Part of UT Health San Antonio
Definition
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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Causes
This injury is caused by trauma from:
- A fall on an outstretched hand with the wrist extended
- Severe backwards bending of the wrist
- A blow to the wrist
- A motor vehicle accident
Risk Factors
Things that may raise the risk of this fracture are:
- Playing contact sports, such as football or basketball
- Activities that may cause falls onto the hands, such as bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading, or snowboarding
- Doing activities that involve heights, such as being on a ladder, bike, or horse
- Being in a motor vehicle accident
Symptoms
Symptoms may be:
- Pain that may be worse when moving the wrist or thumb
- Weakness in the hand
- Swelling
- A change in the way the wrist looks
Diagnosis
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:
Treatment
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:
- Medicine to ease pain and swelling
- A splint or cast to keep bones in place as they heal
- Exercises to help with muscle strength and range of motion
Putting Bones Back In Place
Some fractures cause pieces of bone to come apart. These pieces will need to be put back into place. This may be done:
- Without surgery—anesthesia will be used to ease pain while the doctor moves the pieces back into place
- With surgery—pins, screws, plates, or wires may be used to reconnect the pieces and hold them in place
Prevention
Most fractures are due to accidents. Wear wrist guards for sports that may involve falls or contact, such as rollerblading and football.
RESOURCES:
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
http://www.sportsmed.org
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org
REFERENCES:
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