UKC

Unfortunately after what was initially thought to be a sprained thumb whilst skiing 2 weeks ago, follow-up x-rays in the UK have now revealed I've got a stable Distal Radius fracture (stable enough that I skied for another 5 days after the injury). 

I'm awaiting a follow-up in the fracture clinic, who have advised that I'll likely be in a splint for 4 weeks, followed by a period of rehab (all dependent on monitoring to ensure it helas in a stable position). The person I saw rarely treats climbers, so was unable to give an indication on timescales to start climbing again. 

Does anyone have any experience returning to climbing, hangboarding and high-intensity bouldering following this injury (or wrist fractures in general)? 

I fractured my distal radius in September, I think about 2cm up from the wrist, not a complicated break but did require some manipulation to align it before the cast was put on. It was in plaster for 5 weeks, then another couple of weeks of 'nothing heavier than a cup of tea', although was also given a list of physio exercises to carry out. A week or two after that I started climbing again, initially a handful of easier routes that I knew well, i.e. where I knew I could avoid pulling too much on that arm. As I built up again the wrist itself was occasionally painful, I never did work out if that was other damage to the wrist at the same time or just due to it having been immobile for 5 weeks in the cast (or a bit of both).  I'd say for the last 2 or 3 weeks it's pretty much back to full strength - so about 2 months to start climbing again and about 4 months to full recovery.  Undercuts and mantelshelves took the longest. 

Good luck with yours.

I've managed a couple of wrist fractures in my life, and can only advise that they take time. Last one I had was a Smith's fracture, which is what you describe with some anterior displacement, which was fixed with pins which were removed. I had a backslap for a week following the surgery, then into a splint as you describe. By the sounds of things, a bit more complex than your non-displaced fracture, but anyway:

It took me quite a while to regain full strength in the wrist, and it still can be a little weak on undercuts 7 years later (apparently characteristic for that position and a Smith's fracture, so maybe less relevant). Following the removal of the pins (6 weeks post repair) I was back climbing easy stuff in three weeks, and probably took me about 6 months post injury to get back to full speed. My main advice would be a) do your physio b) do your physio and c) do your physio, as the joint will be pretty stiff following a period of issue. And go easy on your return to climbing - stick indoors, stick to boulder/top rope and slowly build up the load and steepness of the angles you climb on. You'll know by feel when you are ready to make things more difficult. 

Thanks both, that's encouraging to hear. If I'm able to climb and have some degree of strength and fitness by the time I go to Pabbay in mid-May, I'll take that as a win! 

Quite some time ago, when bones were no doubt quicker to heal, I had a play on Powerplant (8a) in Cheedale, but didn't redpoint it that day. The following day I broke a wrist when a hold snapped off the start of a route on the Embankment before I'd clipped the first boilt, after which I was told that it needed 6 weeks in plaster.

My goal became to redpoint Powerplant before the 6 weeks was up. After 4 weeks it was too painful even to contemplate pulling hard, After 5 weeks it felt a lot better, so I cut the plastercast off, but I still didn't feel like I could pull hard enough safely enough until a few days after the 6 week deadline, whereupon the route was finally dispatched.

Wow, good effort! Though I might not be enough of a wad send Powerplant on my best day, let alone after 4 weeks in a splint!