Wrist Fractures

About Fractures

The wrist and hand is a common area of the body to sustain a fracture. This is often related to the protective mechanisms of our body to use our hands to shield us from injury. Typical fractures of the wrist and hand include the distal radius, metacarpals and phalanges. The most common is fracture of the distal radius. This is often the result of a fall onto the outstretched hand. The symptoms associated with this type of injury is pain and swelling. Treatment of this injury is cast immobilization for a nondisplaced fracture or a displaced fracture that does not exceed the limits what is considered to be acceptable for restoration of normal function to the hand. Displaced fractures are treated surgically.

The Procedure

At Regional Orthopedics surgical treatment of a displaced distal radius fracture involves the placement of a fracture implant on the volar surface of the bone deep to the muscle and tendons. The implant holds the fracture rigidly reduced in the absence of a cast and allows for use of the hand during the bone healing phase which is over a period of 6- 8 weeks.