A wrist fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the wrist. This fact sheet will focus on a break in the scaphoid bone.
Scaphoid FractureCopyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
This injury is caused by trauma from:
Things that may raise the risk of this fracture are:
Symptoms may be:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You will be asked how the injury happened. An exam will be done that focuses on your wrist.
Images may be taken. This can be done with:
It can take up to 12 weeks to heal. The goals of treatment are to manage pain and support the bone as it heals. Options may be:
Some fractures cause pieces of bone to come apart. These pieces will need to be put back into place. This may be done:
Most fractures are due to accidents. Wear wrist guards for sports that may involve falls or contact, such as rollerblading and football.
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
http://www.sportsmed.org
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org
Dias J, Kantharuban S. Treatment of Scaphoid Fractures: European Approaches. Hand Clin. 2017 Aug;33(3):501-509.
Scaphoid fracture. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/scaphoid-fracture . Updated December 3, 2018. Accessed September 30, 2019.
Scaphoid fracture of the wrist. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/scaphoid-fracture-of-the-wrist. Updated March 2016. Accessed September 30, 2019.
Last reviewed September 2019 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
Last Updated: 9/30/2019