How Do I Know If My Broken Bone Is Healed
August 28, 2010 by Dr. Henley
a healing metacarpal fracture
My patients often ask, Is my fracture healing?. How does your doctor decide whether your fracture is healed or not? This article will help you learn how fracture healing takes place and how to tell if your fractured bone is healed.
When a bone breaks, it bleeds. Your bones contain thousands of blood vessels that supply the cells inside. Clotted blood pools into a glob that surrounds the broken ends of the bone.
That clotted blood is good and normal the cells and proteins inside it provide a type of scaffold that allows bone cells to know where to grow.
The bone cells form strands of new bone that interlink and grow into a solid mass of bone across and around the fracture site. This process of going from clotted blood to solid bone takes about six weeks in most situations.
As the bone heals, the pain from the fracture will decrease and become less painful. When you touch the fractured area, the pain will lessen as the fracture gets more solid.
So, one way to tell if the broken bone is healed is for the doctor to examine you if the bone doesnt hurt when he touches it, and its been about six weeks since you broke it, the bone is most likely healed.
So, a broken bone is healed after the bone stops hurting and there is some evidence of new bone formation on x-rays taken in the doctors office.
Bones Of The Wrist And Hand
There are;eight small carpal bones in the wrist that connect to the hand and the forearm. These bones manage hand movement. If you cant move your fingers, its a likely indicator that the wrist is broken.
Ligaments stretch between these carpal bones, connecting one to another. Strain or tearing of the ligament is often what causes pain and swelling in a sprain.
Kinds Of Wrist Breaks
When you try to stop an object from falling, but the impact is too much for your wrist to take, the situation can cause your wrist to break. This is the most typical cause behind a broken wrist and is called a distal radius fracture.
Besides that, other wrist breaks include a scaphoid fracture, which implicates your scaphoid carpal bone, a Chauffers fracture, which involves your radius bone, and an ulnar styloid fracture, which happens to your ulnar region.;
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Sprained Wrist Vs Broken
Now, how can you tell if it’s a sprained wrist vs broken wrist? A deformity of the bone, such as a bone sticking out or nearly sticking out of the skin, is the easiest way to tell a broken bone.;
Otherwise, determining sprained wrist vs broken wrist is not that easy, and we recommend that you see an orthopedic physician who can make that diagnosis. ;Sometimes we find that mild pain in the wrist could end up being a fracture, while severe pain could be just a sprain. Therefore, the best decision is to get your injury evaluated by a physician who may use diagnostic testing to confirm their diagnosis.;
You don’t want to find out too late that you had a broken bone or that you have a severe sprain. This could lead to improper healing or deformity or even necrosis of the bone.
Dr. Garry Kitay;states that “although most wrist injuries can be treated with bracing and rest, certain conditions need urgent attention to avoid long term harm. These include several types of ligament ruptures and unstable fractures. If your pain is severe, or you are not improving quickly, seek medical attention.” Dr. Kitay is a board-certified physician by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and he practices at the JOI San Marco location.
If you want to learn more about wrist sprains, please watch this VIDEO.
Guide To Wrist Anatomy
The wrist is among the most complex joints in the body. In fact, it may be argued that there is no such thing as a single wrist joint, since the wrist contains many joints that function together to move the hand.
The carpal bones are divided into a proximal row and a distal row. The proximal carpals meet the radius bone at the radiocarpal joint.
The wrists functions include:
- Moving the hand back and forth and side to side
- Transferring forces from the arm to the hand
- Providing strength and flexibility to the hand
These functions depend on a complex structure of multiple bones, joints, and soft tissuestendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels.
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Wrist Sprain Vs Broken Wrist: Signs To Tell Which Happened
There are eight small bones in your wrist. Any of them can break and cause severe damage to your wrist.;
Depending on the break, your wrist could take anywhere from weeks to months to heal.;
Maybe you broke one of these eight wrist bones, but youre unsure if its a break or a sprain. How do you tell the difference?;
Heres a guide on the difference between a wrist sprain and a wrist break that can give you insight on if you should see a doctor and the treatment options available to you.;
What Are The Different Grades Of Wrist Sprains
There are different grades of wrist sprains that span from a stretch or small tear in the fibers of the ligament to a total tear through the ligament or the tissues that attach to the bone.;;
- Grade 1 : Ligaments are only stretched.;
- Grade 2 : Ligaments are slightly torn and can result in loss of function.;
- Grade 3 : Ligament is totally torn or has detached from the bone. If the ligament detaches from the bone, it is possible for it to also take a small piece of the bone, which is known as an avulsion fracture. Typically, any injuries in this grade category will require surgery.;;
It is possible for what seems like a mild sprain to involve a ligament tear which can result in issues in the long run without surgery. If the wrist injury doesnt resolve on its own within a few days or there is ongoing pain, it is critical to see a hand specialist to avoid long term problems, such as arthritis.;
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How Do I Treat A Broken Wrist
In most cases, it is not a good idea to treat a broken wrist yourself. If you believe that your wrist may have been severely sprained or broken, you should visit your local emergency room immediately. Once there, you will likely have to have an X-ray done to find out if your wrist is actually broken, where the fracture has occurred, and what type of fracture it is. These things will allow doctors to provide you with the proper treatment for your broken wrist.
