Wrist fracture

This information is for anyone with a wrist fracture that doesn't need surgery.

You may hear your injury called a fracture, a break or a crack. These all mean the same thing.

With a fracture, the bone isn't the only thing that's hurt. Some of the soft tissues around it will have been injured too. Soft tissues include the:

• muscles
• ligaments
• tendons
• nerves

Most of the healing after a wrist fracture happens between 6 to 12 weeks. You may still have aches and discomfort after that, and this is normal. It often shows up when you try activities you haven't done for a while.

The area can also stay more sensitive for several months after the injury, which is normal too.

Smoking affects all the tissues in your body, and it slows down the healing of a broken bone. In some people, it can stop healing altogether.

If you stop smoking while your wrist fracture heals, you give yourself the best chance of a good recovery. Get help to stop smoking.

Some medical conditions, diabetes for one, can slow down healing after a wrist fracture. Eating a healthy diet and staying active will help you recover.

Some medicines can slow down the healing of a wrist fracture. If you're worried about a medicine you take, talk to a doctor about it.

Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen, have been shown to delay healing.

A wrist fracture can leave you weak and limited, because you can't use your hand the way you normally would.

Depending on the type of fracture, the doctor may put a cast on the area, or you may be given a splint. Either one stops the area from moving while it heals.

If you've been given a splint, you can take it off to keep yourself clean, for example to shower or bathe. If it no longer fits well, contact your fracture clinic.

Further information on having a cast fitted or removed

Just after your wrist fracture, there are three things you should do:

• keep your shoulder and elbow moving
• keep your fingers and thumb moving by opening and closing your hand to make a fist, again and again through the day
• manage your pain and swelling

At this point your splint or cast will come off. Don't be surprised if your wrist feels stiff afterwards, because that's quite common once the cast or splint is removed.

You can begin gentle exercises, as your doctor or physiotherapist guides you.

As your wrist fracture heals, you can begin to:

• return to full function
• resume normal day to day activity
• gradually increase the amount of weight you're carrying
• return to contact sports at 12 weeks

You can start exercises for your wrist once your doctor or physiotherapist advises it. Stop exercising if it makes your symptoms worse, or if it causes new pain.

If your wrist still isn't working as well as it should after 6 weeks of following this advice, talk to a doctor about your symptoms.

It's normal to have some discomfort in the areas around your wrist fracture. The areas affected can be:

• other soft tissues
• nearby joints

Pain can change from day to day, and it doesn't always depend on what you're doing. Pain at rest is common.

Some pain is normal even after the fracture has healed. Some people also feel discomfort at the fracture site in colder weather.

Your local pharmacy can give you advice on managing pain after a fracture.

Some swelling near the fracture site is normal after a wrist fracture, and it often spreads down your arm.

It can sometimes last for months. How much swelling you have can also change depending on:

• your position
• your activity
• the time of day

Managing the swelling well will help your recovery.

Heavy swelling after a wrist fracture can be uncomfortable and may limit how much you can move. There are a few things you can try to bring it down:

• Raise your arm above your heart when you're resting. You can support it with pillows.
• Keep the other joints in your arm moving normally.
• Find a balance between rest and activity.
• Try self-massage to reduce the swelling. If you're able to, direct the massage from your fingertips towards your elbow.

Bruising is normal after a wrist fracture. It can spread widely, and it may show up a long way from the break itself. At first it can look very purple, and the colour may change as you recover.

Don't rush your return to normal activities after a wrist fracture. Take things at your own pace, and only do what you feel able to do.

When you go back to work after a wrist fracture depends on the kind of work you do and on your employer. You may be able to talk with your employer about returning in phases, or about changing your duties for a while.

You don't need to see a doctor or any other health professional before you go back to work.

Keep doing whatever activities you can manage with a broken wrist, as far as your pain allows. Then, bit by bit, do a little more as time goes on.

You may find things harder at the start because your wrist is less flexible and less strong than before. This will get better as you slowly build up to all your usual activities.

Feeling frustrated or low after a wrist fracture is normal. It usually gets better as you go back to your normal life.

A wrist fracture often happens when you fall, so it helps to find out why the fall happened in the first place. It also helps to learn how to build up your strength and balance, because that can lower the chance of falling again.

Get advice about preventing falls

Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones weaker, and that can put you more at risk of a fracture.

Fractures linked to osteoporosis are often called fragility fractures. They're caused by a minor injury, for example a small fall or bump that wouldn't normally break a bone.

Health professionals may check whether your fracture is caused by osteoporosis. This is normal if you:

• are over the age of 50
• have any risk factors for fracture

If you're worried that you may be at risk of fragility fractures, speak to your doctor. They'll be able to give you further advice.