Wrist Fractures
"Have you ever had a wrist fracture, or heard of a friend who had one? While not something we hope for, wrist fractures are among the most common types of broken bones people experience. Despite their frequency, wrist fractures can manifest in several different types, each requiring different approaches for treatment.
What is a wrist fracture?
Before going into types of wrist fractures, it’s important to understand the types of bone fractures in general, which include the following:
Simple(Closed) Fracture
These fractures only affect the bones and typically do not break the skin or surrounding tissue.
Compound (Open) Fracture
These fractures are much more severe than simple fractures, and typically pierce the surrounding tissue and through the skin. For a fracture to count as open, the wound around the fracture can also be deep enough to see the fractured bone.
Comminuted Fracture
Fractures are classified as comminuted if the bone breaks into three or more pieces. These pieces typically appear shatter-like and are caused by severe trauma such as a car accident or falling from a high place. These occur in longer bones (such as the ones found in the forearm/wrist).
Segmental Fracture
While often confused for comminuted fracture, segmental fractures are when the bone breaks at two different points, separating a portion of the bone from the rest of the bone.
Bones affected:
The wrist is not a single bone that can be broken, but rather several bones that can be affected by a “wrist fracture”. The following are the bones normally affected by wrist fractures:
Forearm bones:
Ulna (Longer than radius)
Radius (Thicker than ulna)
Carpal Bones:
Scaphoid
Lunate
Triquetrum
Pisiform
Trapezium
Trapezoid
Capitate
Hamate
How to avoid them:
While fractures in general are not common, they are difficult to avoid in some aspects. Fractures occur when enough stress is put onto the bones, and wrist fractures are no exception. High-intensity sports such as football, soccer, or wrestling can easily cause an accidental fracture. Avoiding the sport entirely is one way to eliminate the possibility of getting a fracture. But for those athletes willing to continue, being cautious and aware of the situation will be the best way to avoid fractures. Other common causes are vehicle accidents and/or falling from high places (like in rock climbing). Vehicle accidents are normally avoided and unprecedented when they occur, as such there aren’t many ways to avoid wrist fractures if you were to get into one.
There are several ways to identify the presence of a wrist fracture. The following are possible symptoms:
Swelling of the affected area
Obvious disfigurement of the forearm/wrist area
Protruding bones (if it is a compound fracture)
A sharp, severe pain
Inability to make a closed fist or trouble gripping
Road to recovery:
For those unfortunate enough to get one, the journey of healing from a wrist fracture may not be a short one. Surgery is typically required for wrist fractures, but only to realign your bones in order for them to heal and grow properly. In the case of comminuted fractures, a surgeon can put as many shattered pieces back together as possible but may leave out some bones that are too small. Post-surgery, the healing process can take up to 4 months or more, depending on the severity of the fracture.
For the first month or so post-surgery, it is advised to not use the affected hand to pick up or lift anything. Within the first month, individuals can begin to perform basic stretches/exercises for the hand to preserve functionality. Other times, doctors will simply recommend physical therapy for this same reason. After two or more months, individuals can begin using the hand for very basic functions, such as opening a bottle or lifting small objects.
Conclusion:
Within the world of sports, wrist fractures can be common. Due to how many bones there are involving wrist fractures, as well as the numerous different types of fractures, there are many ways in which one can have a wrist fracture. Luckily, given how common they are, it’s usually not a worry post-surgery. Most people(and athletes) can eventually recover full health and functionality after a wrist fracture.
Sources:
Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP. “Wrist Fractures (Types and Treatments).” Patient.Info, 26 Apr. 2022, patient.info/doctor/wrist-fractures.
“Compound Fracture: Open Fracture: HSS Orthopedic Trauma Service.” Hospital for Special Surgery, www.hss.edu/condition-list_compound-fracture.asp#:~:text=A%20compound%20fracture%20(also%20known,contact%20with%20the%20outside%20environment. Accessed 13 Apr. 2024.
professional, Cleveland Clinic medical. “Comminuted Fracture: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22252-comminuted-fracture. Accessed 13 Apr. 2024.
“Wrist Fracture.” Yale Medicine, Yale Medicine, 30 Oct. 2022, www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/wrist-fracture#:~:text=Overview,that’s%20easily%20diagnosed%20or%20treated.
Tang, Alex. “Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Carpal Bones.” StatPearls [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 28 Nov. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535382/#:~:text=The%20proximal%20row%20of%20carpal,trapezoid%2C%20capitate%2C%20and%20hamate.
“Wrist Fractures: Symptoms & Causes: BROKEN WRIST.” NewYork-Presbyterian, www.nyp.org/orthopedics/columbia-orthopedics/wrist-fractures#:~:text=Common%20causes%20or%20risk%20factors,osteoporosis%20or%20age%2Drelated%20falls. Accessed 13 Apr. 2024.
“Broken Wrist.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 29 June 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-wrist/symptoms-causes/syc-20353169.
“Colles Wrist Fracture – Aftercare.” Mount Sinai Health System, www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/colles-wrist-fracture-aftercare#:~:text=The%20initial%20recovery%20from%20a,You%20will%20need%20physical%20therapy. Accessed 13 Apr. 2024.