A broken wrist is a painful and sometimes complicated injury, often occurring as the result of a person trying to break a fall, or when hard and sudden impact is applied to the wrist. There are many different types of “wrist fractures”. An x-ray of the injury is important to making the correct decisions about care of the fracture.

How Can Reconstructive Orthopaedics Help?

Reconstructive Orthopaedics has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of wrist injuries and conditions, including broken wrist care.

We will perform x-rays on site if you do not have radiographs already. Common fractures occur at the end of the radius bone, called the distal radius. The decision for treatment and whether surgery is necessary depends on the severity of the distal radius fracture and if the fracture involves the surface of the joint.

Another frequent fracture at the wrist is scaphoid fracture. This is a cartilage covered bone in the wrist joint that is located near the bottom of the thumb. This fracture can be missed sometimes if careful x-rays are not taken and evaluated by an orthopaedic surgeon. A "sprain" of the wrist that is not getting better after a couple of weeks should be evaluated by an orthopaedic surgeon. This is important to ensure that the scaphoid fracture is not going untreated. Most broken wrists will need about 6 weeks to heal. Some minor fractures that occur in children, called buckle fractures, can heal in 3-4 weeks.

If you suspect that you have a broken wrist, it is important to see an orthopaedic professional as soon as possible for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The orthopaedic surgeons at Reconstructive Orthopaedics will determine if your wrist is broken, and then to provide you with thorough, quality care.

Contact us or call our appointment line at 513-793-3933, and we will reserve the time and location that works best for you -- we can usually schedule your appointment within 48 hours.