Many times, the doctor will treat a broken wrist by first putting it in a brace or cast to keep the bone perfectly still as it heals. This is especially important if the break occurred right on the joint, because this area is generally much harder to keep still than just above or below the joint. You should make every effort to rest the area and allow your wrist to heal, even if its tempting to begin moving it again once the pain is gone. Depending on the break, you may have to leave the brace or cast in place for several weeks or longer before removal.
Some severe cases may result in surgery being needed to treat a broken wrist that is badly damaged. This most often occurs due to a traumatic injury, such as those which may occur during a sports game or automobile accident. Patients who are advised to have surgery will likely require a much longer healing time to allow for both the bone and surgical wounds to heal completely. A brace or cast will likely be required right after surgery.
How Is A Wrist Fracture Diagnosed
A wrist fracture hurts, sometimes a lot. Symptoms include pain, tenderness, swelling and/or bruising. A doctor may diagnose a wrist fracture based on information gathered from the patient, a physical exam, and X-rays. High-energy fractures are usually evaluated with a computerized tomography scan, in addition to X-rays, to better identify the pattern of the injury, says Dr. Swigart. Magnetic resonance imaging is occasionally necessary, too.
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Is My Wrist Broken Or Sprained
It is a natural instinct to put out a hand and to try to catch oneself during a fall. This impulse is the cause for nearly all wrist sprains and fractures. Medical professionals even have an acronym for this mechanism of injury: FOOSH stands for fall on outstretched hand.
When a wrist injury occurs, it can be difficult to determine what type of injury has occurred. Most frequently, the resulting wrist injury is either a sprain or fracture.
Are You High Risk
You might find yourself being a high risk for a fractured or sprained wrist if youre active in sports, specifically ones like skateboarding or snowboarding. Another high-risk factor is if youve been;diagnosed with osteoporosis, a bone disease that is characterized by low bone density.
53 million people in the United States either are already diagnosed with osteoporosis or are at high risk because of their low bone density.;Otherwise known as the silent disease, many people do not know they have this disease until a slip or fall happens and they end up with an injury.
Even if you dont find yourself playing sports often, any type of activity that is high in contact increases your chances of experiencing a wrist fracture. Even something as small as jumping on a trampoline can make you more high risk.
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Sprained Wrist Vs Broken Wrist
How do you determine a sprained wrist vs. a broken wrist? The fastest way to be sure is to get an X-ray image of the wrist to look for a fracture. If you or a loved one suffer a wrist injury and are experiencing pain, check for some of the following symptoms to determine whether the wrist is sprained or broken.
How Long Does A Sprained Wrist Take To Heal
A mild wrist sprain will start feeling better 24 to 48 hours after you start treatment. It will fully heal in 1 or 2 weeks.
If you have a moderate or severe injury, recovery might last 6 to 8 weeks. Youll need to wear splint for most of this time.
In a severe sprain, your ligament will heal in 8 to 12 weeks. A full recovery may take 6 to 12 months, especially if you need surgery.
Its not always possible to avoid accidents, but you can reduce your risk of slips and falls.
Follow these tips to prevent wrist sprains:
- Use caution when walking in rain or icy weather.
- Wear wrist guards during activities like basketball, skiing, and skateboarding. If you fall, the wrist guard will stop your wrist from extreme motions.
- Wear shoes that properly fit to minimize the risk of falls.
- Lift heavy objects with both hands to reduce the pressure on each wrist.
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Ligaments Of The Wrist
Ligaments are fibrous bands of tissue that connect two bones. Ligaments of the wrist connect the wrists carpal bones with each other or with the bones of the forearm or hand .
Depending on their location, the ligaments of the wrist can be broadly grouped into:
- Extrinsic ligaments that connect the carpal bones to the long bones of the forearm or the bones between the wrist and finger bones . Extrinsic ligaments include several volar radiocarpal ligaments, volar ulnocarpal ligaments, and dorsal ligaments.
