# Broken Arm



## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

Hello everyone, need some advice as don't have many snowboarder friends  

3 weeks ago I had my first experience with Snowboard and I think I got addicted to it. I thought that I would spend most of the time on the snow falling but just after 3 hours of classes I was going down the slopes without a problem. By the 3 day I was already going in intermediate to advance slopes. Disaster happened on the 6th and last day, I think due to tricky conditions and also some fatigue I had a big slam and end up braking my arm. Still after getting back home all bruised and with arm in plaster all I can think is going back to slopes. 

My question is the following, on the 24 of February I will remove the plaster (6 weeks recovery) and planning go for a long weekend 10 days after to the slopes. Do you think it is ok? I know I should ask (and I will) the doctor but I imagine he will tell me to go easy but the snow season is ending and don't want to wait until end of the year to go back. Have anyone had experience or knows someone that went back after breaking the arm soon after recover? 

Ps: it was a complete fracture but a crack in the middle of the radius bone. Also I'm thinking buying Level Half Pipe Gloves that have this special wrist guard protection to be on the safe side and also feel more confident.

Really would appreciate your opinions on this matter.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Could you get an arm brace to wear on the slopes? Maybe in concert with wrist braces? Your big risk will probably be catching yourself with your hands if you fall.


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

Why wear an arm brace? Would that reduce my mobility? beside the fracture was on arm but very close to the wrist. The thing is I until now never broke any bone so I really don't know how it after your cast comes off, I would guess that bone should be back to normal right? But is it easer to break on that spot? I'm not a kid anymore, I'm 36 so I have to be somehow careful but same time you only live once and I didn't know what I was missing with snowboard. I don't know but I also imagine that now I will also be more careful when falling because my instinct will not be to put my had on the floor straight away because it will remember the fall I guess. Sorry about all the questions, I'm pretty new with Snowboard in injuries. I used to surf and skate when I was younger but the worst I got was a sprain wrist.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Hell ride with the plaster club! Dont catch yourself with your hands when you fall! If you cant teach yourself ride holding a golfball or something in your hand. It helps keep your hand clenched instead of doing thopen palm grab that breaks the lower arm/wrist.


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

lab49232 said:


> Hell ride with the plaster club! Dont catch yourself with your hands when you fall! If you cant teach yourself ride holding a golfball or something in your hand. It helps keep your hand clenched instead of doing thopen palm grab that breaks the lower arm/wrist.


I will remove the plaster 10 days before going back to the slopes but golf ball is not a bad idea
I think I will just tape the wrist with athletic tape and use level gloves with wrist guard protection and take it easy and hope for the best. Like I said hopefully this injury helped me learn how to fall.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

I don't like wrist protection, and I've broken many, many bones. I feel like wrist guards protect the wrist joint, and cause a break lower down. Ask me how I know... I can't break my arm again because all the hardware I have now will probably just explode. I'm not going to wear anything that focuses pressure on all that. Honestly, bones usually knit a little stronger than they were before. By the time a cast is off, you're generally good to go. 

Just learn how to fall properly. Don't stop yourself with limbs that are delicate, just take the slam and try to dissipate the force the best you can by sliding or rolling with it.


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

WigMar said:


> I don't like wrist protection, and I've broken many, many bones. I feel like wrist guards protect the wrist joint, and cause a break lower down. Ask me how I know... I can't break my arm again because all the hardware I have now will probably just explode. I'm not going to wear anything that focuses pressure on all that. Honestly, bones usually knit a little stronger than they were before. By the time a cast is off, you're generally good to go.
> 
> Just learn how to fall properly. Don't stop yourself with limbs that are delicate, just take the slam and try to dissipate the force the best you can by sliding or rolling with it.


One more week and cast is off. All my friends say I'm crazy, that I should wait longer before getting back to slopes but I'm still determined to go back. Got myself a helmet just in case as I will now tuck my arms on my chest and will have to take the hits on my knees (frontside) and butt (backside). I will not lie saying I'm not a little nervous getting back but wanting to snowboard again is much stronger.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Welcome back! I don't think you're crazy at all. 

Another trick when falling is to make fists with your hands. You're much less likely to break a wrist this way cause there's way less leverage. Still try to tuck your arms in and absorb impacts with as much of your body as possible. Hopefully there will be no impacts, and you'll be cruisin.


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

WigMar said:


> Welcome back! I don't think you're crazy at all.
> 
> Another trick when falling is to make fists with your hands. You're much less likely to break a wrist this way cause there's way less leverage. Still try to tuck your arms in and absorb impacts with as much of your body as possible. Hopefully there will be no impacts, and you'll be cruisin.


Thank man. I just can't wait to go back, can't think in anything else. Don't want to sound lame but snowboarding for the first time was like the first time I catch a wave wen I was a kid. I grew up by the sea and did surf and skate when I was teenager. Unfortunately after University I left home and move to North of Europe and was never able to surf again. For so long I was missing the adrenaline and now I know snowboarding is what I want to do and go back and practice as much as possible. Already told wife she needs to start looking for a job in city not far from Alpes ?.

Hopefully I will fall less and less but as I want to progress and do more advance turns, carves, jumps falling will be a part of it, and honestly I don't care even.

Thanks for the word of support


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

Small update, went to remove the cast today and x-ray was good even thought the wrist is stiff as hell. Now come the hard part having to exercise through the pain to get wrist loose again and in shape in 2 weeks. Happy days?


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

That's good news. Physical therapy isn't fun at all, but it sure is useful. Here's to a speedy recovery. Hope you're back on the snow before you know it!


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## Tavaruapt (Jan 15, 2020)

Forgot to update with all that happened lately. My trip back to the slopes after breaking my arm/wrist. I was a little apprehensive but actually it went great and it even was better for my wrist. It was so stiff that doing physical therapy hurt a lot but doing while doing snowboard I had to use the wrist much more so by the time the pain hit I had already moved/stretch, so after 3 days in the mountain I came back with much better motion in the wrist. Pitty that the whole virus crises hit or else I would have been back again. There will be next year


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

In the tips section...find and read the learn how to fall tips...Heres to Next year!


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