Broken Arm - Should he go?

There is exactly one week to go before my student son and I go to Obergurgl. Six weeks ago he broke the radius on his right arm. It's always been stable but in cartoon terms it's a small split on the knobbly part at the top of the long bone on the thumb side!! Four days ago he had the plaster taken off but was given a velcro type replacement whereby he could take it off/put it on whenever he wished. When it's off, his wrist is quite stiff as obviously he hasn't been using it for some time. He has been given some physiotherapy exercise to do but as neither of us have been skiing before I'm wondering just how much a broken arm in the recovery stage is going to hinder him when we go. It has healed but is naturally sore to the touch. Any views?

What has the doctor/consultant/physio said? I'd go with that..

Hi Knapdog,
I'm sorry to hear your son broke his arm - and after you'd booked a ski holiday as well! But at least it sounds as though it's healing well :D

My biggest concern, from the practical point of view, is whether he's going to be able to get back up after he's fallen over. Has he learnt how to ski on an artificial slope here? Or is he totally new to it? If he could ski well already I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a problem.

Total beginners usually fall over a lot. So I suppose that's two worries really - will it hurt his arm when he falls over, and will he be able to get back up after he's fallen? In order to get back up after you fall over you need to use both your arms to push yourself up, usually using ski sticks, although you can do it without one if you're fit enough.

I suppose if he's fairly light, and you're reasonably strong, and you're in the same lessons you could lift him up, but you'll probably find it difficult seeing as you're a beginner as well. The instructors don't usually pick adults up when they fall over, although I suppose in his case they might make an exception.

I don't think the arm would interfere with his actual ski-ing. It's perfectly possible to ski without using ski poles, and in fact in the early stages of learning you generally only use them to push yourself back up when you fall over and to pole yourself along on the flat.

I suppose you could ring the ski school and see what they say about it. And he could have a go seeing if he can push himself up when he's sitting on the floor (although it is quite a bit harder on skis).

I have just thought of something else - the drag lift. He'd have to grab the pole with one arm if his wrist is too weak to use the other one. It's easy enough to do it with one arm, but it's just another complication when you're learning how to use one.

Let us know what you decide to do, and if you do go I hope you have a great time :D

Ally

What a shame. I think same as Pablo, plus check your travel insurance small print

Knapdog,
The answers you get to your query will inevitably say more about the posters attitudes than be of help I would say.
I would ask your son how he felt about and take it from there. But thats just me, I have no confidence in witch doctors!!!!!!!
If the bone has healed it will be stronger than ever, and any muscular pain, as I have said, depends on your sons attitude to the discomfort.

knapdog, I would say go anyway, as it's knitted, but buy a snowboarders' wristguard for him to wear. My OH got his hand crushed by a fork lift truck many years ago (don't ask!!), there were broken bones in his hand, and it was hugely swollen from the crush injury. He skied 4 weeks later, using poles and there is still a dent in the back of his hand from one of the bolts on the forks :roll:

i would go anyway just for the experiance i would be more confident if he could ski though, total novice ?..... he will fall over .........a lot !!

ste

I skied for 5 days after fracturing my radius in a stupid fall in Livigno. However I was not a complete beginner at the time, so was`nt falling over very much. After 6 weeks th ebone should be fairly well healed, but I agree with bandit that a wristguard would be a good idea.