What Causes a Distal Radius Fracture?

Most distal radius fractures come from a fall onto an outstretched hand, but a few factors make them more likely. Common causes and risk factors include:

• Falls: A fall onto an outstretched hand, the most common cause
• Osteoporosis: Weakened bone that can let a wrist break from even a minor fall
• Sports and Activities: Sports with a risk of falling, such as cycling, skating or skiing
• Age-Related Changes: Reduced balance or bone strength that comes with age

Because weaker bone raises the risk, a wrist fracture from a minor fall in an older adult is worth discussing with a physician. For adults 65 and older, a broken bone often leads a physician to check for osteoporosis.

Distal Radius Fracture Symptoms

The symptoms of a distal radius fracture usually come on right away after the injury. Common signs include:

• Immediate Pain: Pain and tenderness around the wrist
• Swelling and Bruising: Swelling or discoloration around the injury
• Visible Deformity: A bent or out-of-place wrist, sometimes described as a dinner fork shape
• Limited Movement: Difficulty moving the wrist, hand or fingers
• Numbness or Tingling: Unusual sensations in the fingers

Please Note: A wrist that looks bent or out of shape, or fingers that feel numb or look pale after an injury, needs prompt medical attention. These can be signs of a more serious break or pressure on the nerves, so do not wait it out.

How a Distal Radius Fracture Is Diagnosed

Your physician will examine the wrist, check for tenderness, swelling and deformity and ask how the injury happened. An X-ray is the main tool for diagnosing a distal radius fracture, showing where the bone broke, whether it has shifted out of place and whether the break extends into the wrist joint. For a more complicated break, your physician may order a CT scan to see the fracture in more detail. This information determines whether the fracture can be treated in a cast or needs to be realigned or repaired.

Distal Radius Fracture Treatment

Treatment depends on how the bone broke, whether the pieces have shifted and your activity level and overall health. The main goal is to make sure the bone is well aligned and stays that way while it heals, so the wrist works well afterward.

Nonsurgical Treatment

Many distal radius fractures can be treated without surgery. If the bone is in good position, your physician applies a splint or cast to hold the wrist still while it heals, with follow-up X-rays to confirm the bone stays aligned. If the bone is out of place but stable enough to set without surgery, your physician may realign it first in a procedure called a closed reduction, then place the cast. Pain relievers such as acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory medication can help with discomfort along the way.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery may be recommended when the bone is badly displaced, broken into several pieces or extends into the wrist joint in a way that will not heal well in a cast alone. The surgeon realigns the bone and holds it in place, often with a metal plate and screws, and sometimes with pins or an external frame, depending on the fracture. For some fracture patterns, the pins can be placed through small openings in the skin, an approach called percutaneous pinning. Restoring the alignment of the joint surface is especially important for protecting wrist function and lowering the chance of arthritis later. Your Resurgens surgeon will explain which approach fits your fracture.

Recovery After a Distal Radius Fracture

Recovery depends on the severity of the break and how it was treated. The bone needs time in a cast or after surgery to heal, and your physician will monitor it with follow-up visits and let you know when the cast can come off. Once it does, the wrist is often stiff and weak, and hand therapy can help you rebuild motion, strength and grip. Most distal radius fractures take about three months to heal enough for all activities, and full recovery can take longer. Your physician will guide your return to work, sports and daily activities. Many people regain good use of the wrist with proper treatment and follow-up.

Schedule an Appointment for Wrist Fracture Care

If you have injured your wrist in a fall and it is painful, swollen or out of shape, do not wait to have it evaluated. Book an appointment online today with Resurgens Orthopaedics or call us at (404) 847-9999.