HAND WRIST FRACTURE WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
HAND, FOREARM, WRIST: ADULT AND PEDIATRIC FRACTURES
SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS HAND INJURY ADULTS AND KIDS
Hand Fractures
Some fractures will cause an obvious deformity, such as a crooked finger,
but many fractures do not. Medical evaluation and x-rays are usually needed so
that your doctor can tell if there is a fracture and to help determine the
treatment. Depending upon the type of fracture, your hand surgeon may recommend
one of several treatment methods.
Children's Fractures
Children have different bone structure than adults. As a result
there is often concern regarding growth plate injury. It is important to note
that most child hood fractures are growth plate injuries. Growth plate fractures
are classified depending on the degree of damage to the growth plate itself.
Treatment depends on the fracture type.
Forearm Fractures in Children
Growth Plate Fractures
Distal Phalanx Fracture
Most pediatric hand fractures can be treated by nonoperative
means with good results. However, a subset of fractures requires prompt
recognition and surgical intervention. Several pediatric phalangeal fracture
types must be recognized and treated appropriately to minimize complications
and disability. These injuries defy the general conception that pediatric
fractures universally do well with minimal intervention. This paper highlights
two important concepts: (1) phalangeal fractures in children can differ
considerably from other pediatric fractures, and (2) phalangeal fractures in
children can be very different from those in adults.
Pediatric Phalanx Fractures: Unique Challenges and Pitfalls.
Wrist Fractures
The most commonly broken bone of the wrist is the radius. Many
people think that a fracture is different from a break, but they are the same.
When the wrist is broken, there is pain, swelling, and decreased use of the hand
and wrist. Often the wrist appears crooked and deformed. Fractures of the small
wrist bones, such as the scaphoid, are unlikely to appear deformed.
Distal Radius Fracture of the Wrist
When someone falls on their outstretched hand, they sometimes
get a "broken wrist." The bone that is usually broken is called the radius. It
is the larger bone on the upper side of the photograph above. The end toward the
wrist is called the distal end. The medical term for "broken bone" is fracture.
Therefore, the medical term for the most common type of "broken wrist" is a
distal radius fracture (that is, the larger forearm bone is broken near the
wrist).
Scaphoid Fractures of the Wrist
Fracture of the scaphoid bone occurs most frequently from a
fall onto the outstretched hand. Typically there is pain initially, but the pain
may decrease after days or weeks. Bruising is rare, and swelling may be
minimal. Since there is no deformity, many people with this injury mistakenly
assume that they have just sprained their wrist, leading to a delay in seeking
evaluation. It is common for people who have fractured this bone to not become
aware of it until months or years after the event.