister broke her thumb and couldn't drive for 2 months as she was in a cast. You need to get it checked out though, if it is a scaphoid fracture, they can take a long time to heal so you want to get the best possible treatment straight away. On a positive note, mine healed really fast and I was back out snowboarding 6 weeks later and only had a cast on for 2 weeks!
 
I put a nail through the middle joint of my ring finger 10 days ago - went to gp for a tetanus shot who didnt have any and got my to go to a+e - v lucky as they x rayed it and it had metal filings in off the nail - when they cleaned the joint the next day the first thing the surgeon asked for was a pus swab - ew!

Anyhoo I had a lovely big dressing on but could drive my automatic fine as could hold the steering wheel with the other 3 fingers - have just had a rollocking though as I popped the stitches lifting a hay bale so now have another course of anti bionics and a finger with a tremor cos I over did things!

Moral of the story get it checked asap then do what you're told lol
 
It does sound like you've broken your wrist. :( I fell off a swing landing onto my outstretched hands & managed to break both of mine! Unfortunately I hadn't realised my right one was actually broken until a few days later (pain in left was more severe) so it wasn't stabilised in a cast until then. I now have mild arthritis & pain in this wrist 30 years later & I still believe this is because it started to heal in an awkward position. Please make sure you go & get it checked out tonight! X
 
I broke something in my hand whilst falling off. The back of my hand hit a rock I think. It was excruciating and I couldn't use my hand at all. Luckily I have a neighbour who is a doctor (done loads of A&E stuff) and he had a look at it. He said it wasn't worth going to A&E because of where the break was, also that as my fingers were all still straight there really wasn't an awful lot they would do about it.
It healed up OK and I could just about change gear in the car after about four weeks (it was my left hand) but as for carrying buckets of water - no way!
 
Ouch OP, I'd be heading to A&E on my way home from work tonight.

I am having my foot broken and pinned in 2 weeks time and I have been told I wont be insured to drive for 6 weeks :( Luckily have help at my yard and my dad is willing to take me up a couple of times a week to check everything.

Get it checked out please, you may find its just bruised or a pulled tendon. x
 
I broke my right wrist a couple of years ago cantering on my horse, she stumbled and fell flat on her face and I went flying over her ears. As the ground came hurtling towards me I stuck my right arm out to break my fall (not on purpose it was instinct). I smashed my wrist quite badly and ended up having to have a metal plate put in it. On the plus side, I was only in plaster for 9 nine days after the op during which it was physically impossible to hold the steering wheel, but was driving (albeit very carefully) again within two weeks.

A couple of years before that I broke and dislocated the finger next to my little finger on my left hand. When I got to the hospital they put me in plaster from my fingertips to my elbow (slight over exaggeration I think). I was told to wait for the 'plastics' department to contact me. Two days later and I still hadn't heard anything, I cut the plaster off with a pair of wire cutters and drove back to A & E asking that they please put a splint on my finger. I then had to endure lectures from the receptionist, one of the nurses and finally the doctor, telling me that I wasn't insured to drive and wouldn't be "in full and proper control of my vehicle" I told them I don't drive my car with one finger. Anyway, the upshot was I had to sign a declaration saying I had been advised not to drive blah blah blah.

I guess it's their job to be ultra-cautious but, to be honest, it was my body and I know what I'm capable of.

Good luck at A & E, hope you don't have to wait too many hours!
 
Meems said:
I broke my right wrist a couple of years ago cantering on my horse, she stumbled and fell flat on her face and I went flying over her ears. As the ground came hurtling towards me I stuck my right arm out to break my fall (not on purpose it was instinct). I smashed my wrist quite badly and ended up having to have a metal plate put in it. On the plus side, I was only in plaster for 9 nine days after the op during which it was physically impossible to hold the steering wheel, but was driving (albeit very carefully) again within two weeks.

A couple of years before that I broke and dislocated the finger next to my little finger on my left hand. When I got to the hospital they put me in plaster from my fingertips to my elbow (slight over exaggeration I think). I was told to wait for the 'plastics' department to contact me. Two days later and I still hadn't heard anything, I cut the plaster off with a pair of wire cutters and drove back to A & E asking that they please put a splint on my finger. I then had to endure lectures from the receptionist, one of the nurses and finally the doctor, telling me that I wasn't insured to drive and wouldn't be "in full and proper control of my vehicle" I told them I don't drive my car with one finger. Anyway, the upshot was I had to sign a declaration saying I had been advised not to drive blah blah blah.

I guess it's their job to be ultra-cautious but, to be honest, it was my body and I know what I'm capable of.

Good luck at A & E, hope you don't have to wait too many hours!
Click to expand...

