A broken wrist occurs when more than one bone in the hand or wrist is fractured or broken. As with all fractures, the main cause of a broken wrist is trauma. Therefore, any blow to the wrist area causes a broken wrist. The wrist bone, which is a sensitive place, should be treated immediately when it is broken. A wrist fracture, which can be seen in children, adults, and the elderly, prevent the person from fulfilling his/her activities in daily life. For this, a doctor should be seen urgently. In this process, the doctor will apply an appropriate treatment method after determining the cause and type of bone fracture. Early treatment also helps to relieve pain and suffering.

What Is A Broken Wrist?

The wrist is composed of eight bones, as well as the forearm bones, the radius, and the ulna. The radius on the thumb side and the ulna on the fifth finger side are important bones for the wrist bone. The other eight bones are also important and, when positioned harmoniously, enable the hand to be used. A wrist fracture occurs when these bones are separated or crushed.

Among all these bones, the end of the radius is most commonly damaged in wrist fracture cases. These fractures are called distal Radius fractures. It is very important to treat these fractures, which occur for many reasons, early. Otherwise, the person with a broken wrist cannot get the expected healing result. It negatively affects their daily routines, and they cannot even button their shirts. Therefore, if symptoms such as pain and ache are observed as a result of the trauma received in the wrist fracture, you should go to the doctor for emergency intervention.

Types Of Broken Wrists

Wrist fractures that occur as a result of trauma are classified into many types. The types classified are very important for the treatment method. Wrist fracture types are as follows:

• A distal radius fracture is the most common type of wrist fracture. This type of fracture is caused by the person’s hand being in an open position during a fall.
• A scaphoid fracture is a traumatic fracture of the scaphoid, one of the eight bones in the wrist. This is at least as common as a distal radius fracture.
• A metacarpal fracture is one of the small bones in the fingers and occurs as a result of trauma. It is therefore a small fracture that affects the finger. Nonetheless, it harms hand function.
• A phalangeal fracture is one of the other small bones in the fingers. It happens when severe injury and tissue is tearing in the finger parts.

All these types of broken wrists impair the function of the hand and affect the person physically and psychologically. A treatment method is determined by considering these types. Therefore, the wrist bone types are determined by X-rays, and the treatment process is begun.

Causes Of A Broken Wrist

The wrist is fractured for many reasons. As with other fractures, the most important cause of this fracture is a blow. These impacts occur in various situations. In particular, falling with the hand in an open position, having a traffic accident, being injured in sports, and similar severe traumas cause wrist fractures. Furthermore, osteoporosis, especially in the elderly, can also lead to wrist fractures due to bone fragility.

Therefore, wrist fractures caused by all these reasons are most common in children. It can be said that it is a common disorder during the hyperactive period. It is also a type of fracture that develops in adults and the elderly due to the reasons mentioned above. After the wrist is hit, some symptoms must be observed, and a doctor must be consulted immediately.

Symptoms Of Broken Wrist

As with other types of fractures, the symptoms of broken wrists are similar. Therefore, pain and swelling are among the most common symptoms. The following symptoms are also seen in wrist fractures that restrict the person’s movements:

• Inability to move the hand
• Tingling sensation in the fingertips
• Bruising
• Posture position of the wrist (flexion)
• Pain and soreness when touched

All these symptoms are extremely serious and should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor listens to the patient’s complaint and performs the necessary examinations. A suitable treatment method is determined according to the results obtained. The application is then launched to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Treatment For Broken Wrist

The treatment for broken wrist can be applied in several ways. This treatment is determined by several factors, which are then applied. These factors include the bone condition, the type, position, and level of the fracture. The treatment is also determined by the person’s age, lifestyle, health status, active use of the hand, and the presence of fractures in other parts of the body.

To determine the treatment for this fracture, the doctor first examines the patient. He or she will then order an X-ray of the wrist. If it is a very serious fracture, a computed tomography scan may also be performed. According to the results of these, the actual treatment method is determined and begun. If the wrist fracture is not severely damaged and the bones are not separated, the nonsurgical treatment of a splint or cast is used. This treatment will usually take several months, and the broken bone will be allowed to fuse. This will allow the broken bone to be repaired, and the patient will gradually be able to use his/her hand.

On the contrary, if the fracture is very fragmented and there is no placement, surgical treatment is applied. Some medical devices and equipment are used in this process. These include screws, plates, pins, and rods. Structures such as arteries, tendons, and nerves are protected before the surgical intervention begins. Thanks to the equipment specified for the wrist bone fracture, the doctor surgically realigns and repositions the bones.  The healing process  is further accelerated by the addition of a bone graft.

As a result,  surgical and nonsurgical treatment methods  are applied depending on the type and level of wrist bone fractures. After both treatment processes, if the doctor’s recommendations and warnings are followed, healing will take place in the wrist area. In general, this type of bone fracture heals in a short time. However, the wrist may feel stiff for a while. However, you should not worry, as this stiffness will disappear over time. As a result,  broken wrist  cases heal quickly with early and proper treatment, allowing the person to resume their daily activities.