Fractured Distal Radius

A “fractured distal radius” is a break or crack of the bones of your forearm near your wrist.

Your forearm bones are made up of your Radius and Ulna. Most commonly, your radius is broken but often, both bones can be broken.

A fractured distal radius is most often sustained when falling over and landing heavily onto an outstretched hand.

In people with osteoporosis, these fractures can occur in minor falls, as osteoporosis is an condition with weakened bones.

It’s important to treat a broken wrist or broken hand as soon as possible. Otherwise, the bones may not heal in proper alignment, which can affect your ability to perform everyday activities, such as holding a pen or buttoning a shirt.

Early treatment by your doctor will also help reduce your pain and stiffness.

Symptoms

If you have a broken wrist, you may experience these signs and symptoms:

• Severe pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Bruising
• Deformity, such as a bent wrist

When to call a doctor

If you think you may have a broken wrist, you need to see a doctor immediately. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can affect the fracture healing, your wrist strength and flexibility.

Causes

Common causes of distal radial fractures include:

• Falls. Falling onto an outstretched hand is one of the most common causes of a broken wrist.
• Sports. Many wrist fractures occur during contact sports or sports in which you might fall onto an outstretched hand — such as snowboarding.
• Motor vehicle accidents. These can be very severe injuries due to the high energy trauma. Often, the fractures are quite comminuted (in many pieces) requiring surgery by an Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Risk Factors

Having certain medical conditions or participating in certain sports or activities may increase the chances of sustaining a broken wrist.

Sports

Many people break bones in their wrists or hands while participating in:

• Football
• Rugby
• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Inline skating

Children

Fracturing the wrist is a very common injury in children. Some activities that lead to these fractures include:

• Falling off Monkey Bars
• Falling from a trampoline

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

You may be more susceptible to broken bones in general if you have:

• Osteoporosis
• Other Bone Diseases that Weaken Bone
• Unsteadiness when walking

Investigations

Imaging scans are crucial to the diagnosis and treatment of wrist fractures.

X-rays

Most wrist fractures can be diagnosed using X-rays. Most of the time, an Xray is all that is needed to diagnose and help treat a fracture.

Sometimes, a fracture can be very difficult to see if the bone is only slightly cracked.

CT Scan

CT scans can often uncover wrist fractures that X-rays might miss.

A CT scan can also be useful if your surgeon needs a more detailed image of the fracture to help plan your treatment.

A CT scan uses a series of X-rays taken from a variety of angles. A computer then combines these images to give cross-sectional slices and 3D reconstructions of your wrist.

The test is painless and usually takes less than 20 minutes.

Complications

Complications of a broken wrist are rare, but may include:

• Ongoing stiffness, aching or disability. You may experience ongoing stiffness, pain or aching even after your broken bone has healed. This generally goes away a month or two after your cast is taken off or after surgery, but can be permanent if the injury was severe. Recovery can take a long time, but with patience and the proper exercise, most distal radius fractures heal properly.
• Osteoarthritis. Fractures that extend into the joint can cause arthritis years later.

Treatment

The treatment of the a fractured distal radius depends on the type and severity of the fracture. These treatments include:

• Plaster Cast
• Manipulation and Plaster Cast
• Surgery

Plaster Cast

If your wrist is in good alignment, you may be treated in a plaster cast. This is generally for 6 weeks.

Manipulation and Plaster Cast

If your broken wrist is deformed and needs to be straightened or manipulated, then your doctor or surgeon will recommend a procedure called Manipulation or Reduction. This may be done in the Emergency Department or in Theatre with either a general anaesthetic to put you asleep or a regional anaesthetic to numb your hand.

Surgery

Surgery is sometimes needed to put the bone back into the correct position and hold it with either surgical wires or plates and screws. These devices hold your bone in the proper position whilst your fracture is healing.

Physiotherapy

After your cast or splint is removed, you’ll likely need rehabilitation exercises or physiotherapy to reduce your stiffness and restore movement to your wrist.

The rehabilitation can take up to several months — or even longer — for complete healing of severe injuries.

more information about physiotherapy

Seeking Advice

If you’re concerned that you may have fractured your wrist, it is important to see your doctor or Emergency Department as soon as possible.

A delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to poor healing of your bones, stiffness of your joints and weakness of your muscles.

Bring along information about yourself

It can be a great help for your doctor if you bring along the following information about yourself

• A list of your medications, including the name and dosage.
• Information about your medical problems and past treatment
• Previous investigation results, such as xrays and blood tests.

It is impossible to prevent the unforeseen events that often cause a broken wrist. But there are some basic tips that may offer some protection.

Check for Osteoporosis

See your GP to test your osteoporosis. If you have osteoporosis, your GP can advise a number of possible treatments including medications and dietary recommendations.

Strengthen your bones

.Build strong bones by:

• Doing plenty of weight-bearing exercise, such as brisk walking.
• Eating calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese

Prevent falls.

Most broken wrists occur when people fall forward onto an outstretched hand.
To reduce your risk of falling:

• Wear sensible flat shoes
• Remove home hazards that can lead to tripping and falling.
• Light up your living space
• Install grab bars in your bathroom
• Install handrails on your stairways

Use protective gear for Sports and other activities

Wear wrist guards for high-risk activities, such as:

• In-line skating
• Snowboarding