Fifty Plus (50+) - Upgrade: Titanium

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w76/cgallagh/Screwed.jpg

Oh, you thought I meant a bike?

Not yet. ;)

Yeah, I did. Oh well. Is your screw double butted or straight gauge?

Nice. Looks horizontally stiff and vertically compliant.

Yeah, I did. Oh well. Is your screw double butted or straight gauge?

I don't know. I'd guess straight gauge, since I see no butts on it.

Nice. Looks horizontally stiff and vertically compliant.

It's stiff, alright. 8 weeks in a cast = poor ROM for flexion/extension. I start Phys. Ther. on Fri. to increase ROM. No strength training for 10 weeks. :eek: I had no idea such a tiny bone could have such a huge impact on my life.

The xray is marked "L" but the picture looks like your right hand palm-up. Which hand is it? Oh -- and we are assuming it was a cycling-related injury but what is the back story?:o

You know, these fasteners are only about $2 each. I hope the doctor didn't charge you much more than that -- with a $20 bill you should be able to get lunch, bus fare to the hospital, and one or two of these screws installed. Isn't that the health care system works these days? :)

http://www.smallparts.com/Titanium-Machine-Screw-Head-6-32/dp/B0018BPDOS?ie=UTF8&qid=1242882060&pf_rd_r=1GN9KP7CMHNYMJKYQ6X6&pf_rd_p=467590031&pf_rd_i=383599011&sr=1-1&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_m=AIUBT5HP6PMAF&pf_rd_t=301

"Nonmagnetic and lightweight, Titanium exhibits high strength to weight ratios, excellent temperature stability, and good corrosion resistance. Compared to Stainless or Alloy steels, commercially pure Titanium weighs approximately 44 Percent less and is equal, or greater, in yield and tensile strength. Titanium will withstand temperatures up to 800 Degrees F (up to 2000 Degrees F for short periods) and is resistant to the corrosive effects of salt water, many acids, alkalies, and other chemicals."

Your going to get bumped up a catagory for that titanium.

Best wishes and hope you heal quickly. Do you have any idea on when you'll be back on the bike?

So there wasn't a carbon fiber upgrade???

Nice!

I have a titanium post in my jaw. With the abutment and crown the cost was about the same as a titanium bike.

No CAT-ing up for me yet.

I had no idea the screw was so cheap. My insurance paid the bill; I didn't see an itemized list. Maybe I'll ask and see what the mark-up was.

I can ride the trainer (sigh) and have been on the tandem every weekend. I suppose I could try to ride, but the limited ROM and weakness don't inspire confidence. I'll probably wait until my next ortho appt., June 17th.

Thanks for the good wishes. It's been quite a seaon, so far. :rolleyes:

I hope you're healing well and managing ok. Rotten thing to have to deal with. Every good wish.

And, I hope this isn't a thread hijack, but did you come across the Finnish chap who lost the top of a finger in a motorcycle tumble on his first time out? He opted to have a USB memory stick inserted in the little prosthetic digit replacement.

Similar thing for cyclists might assist in all the 'log my ride' threads by giving real time garmin downloads

OK, back to your thread. Again, best wishes

The xray is marked "L" but the picture looks like your right hand palm-up. Which hand is it? Oh -- and we are assuming it was a cycling-related injury but what is the back story?:o

Wouldn't a palm-down left look just like a palm-up right hand? In a radiograph, not a photograph. The marker is to confirm that it is left.

Shoot, all I got was stainless steel. And it wasn't even columbus double butted.

Pifft, I have eight of those in my leg, a ti plate, and 2 ti pins on the other side. The doc said I was "too old" to bother taking them out after everything healed.

Hi Red,

Good to see they've got you all fixed up and ready to ride!

Rick / OCRR

Can ya now tell when it's going to rain.:( I had knee surgery and I sure can.

You've got me beat. I've taken screws in my car tires, bike tires, and even in a shoe. But I've never driven one up into a hand.

I broke that bone once, too. Tripped over a curb in a Pizza Hut parking lot after a day of skiing. Left hand, so I could still operate a gear shift lever.

I was skiing again and biking with the cast still on.

Titanium screws work pretty good. I have used them in my knee and shoulder. Two out of four came out of the shoulder and they had to do it again.

All the best with PT.

Hope you heal soon, and perfectly. Got to get back on the bike and ride.

Hope you heal soon, and perfectly. Got to get back on the bike and ride.

We did -- 95 miles, 6000+ ft. of climbing, in the foothills east of Sacramento, on the tandem. It was fabulous!


Titanium screws work pretty good. I have used them in my knee and shoulder. Two out of four came out of the shoulder and they had to do it again.

All the best with PT.

These things come out? :eek: I hadn't considered that.

PT went well. Painfullly well. It feels really good to be able to do something to aid healing. So far everything has been passive.

Thanks, all, for your good wishes and humor. :)