what are treatment options for fractured wrist

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How long does it take for fracture wrist to heal? In most cases it takes around 6 to 8 weeks to recover from a broken arm or wrist. It can take longer if your arm or wrist was severely damaged.

How long does it take for a fractured wrist to heal?

Wrist extensor stretch. Extend the arm with the affected wrist in front of you and point your fingers toward the floor. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist farther until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm. Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times.

How can I strengthen my wrist after a fracture?

Wrist Fracture: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

• A break in one of the small bones in the wrist joint or, more commonly, the distal radius
• Symptoms include pain, tenderness, bruising, and swelling
• Treatments include a splint, physical therapy, and surgery
• Involves hand & upper extremity surgery, hand and microsurgery program

What is the best treatment for wrist fractures?

the fracture. Recovery from Wrist Fractures: No matter what method is used to treat the break, the bone takes the same amount of time to heal, usually 1-2 months. However, recovery takes much longer. Most of the recovery is completed by 4-6 months. Some stiffness is common after these injuries and can be

What is the usual healing time with a wrist fracture?

Can a wrist fracture heal without surgery?

A lot of wrist fractures can be treated effectively without any form of surgery. If there are bone fragments, these are replaced back into their original position. The wrist (or hand or finger) is placed into a supportive cast or specially fabricated splint for stability during the healing process.

What kind of wrist fractures require surgery?

Distal radius fracture and scaphoid fracture are two common types of wrist fractures that need surgery.

How do I know if my wrist needs surgery?

Pain, especially when flexing your wrist or moving your fingers. Swelling. Difficulty moving or using your hand or wrist. A deformed appearance due to swelling or a bone that's out of place.

What is the most common wrist fracture?

Colles' fracture The distal radius fracture is one of the most common fractures of the wrist. It usually occurs when people fall on an outstretched hand. A broken wrist is a break or crack in one or more of the bones of your wrist.

What is wrist fracture?

Overview. Wrist fractures are breaks in the small bones in the wrist or the ends of the forearm bones. Treatment may include a splint, cast or surgery, depending on the severity and location of the break.

What happens if you fracture your wrist?

Some wrist fractures can interrupt blood flow to a wrist bone, causing part of it to die. If this occurs, a piece of bone taken from another location in the body (bone graft) may be inserted to help the fractured bone heal. If the bone doesn't heal, several wrist bones might need to be fused together.

How long does it take for a wrist fracture to heal?

According to Dr. Swigart, the range of treatment options for wrist fracture include: Wearing a cast or splint, usually for five to six weeks, followed by physical therapy to gain strength and restore range of motion.

How to tell if you have a fractured wrist?

A doctor may diagnose a wrist fracture based on information gathered from the patient, a physical exam, and X-rays.

How to fix broken bone?

Surgery to fix the break, using pins to hold the bone in place. The pins are usually temporary. After the outpatient surgery, patients wear a cast or splint for several weeks, and then have physical therapy. Reconstructive surgery, also an outpatient procedure, uses plates and screws to repair the damaged bone.

What is the name of the joint that connects the hand to the forearm?

The wrist joint connects the hand to the forearm. A wrist fracture can mean that a person has broken one of the small (carpal) bones in this joint or, more commonly, the distal radius, which is the larger of the two bones that make up the forearm.

Is it common to break your wrist?

Overview. If you've broken a bone, the odds are one in 10 that it is in your wrist. But the fact that a broken wrist is a common injury doesn't mean it's one that's easily diagnosed or treated.

Can you break your wrist with a tumble?

Virtually anyone can take a tumble and end up with a broken wrist, says Dr. Swigart, but the majority of the people she sees with the problem fall into one of two categories. The first group is elderly men and women who are vulnerable to wrist fracture because of low bone density.

What is Mayo Clinic doing to help with wrist fractures?

Mayo Clinic researchers are studying ways to improve wrist fracture treatment. Specific efforts include assessing outcomes of treatment using bridge plates and the risk of developing arthritis after wrist-fracture surgery.

How many people are treated at Mayo Clinic for wrist fractures?