Thank you, now we know of at least one of the people who puts everyone's premiums up to pay for uninsured drivers.
 
Meems said:
A couple of years before that I broke and dislocated the finger next to my little finger on my left hand. When I got to the hospital they put me in plaster from my fingertips to my elbow (slight over exaggeration I think). I was told to wait for the 'plastics' department to contact me. Two days later and I still hadn't heard anything, I cut the plaster off with a pair of wire cutters and drove back to A & E asking that they please put a splint on my finger. I then had to endure lectures from the receptionist, one of the nurses and finally the doctor, telling me that I wasn't insured to drive and wouldn't be "in full and proper control of my vehicle" I told them I don't drive my car with one finger. Anyway, the upshot was I had to sign a declaration saying I had been advised not to drive blah blah blah.

I guess it's their job to be ultra-cautious but, to be honest, it was my body and I know what I'm capable of.
Click to expand...

If you were driving behind me and I rammed on my breaks because a kid had run out or something and you rammed in to the back of me I'd be seriously pissed off that you wouldn't be insured. I'm sure you are a careful driver, but you are no less likely to have an accident when your fingers broken than when it isn't.
 
jemima*askin said:
Thank you, now we know of at least one of the people who puts everyone's premiums up to pay for uninsured drivers.
Click to expand...

Well no ...................... because I DIDN'T have an accident and had I felt that I wasn't capable of driving or putting either myself or anyone else at risk, I wouldn't have driven.
 
You weren't insured, insurance companies are required to have a fund to pay for accidents involving people who are uninsured, people like you.
 
Meems said:
Well no ...................... because I DIDN'T have an accident and had I felt that I wasn't capable of driving or putting either myself or anyone else at risk, I wouldn't have driven.
Click to expand...

Most people who have insurance NEVER feel like they are putting themselves or anyone else at risk by driving.
 
Meems said:
On the plus side, I was only in plaster for 9 nine days after the op during which it was physically impossible to hold the steering wheel, but was driving (albeit very carefully) again within two weeks.
Click to expand...

Blimey! Lucky you didn't have an accident. It's not a case of being uninsured to drive but more a case of if you did have an accident your insurance wouldn't cover it as you would be driivng without due care or in full control of the vehicle. I would not be amused if someone hit me because they physically couldn't hold the steering wheel properly.
 
Go to a and e...made the mistake last year of not going till 4 days later.

= fractured joint of the thumb and torn/strained ligaments from fingers and thumb up to elbow. Resulted in 4 weeks of plaster cast, eventual physio of the ligaments and it will never come back to full use! Oh and it was the right hand and I'm right handed!

In the end i didn't ride for 1 week from time of injury. I was out competing 3 weeks from time of injury, had white plaster so looked like a glove! Wasn't driving at that point, but pretty sure I could have done as it wasn't 'changing gear' hand.

All I did was catch my thumb on my saddle and pull it backwards!!!
 
OP get it seen to You may be lucky some modern A &E departments use splints for scaphiod fractures if that is what you have done and you can drive with one of those
 
Elbie said:
Blimey! Lucky you didn't have an accident. It's not a case of being uninsured to drive but more a case of if you did have an accident your insurance wouldn't cover it as you would be driivng without due care or in full control of the vehicle. I would not be amused if someone hit me because they physically couldn't hold the steering wheel properly.
Click to expand...

Where did I say I couldn't hold the steering wheel properly? I have to drive 25 miles each way to see my horse (a 50 mile round trip each time). If I thought I wasn't physically capable of driving safely I wouldn't have done.
 
Get it checked out. I fractured my scaphoid a few years ago. I was in a cast for 2 weekd and then I was given a canvas affair with a split of metal. It was good because I had to wear the thing for 7 months because the bone refused to heal (the bone has a poor blood supply). I would not have been able to survive in a plaster cast that I couldn't take off. Also keep up with any physio exercises they give you.
 
I fell off on Sunday jumping too OP! I landed on my knee. Thought I'd done a mischief but woke up this morning with an elephant leg. Went to the GP who sent me straight to a&e as they thought it was broken. Turns out I've torn my meniscus but it isn't broken. Your wrist may not be, but it sounds like it is. Bottom line you must get it checked or it could cause a lot of problems down the line.

as an aside, the uninsured chap who turned his jag straight across my uncle's van resulting in a catastrophic accident, it taking two hours to extract my uncle from the car and him nearly dying... He didn't think he would have an accident either. My uncle's claim would have run into millions if he had been insured, but as it was his family struggled on the breadline for months. We never think these things will happen to us, but they can and do. Don't drive without insurance, please.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top