Parents Help with Grip Pain in Surgery Scar

[Kristie]

My daughter had surgery to fix her broken radius a year ago. Her scar still hurts if rubbed or bumped. She’s finally at a level where (non dowel) grips are being used. But she can’t wear them because even with the wrist bands, it rubs and hurts.

Any suggestions on padding that area to keep it from rubbing? I was thinking tape but not sure if that will work or make it worse.

Any help from some veterans would be appreciated.

 

[profmom]

If you use tape, be sure to use pre-wrap. As a longer term solution, has she been using that over-the-counter scar cream that's supposed to improve the appearance? My daughter's orthopedist told her it would promote tissue healing and diminish sensitivity as well, which she found to be the case, even a long time after the injury.

 

[Kristie]

Thank you! He did tell us to use the cream for appearance but didn’t say anything about sensitivity. We will certainly get some and try it. Can’t hurt.

And we will get some pre tape to try. Thanks again!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Definitely massage, lots of it. Adhesions from surgery can cause lots of pain too. You can be quite rough with the area too, it will improve it considerably.

 

[Kristie]

Thanks! She doesn’t want to touch it but I’ll let her know it will help. It’s such a bummer.

 

[tpMom]

Does she still have any hardware in the wrist, like screws or a plate? I have a friend who broke her ankle and needed surgery to repair it, but the placement of the plate was right against her ankle bone and she kept smacking it into things and couldn't even handle tight socks on it anymore. She went back to the doctor, thinking it might be scar pain, but it was caused by was the placement of the hardware. They went back in, removed the plate and wired the bone together instead and it solved the problem for her. If your gymmie still has plates or screws in her wrist, I'd check the placement with the surgeon before I tried massage for the scarring. If not, massage and vitamin E can help loosen up the tissue.

 

[rjb123]

My DD has a scar on her wrist from surgery and at first grips really bothered it. she used a bandage over the site at first and then transitioned to pre wrap and tape. Over time it desensitized and now it does not bother her at all. Hang in there! It gets better!

 

[Kristie]

Thanks all!! She doesn’t have any hardware left in so maybe the bandage and let wrap will work!

She was so upset when she tried to use them and it hurt.

 

[esor]

I agree with Bogwoppit on the massaging. I had no idea that this helped, but when DD had surgery, not only did her occupational therapist massage it, and do other things to desensitize her scars, but after that, we took her to a different Pt person to help build more strength, and she also did lots of massaging not just on the outer scar, but to continue to help break up scarring internally (this was her elbow). So glad we did all of that to help her come back strong.

 

[CuriousCate]

You can also ask your surgeon to send her to PT or OT to work on scar desensitization. There are many techniques they can try that work really well. Sometimes it can be tough to do on your own.

 

[Kristie]

Thanks! Her coach basically said what all of you said. We’re at a new gym and don’t know her coach well so it’s good to see she had the same answers as all of you!