Broken arm problems?

[Orion283]

One of my characters recently got a broken arm and I was wondering if anyone can say just how much of an impediment it would be? Once it's in the sling & splint and all that would it still hurt while just walking around? What about during vigorous motion (assuming nothing actually whacks into the arm)?

[AXJ]

Well, the obvious answer would be that it depends on whether he's broken his primary-use arm or not. I'm right handed, and I broke my left arm in elementary school and don't remember it being a big problem, but I broke my right hand in high school, and it was.... not fun. I had to learn new ways to do ALL SORTS of stuff while I was in the cast. But then, I only had use of three fingers (pinky, ring, and thumb), so a normal arm break might not be so bad.

Would it still hurt? I remember getting sort of a dull ache that slowly went away over about a week's time. Anything that raised my blood pressure (like exercise) made it throb. After the first week, though, it was mostly discomfort- itching, being too hot, etc.

[SouthernTiger]

I don't remember having much problem with movement or activity with mine. I had hairline fractures in both bones in my left arm (2nd grade) and I broke my right thumb/hand in 5th.

The rigth thumb was much worse. Although I did pick up writing with my left hand a bit. But all of my tests were taken orally. Which is a REAL PAIN IN THE ASS when "G" and "J" come out interchangably.

It DID throb and ache though. And ITCH. Mom would find me with a fork down my cast on regular occasion. And now, when we have major changes in weather, my left arm will THROB all the way up to my elbow and hurt like that for a week. (Hurricane Hugo comes directly to mind... )

[Persephone]

The itching... that drove me up the wall! I didn't break my arm, but I broke my fingers on my right hand. It was a struggle to do so many things; writing, tying my shoelaces, and even washing my hair with my left hand only didn't come easily!

[usedusername]

I broke my arm- my primary arm- a while ago. It didn't hurt at all, nor itch, but it was annoying to eat left-handed and I had to shower with a garbage bag over my cast.

[wannabe_writer]

When my friend broke her arm, she got a cast, and then it didn't hurt so much, but she said that before the cast, when it was still in the sling, it killed.

[limegreen19]

Talking about the same friend...yeah, she was okay about after the second or third day but she couldn't write (it was her right hand) and she took painkillers. She actaully performed in a play and was okay. She broke the bone right near her thumb. The only time it actaully ever hurt (when I was there) was when an evil guy in our class grabbed her arm and started banging it against a desk. But that usually hurts anyways.

[pkgirl]

OMG the itchiness drove me up the wall as well, also the not-being-able-to-get-it-wet thing, I broke
my right arm near the BEGINNING of the summer holidays... thats sucked big time, believe me. But i
didnt have to have showers while i had it on, i was allowed to have baths every night which wasn't
that bad. I also got given special treatment when i was at school, they got someone else to do my work
for me, i may have played on that priviledge a bit too much *smiles innocently*.

:wav:

[MichaelB]

I once fractured a collarbone, and small movements basically felt like rusty, red hot nails being driven into my shoulder. Riding a horse... ha! yeah, right.
After the first few weeks, though, it settled down into a mostly 'prickly' and 'twing' state, without so much pain.