Diabetes and broken limbs.

[Jock]

A few weeks ago, I sustained a broken ankle.

Not something that I'd advise anyone to try, but it's not the first time this has happened (although it is the first time I've been run over by a car!) Anyway, I've had a few breaks throughout my life but this is the first since being diagnosed diabetic type II.

The NHS have been great, but no-one seems to know how my diabetes will affect the break. They're treating me as "normal" - I hope I am, but I have somehow got it into my head that the diabetes will somehow slow down the knitting process of the bones.

At six weeks, I'm now back to full weight bearing and while physically I feel fine, this diabetes/healing thing is playing on my mind ... so I guess this is the place to ask ...

Anyone?

 

[Gappy]

I had lots of broken bones after a motorbike accident, but that was before diagnosis. Ankles, like all joints, take longer to heal than a normal bone (so I'm told). But I see no reason why diabetes should affect this type of healing after all with bones it's the calcium not sugar level that's important. I'm no expert but to me the proof is in that you feel fine so take it easy, do as your physio says and stay positive I'd say things look good!

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi jock,

I think you are worrying unnecessarily. If you feel good and progressing then that is the yardstick to go by.
There are so many different types of breaks. My son broke his ankle in several places and it is still not 100% better. He can do most things but not lunges, squats, climbing a ladder etc... without a small bit of discomfort. He is as fit as a fiddle and very active and has been told it will take another 6 months for it to be at it's peak again. This is after 18 months.

 

[noblehead]

It's well documented that diabetes can delay the healing process of the body, but to be perfectly honest I have never experienced any delays in the past and I have had broken bones, cuts and other injuries due to work or leisure time. As a rule the better the diabetes control the better your chances are of recovering sooner so keep an eye on your bg.

Nigel

 

[Jock]

Thank you everyone for the reassurance and yes Gappy, my break was also the result of a motorcycle accident - a car just touched the bike from behind as I was turning left, I fell off, and despite my hi-viz jacket, the driver then proceeded to go for the same gap in the traffic I was going for ... with me under his car - police reckoned he'd pushed me four feet before he stopped! The firs thing he said to me was, "Oh! I thought you'd gone!" Well, at least he saw me!

I was judging my healing time by how long cuts take to heal these days - years ago, it was a few days, now they're measured in weeks!

 

[Gappy]

Get the police statement quick before they change their opinion! The legal system is corrupt as f*@k so get statements quick if your going for compensation! Also if your insurance company is LV or use Irwin Mitchell solicitors consider finding your own no win no fee solicitor-Opposition solicitor said if I'd of won my case (as I should of done) I'd of got £200,000 (silly money I know) but system is so **** I ended up representing myself and not got a penny! (despite proving driver had lied on more than 1 point) But I aint bitter (no really!) I'll always be a better person than that tw*t of a driver will ever be!

As for recovery just keep as active as you can, walks that take 5minutes took me over half hour but it was worth doing (not just to avoid x-factor on tv) but also while you're on sick pay try telling swimming pool you're disabled to get discount on swims (when the plaster is off) any activity is good for healing and getting out is good for morale too!

 

[Jock]

It's mostly done and dusted - he's admitted 100% liability according to the insurance.

To be honest, I think he got a bigger fright then I did - I was conscious of what was happening all the time - I think the first he knew of it was when my hand whacked his bonnet! Nobody stopped as far as witnesses goes - and there were lots. I had to catch a passing cyclist to get them to help lift the bike off me! Fortunately, the first thing I did (before the pain set in) was get my camera out and take lots of pictures!

If nothing else, it's taught me one thing and that's NEVER GO OUT ON THE BIKE WITHOUT DECENT GEAR. If I'd been wearing light gear or even shorter boots, the least the would have happened is I'd only have one leg - more likely I"d be dead because he'd have run over my stomach. In the hospital they did say my "rotund" build saved my life!

Anyway Gappy, I hope you're back to normal fitness now. PM me if you want more details.

 

[noblehead]

The accident sounds awful Jock, hope you make a full recovery and successfully claim for all your injuries.

Nigel

 

[jopar]

Breaks first

As heeling wise they will heal pretty much the same as a non-diabetic as in depending on type of break your age etc. Unless it's classed as an open break diabetes will increase the risk of infection setting in..

The main problem with the diabetic is blood glucose control even a major break can have impact on blood glucose control, I broke my finger about 18 months ago, small fracture needed no more than strapping up for 6-8 weeks, but the impact on my BG's were quite surprising, I had to increase my basal on my insulin pump, for those that substain fractures that lowers their mobility, the impact is likely to be higher...

As to your accident, well in most cases if one Vehicle has hit another in the back, then it's generally considered to be the vehicle behind at fault! Only in rare occasions does this go overwise..

So while you are recovering keep an extra eye on your blood glucose control..

 

[Spearmint]

My daughter broke both bones in her arm last summer, her sugar levels shot up and i had to increase her insulin by quite a bit.
I don't know if it took any longer to heal but she did have re-occuring problems once the cast was off so maybe it did take longer, i am not sure!

 

[Gappy]

Just a question coz I don't know! But do the blood sugars go up after injury because the person is less active? Just a possible theory.

 

[jopar]

My daughter broke the bone just above her wrist, the first few days of the summer hols aged 11 going up to seniors in the septemeber..

They set her arm in plaster from finger tips to shoulder, said this would be be on for a week, then they would do a half plaster upto the elbow and she would be in plaster for 6 weeks! She started seniors with her arm in plaster from fingers to shoulder 6 weeks later, The promised in the begining of september she would be able to go swimming for her Birthday in mid November, well Novemeber came and went she still had her arm plastered from fingers to shoulder... They gave her a christmas treat, and finally reduced the plaster down to her Elbow and finially took this off at the end of january, with a lot of physio afterwards..

At 18 and 19, she broke bones in her hand, with these it was a standard 6 weeks of plaster, a couple of session of physio and she was off...

By the way, she's not diabetic...

Longest stint I know of being in plaster, was my daughters school friend mum, who have tearing her ankle ligments spent almost two years with her lower leg in plaster... Used to swear blind she that if she had actually broken the ankle she would be out of plaster within 6 weeks!