Medically called distal radial fractures, broken wrists are one of the more common fractures in the hand – they normally happen when people fall on outstretched hands, which does break their fall but also fracturing the wrist at the same time.

Symptoms of broken wrist

• mild to severe pain in wrists
• difficulty moving the wrist
• swelling
• “dinner fork” deformity of the wirst from the side view
• weakness of the wrist and hand that is affected
• inability to move and grip on the affected hand

If you think or suspect that you have a broken wrist, go to the accident and emergency (A&E) unit of your local hospital immediately.

If there is no broken skin (ie no bleeding etc), then you should/can also wrap the wrist in ice packs (accidents can happen without warning, that’s why having cold packs already in freezer can be helpful) to decrease the pain and swelling.

At the accident & emergency department

The doctor will assess you and call for an xray to have a visual on the severity of the wrist fracture; which will impact the solutions that will be given to you:

1. no fracture likely means mild sprain or even bony contusions; you may be given painkillers and scheduled with an orthopedic doctor for follow up
2. mild fracture that is stable (more like a “crack”), fracture is stable and didnt move; you will likely be placed on a cast (or even a wrist brace) with painkillers and follow up with an orthopedist
3. complex or severe fractures (multiple pieces, or a broken bone pierced the skin etc) — you will likely be sent for immediate surgery

Hand therapy for broken wrist / distal radial fracture

All wrist fracture cases will benefit from hand therapy / hand physiotherapy for full recovery of movement, strength, stability and move.
Hand therapy will begin as soon as the orthopedic doctor refers for hand therapy, and the core focus is to to ensure that the unaffected joints and muscles of the fingers and elbows receive full range of motion exercises and treatment, to prevent stiffness due to fear, pain and non-mobility because of guarded movements.

The patient’s #1 risk other than non-union of bone, is the dreaded “stiffness”.

Stiffness is the #1 enemy, and will have risk of it simply because of the fracture or injury in the first place, and it can get worsened by simply not moving it. We have had patients who decided to not participate in wrist exercises at home and eventually the wrist gets stiffer and stiffer.

A stiff wrist cannot do many things properly, such as

• picking up an object such as coins, keys, paper
• using an object such as a key
• cant type properly (or at all)
• cant wear or take off clothing
• cant shower or go toilet
• etc

Everything that requires the wrist will be hard to do…and everything needs the wrist!

• Exercises at this stage includes
• wrist flexion and extension
• wrist deviation (left and right)
• wrist supination and pronation
• Advanced hand therapy for wrist fracture

Your wrist may be provided with heat therapy such as paraffin wax moist heat bath and heat packs to loosen the wrist joints and wrist structures as well as improve circulation which can help with fracture healing as well as pain relief.

Advanced hand therapy for fractured wrists

Once the orthopedic surgeon confirms that the broken bones integrity (ie healing is good and stronger) has improved, we will start more active hand physiotherapy interventions, such as passive and resistive exercises under therapy supervisions.

Passive mobilizations are using another hand to gentle stretch the joint beyond what active allows but in a controlled manner with little to no pain. Often patients will also receive manual therapy such as mobilization and manipulation of soft tissue and joints which will help to

• increase joint gliding movement
• reduce pain / pain relief
• improve range of motion of th ejoint

When xrays show that the bones are even stronger and ready for strengthening, then we can start gradual gentle strengthening, which can include weights, resistive bands, resistive putties and resistive therapy bar exercises.

Where To Next?

• Go to Home / Start
• Learn and find out more about your pains (bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves etc) at Pain Conditions & Injuries
• Visit our shop to see products we recommend for pain relief, heating, treatments and more
• Contact us