Wrist Fracture

If your wrist is crooked or your pain is not controlled with over-the-counter pain medications you should be evaluated as soon as possible for X-rays of the wrist. If you have bruising around the wrist or forearm and your pain lasts more than a couple days, you should seek medical treatment and have X-rays of the wrist.

If your bone is not protruding through the skin, your fingers are not numb and tingling, your fingers are pink and warm and your pain is manageable, you can wait until the following day to be seen. If you are unsure, our OI Now walk-in clinic is available for more urgent evaluation. If the bone is protruding through the skin, or the fingers are not pink and warm, you should be seen in an Emergency Department as soon as possible.

Not necessarily. With stable fractures where there is just a simple crack in the bone you may still be able to move the wrist. These injuries should still be evaluated and protected with a cast or splint to prevent the bones from shifting with daily activities.

Nothing. Orthopedic surgeons use the terms interchangeably. Factors that are important to orthopedic surgeons are whether the fracture is

• “open” (bone has broken through the skin) or “closed” (no injury to the skin or bleeding from the skin adjacent to the fracture)
• “displaced” (bone pieces are separated) or “non-displaced” (a simple crack in the bone)
• “Intra-articular” (the break extends into a joint surface) or “extra-articular” (the portion of the bone that is broken does not include a joint surface)

X-rays are most helpful in evaluating the best treatment for a wrist fracture. Some fractures should definitely be treated without surgery, some should definitely be treated with surgery, and some can be treated with either surgery or just a cast or splint. Your surgeon will discuss with you the pros and cons of each treatment for your specific injury.

It depends on the location and severity of the fracture. If the bones or joint are not appropriately aligned, arthritis can develop resulting in loss of motion, strength and ongoing pain.

This depends on the nature of your work and the willingness of your work to accommodate light duty. Low demand activities such as clerical work can often be resumed within days after surgery. Higher demand activities can be gradually resumed as tolerated often between 2-3 months after surgery.

You should not drive while taking narcotic pain medications. There are not specific guidelines about returning to driving after a wrist fracture. Talk with your surgeon about your specific injury and when you may be safe to resume driving.

It depends on the size and material of the implants, but even if it does it should not slow down your travel plans. Documentation is not required by airport security and usually a simple scan of the wrist and showing the scar is enough to allow you to proceed through the security checkpoint.

If you broke your wrist in a low-energy fall, you should talk with your doctor about being evaluated for osteoporosis or fragile bones. A wrist fracture may be a sign that your bones are more fragile. In general, weight bearing activities such as lifting weights, a healthy diet with adequate calcium (1000-1200 mg/day) and vitamin D (800-1000 international units/day) and avoiding nicotine are important for minimizing your risk of broken bones.