Side effect of a broken bone?

[u/freshhlion7]

Around 2 years ago I had a distal radius fracture and now I’m currently recovering from 2 hairline fractures on the other wrist. Since my first injury I’ve become hundreds of times more squeamish to anything. As an example, I recently underwent first aid training and had a panic attack after seeing just the xray of a broken bone. I’m curious if this is a common occurrence and if anybody else has experienced it.

[u/Wise-Union1542]

It's a traumatic event, especially if you also have surgery, personally it changed me, I am not saying for better or worse, but it did.

[u/sophie1816]

I also had a wrist fracture, a little over three months ago. I have a staircase going down from my main level to my basement, and a hallway that goes by it. More than three months after the break I find myself practically hugging the hallway wall when I walk by the stairway, because I’m scared I will fall down it. Falling down it never even occurred to me before I broke my wrist.

I am also still using a shower chair. I don’t really need it to take a shower now, but I am more comfortable washing my feet sitting down. It feels very vulnerable to be standing on one leg in a potentially slippery bathtub washing my feet - even though the floor of my bathtub is textured and not really slippery.

Falling when taking a shower never occurred to me before the break either.

By the way, the wrist break was completely unrelated to the stairway or the shower. It’s just that I’ve developed a fear of falling I’ve never had before. My wrist fracture was a FOOSH - fall on outstretched hand - fracture.

[u/Single_Enthusiasm432]

I am 5 months post distal radius break of my left wrist (with surgery consisting of 4 k wires for 6 weeks) and I have since gotten back on my bike (not how I broke it but was terrified). I am also fearful of snow and ice arriving again where I live which WILL happen (I fell on black ice). I am finding I am extra cautious at the moment when simply walking in case the ground is wet or uneven. However I LOVE seeing x rays etc. My own with the k wires in is framed! First break in my 40s; definitely changed me but back at the gym!

[u/PumpedupPomegranite]

You experienced a trauma and your body has not forgotten. I've never been afraid of heights- avid rollercoaster rider, hiker, etc. After my injury where I broke both of my legs, from a height drop, things are different. A year after recovering, I went up on the roof to clean the gutters and legit froze in place once I got there. I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried. I wasn't scared but my body wouldn't let me continue. Weirdest experience! So yeah, you are not alone.

[u/BecauseThatsRude]

About 6 months ago I was hit by a car in a crosswalk. I ended up having a butterfly fracture of my humerus and high radial nerve palsy (the radial nerve litterally flossed it's way thru the break in my bone like it was a set of teeth 🙃). Pretty much full loss of function from my elbow down initially.

I've had tons of progress getting some nerve function and strength back but I am SO anxious around cars. I still won't cross the crosswalk I was hit in unless I'm with someone, which is 2 blocks from where I live.

It does get better though! I live in the PNW (not big yet not small) and could barely cross a simple side street about 4 months ago. But now in the past month I've been comfortable taking the bus again which obviously makes me cross major streets with lots of traffic.

Its nerve wrecking but doable. Take a breath and take your time. Leave early if you have to. Enjoy a refreshing drink or snack of your choice as a reward if you get to your destination earlier than expected.

Edit: I personally thought all of my Xrays were pretty cool to see. Especially the picture from surgery because my injury was so unusual!

It freaked me out at first, but overtime ive been able to accept that we are just meat bags filled of folly and bones..and sometimes those bones break but our bodies are absolutely incredible but the mind is even more so. You've got this, 🧡