A broken wrist, also called a wrist fracture, is a common injury typically caused by a fall onto an outstretched hand. Some wrist fractures can be simple in nature and require little intervention. Others can be complex and need surgery to realign the bones to allow them to heal.
Wrist Fractures
Wrist fractures can be simple or complex and require careful evaluation by a health care provider. X-rays help determine if surgical or nonsurgical treatment is needed.
Proper alignment of the bones is needed to allow a broken wrist to heal. The type of fracture will help determine which treatment is best. Some wrist fractures can heal with a simple cast while others may require surgery.
A metal plate and screws can be used to hold the broken bone in place to stabilize a wrist fracture.
To repair a wrist fracture, small incisions will be made on either the top or underside of the wrist. This allows the surgeon to access the fracture to repair the broken bone.
