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Broken wrist
Falling on an outstretched hand is the most common reason for a wrist fracture. It is often the distal radius that is damaged, and the fracture may involve more than one bone. Aside from the radius, wrist fractures may also include fractures of the carpal bones of the wrist (carpus), those that connect the radius to the long bones of the hand (metacarpals). Doctors often look for fractures of the scaphoid bone (the bone between the bottom of the thumb and the top of the radius), and dislocations of the lunate (the bone next to the scaphoid bone) that may be difficult to see on plain X-ray.
In some cases, the wrist is splinted even if X-rays are normal because upon physical examination the doctor may be concerned about a potential occult or hidden fracture (the fracture is so small that it does not show up on an X-ray).
Depending upon the bone that is injured and it's alignment, surgery may or may not be required. Regardless of the treatment, the goal is to have a normally aligned wrist, especially if the fracture involves the joint surface. Poor alignment may lead to arthritis in the future. |
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Trigger Finger Releases
