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.
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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 symptoms, past health, and how the injury happened. Images may be taken 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. Accessed September 30, 2020.
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. Accessed September 30, 2020.
Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM Last Updated: 9/11/2020
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