Each year, Mayo Clinic specialists treat more than 1,000 people with all types of wrist fractures. The best treatment depends on the characteristics of your fracture and your specific needs and health. Individualized treatment reduces the risk of treatment complications resulting in pain and limited wrist function.

What kind of imaging is used for hand surgery?

Mayo Clinic hand surgeons have extensive experience performing both routine and complex wrist surgeries. State-of-the-art imaging. Mayo Clinic doctors use special types of MRI and CT scans that allow excellent understanding of the fracture. Precise imaging can help determine the best treatment — which can help you avoid complications ...

How to fix a fractured wrist?

Fixation is usually done by using a small plate and screws. In some cases, if the bony fragments are too small to fix individually, a plate may be used to span the wrist and keep the wrist immobile for approximately three months.

What is distal radius fracture?

What is a distal radius fracture? The most common fracture to the hand and wrist is the distal radius fracture, the bone nearest to the wrist. In many cases, people break their wrists by falling and catching themselves with their hands. Broken wrists can also occur in car accidents and in older adults with osteoporosis.

Can you treat a distal radius fracture without surgery?

Non-surgical Treatment for Hand Fracture and Wrist Fracture. Some fractures, like distal radius fractures (before the wrist), can be treated without surgery if the bone fragments are minimally displaced and remain in close connection.

Can a broken wrist cause osteoporosis?

Broken wrists can also occur in car accidents and in older adults with osteoporosis. If you’ve broken your wrist and suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, you’ll need to be seen as quickly as possible, so we can alleviate pressure on certain nerves in the hand that can cause pain and immobility.

What is hand & wrist fracture treatment?

A hand fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the hand and most often occurs after a significant trauma. A wrist fracture is full or partial breakage of one or both of the forearm bones, or one or more of the seven small wrist bones that, all together, make up the wrist.

Types of hand & wrist fracture treatments

A wrist fracture is one of the easiest types of bone breakages to treat without surgery. Typically, a casting method is used to immobilize the bone while it heals.

What to do if your wrist is broken?

You may need any of the following: Medicine may be given to decrease pain and swelling. You may need antibiotic medicine or a tetanus shot if there is a break in your skin. A cast, splint, or brace may be placed on your wrist to decrease movement.

What are the symptoms of a fractured wrist?

What are the signs and symptoms of a wrist fracture? Pain, swelling, and bruising of your injured wrist. Wrist pain that is worse when you hold something or put pressure on your wrist. Weakness, numbness, or tingling in your injured hand or wrist. Trouble moving your wrist, hand, or fingers. A change in the shape of your wrist.

How to get rid of a swollen wrist?

Apply ice on your wrist for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or as directed. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover it with a towel before you place it on your skin. Ice helps prevent tissue damage and decreases swelling and pain. Elevate your wrist above the level of your heart as often as possible.

What is the best way to pull a broken bone back into place?

Traction may be needed if your bone broke into 2 pieces. Traction pulls on the bone pieces to pull them back into place. A pin may be put in your bone or cast and hooked to ropes and a pulley. Weight is hung on the rope to help pull on the bones so they will heal correctly.

How to get rid of a cast on your wrist?

This will help decrease swelling and pain. Prop your wrist on pillows or blankets to keep it elevated comfortably. Go to physical therapy as directed. You may need physical therapy after your wrist heals and the cast is removed.

Does a cast hurt after a splint?

Your pain gets worse or does not get better after you take pain medicine. Your cast or splint breaks, gets wet, or is damaged. Your hand or fingers feel numb or cold. Your hand or fingers turn white or blue. Your splint or cast feels too tight. You have more pain or swelling after the cast or splint is put on.

Mayo Clinic's Approach

• Teamwork
  Mayo Clinic's wrist-fracture treatment teams include specialists in Orthopedic Surgery and in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. These experts work together with the goal of restoring strength and range of motion in your wrist and fingers, and easing stiffness. Mayo Clinic speciali…
• Experience
  Each year, Mayo Clinic specialists treat more than 1,000 people with all types of wrist fractures. The best treatment depends on the characteristics of your fracture and your specific needs and health. Individualized treatment reduces the risk of treatment complications resulting in pain an…

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