pats1

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=204

PatsRI

I figure he'll be back by week 3 but I could argue that a removable cast could actually be a bad thing if he isn't able to wear a permanent one to play football. Then again the next step after a plaster one usually is a removable one. Who knows?

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PromisedLand

That's a heck of a lot of speculation there.

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miDeuce

In Reiss' bit about this Tedy said he would talk to the media next week. Would thinking that this means he could possibly announce he'll play in the opener be reading too much into that? Otherwise why would he say he'll talk next week.

Pat_Nasty

Admittedly I speak with no specific knowledge of Bruschi's particular kind of injury, but I would imagine Bruschi would have been wearing a removable cast from the beginning.

Actual plaster hardcasts aren't nearly as common now as they once were. Most things can be treated with removable casts, and this is almost always advantageous, especially in situations involving surgery, as the recovery process can be better monitored to make sure everything's going ok -- to say nothing of the fact that patients find removeable casts much more comfortable and convenient.

Murphys95

I'm no doctor, but I broke my scaphoid in my left hand 15 years ago. The plaster cast was on for 6 weeks, but it took me another 6-8 months to actually put full pressure on my left hand (ie. no pushups). To this day I still experience numbness in my left thumb, and on occasion have nagging pain in my wrist. I've always wondered if it healed properly in the first place - which could lend credence to your theory that a removable cast could help the healing process. Just a thought.

The fact that Bruschi is left-handed, and broke the bone in his right hand has got to be a plus.

Pat_Nasty

Did you have a screw surgically put into your wrist? In some cases where the fracture is non-displaced, they do not, they just put a fully immobilizing cast on. A cautious doctor (or one not bound by HMO restrictions) will often recommend surgical screw implantation even in non-displaced fracture, as this ensures good healing and can avoid prolonged casting.

Murphys95

No. No screw, no surgery, just a plaster cast. My thumb and wrist were completely immobilized. Sounds to me that much more is done now with an injury like this than back in 1991. Then again, maybe it was just my doctor.