- Intrinsic ligaments that connect the carpal bones to each other. Intrinsic ligaments include several proximal row ligaments, distal row ligaments, and palmar midcarpal ligaments.
Some of these ligaments also web together to form a capsule around the wrist joint, and provide strength, flexibility, and support to the wrist.
Commonly diagnosed wrist ligament injuries include2:
- Triangular fibrocartilage complex injury. The TFCC is a small piece of cartilage that lies on top of the ulna bone and cushions the carpal bones. TFCC injuries result in damage to the radioulnar and ulnocarpal ligaments of the wrist.
- Scapholunate ligament injury. The most common type of wrist sprain results from damage to the scapholunate ligament, which connects the scaphoid and lunate bones.1 These injuries happen on a spectrum from partial injuries to complete tears depending on severity.
Both non-surgical and surgical treatments are used to treat wrist sprains.
Broken Wrist Vs Sprained Wrist
A sprained wrist happens when a ligament in the wrist becomes injured. Ligaments are bands of connected tissue that stretch from bone to bone. Wrist sprains usually involve an overstretched or torn ligament.;
A broken wrist happens when you fracture a bone in the wrist. The wrist is made up of 13 different bones that can break during an injury. Even the smallest of fractures can cause considerable pain.
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How Do I Know If I Need Wrist Fracture Surgery
The following factors are considered by your doctor when assessing if wrist fracture surgery is necessary. If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then your doctor will most likely recommend surgery.
- Are the bones shifted out of position?
- Are the bones fragmented and unstable?
- Is the wrist joint, as a whole, affected by the injury?
Doctor Doctor Give Me The News
One of the easiest and most common ways to instantly tell if you have a wrist fracture is the use of an x-ray. Even if its a torn ligament in your wrist, an x-ray is necessary. Not only will this show the doctor if you have a broken wrist, but it will also give them more detail about the break such as if it is a displaced or non-displaced fracture.
Other imaging tests can give the doctors more insight into your injury if needed. CT scans can show the doctors if there are injuries to the soft tissues or blood vessels. The amazing part about this technology is that it will take a variety of x-rays scans and combine them to show your bodys internal structure.
Another test used is an MRI. Intricate photos of your soft tissue and bone are taken and will show even the smallest of fractures and injuries to your ligaments.
These are great resources for doctors to determine if youve done any deeper damage to your wrist. Theyll be able to look for nerve,;muscle, joint, and blood vessel damage in the case that they were affected by the break, allowing them to make better decisions about what action needs to be taken.
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Diagnosing A Wrist Sprain
- 1Move your wrist and assess it. Wrist sprains have a wide range of severity depending on the degree of stretch or tearing to the ligament. A mild wrist sprain , infers some ligament stretching, but no significant tearing; a moderate sprain infers significant tearing and may be associated with some loss of function; a severe sprain infers a greater degree of tearing or complete rupture of ligaments.XResearch source As such, movement in your wrist will be relatively normal with Grade 1 and 2 sprains. A Grade 3 sprain often leads to instability with movement because the ligaments attaching the wrist bones are completely torn.
- In general, only some Grade 2 and all Grade 3 wrist sprains need medical attention. All Grade 1 and most Grade 2 sprains can be managed at home.
- A Grade 3 wrist sprain can involve an avulsion fracture the ligament tears away from the bone and takes a small chip of bone with it.XResearch source
- The most common ligament sprained in the wrist is the scapho-lunate ligament, which connects the scaphoid bone to the lunate bone.XResearch source
- Grade 3 sprains that involve an avulsion fracture are very painful immediately, and involve both sharp and throbbing type pain.
- Sprains generate the most pain with movement and are usually much less symptomatic with lack of movement .
- In general, if your wrist is very painful and difficult to move, see your doctor right away and get it assessed.
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What Is The Physiological Difference Between A Wrist Sprain And A Broken Wrist
The wrist is anatomically complex. A wrist sprain occurs when a ligament in the wrist is injured. Ligaments are bands of connective tissue that stretch from one bone to another. Wrist sprains typically involve stretching or tearing a ligament.
In contrast, a broken wrist occurs when you actually fracture a bone in the wrist. The wrist consists of 13 different bones, and any of these could be fractured during an injury. This could be as small as a hairline fracture in the bone, but a broken wrist can cause major pain.
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I Hurt My Hand Playing Sports How Do I Know If Its Broken Sprained Or Bruised
While sports are fun, there are also plenty of opportunities for injury. When an injury occurs to the hand or wrist while playing sports, it may be important to have a hand specialist evaluate it. Appropriate treatment will provide the best chance for healing properly, allowing you to return to playing the games you love. A hand surgeon will be able to diagnose whether the hand, finger or wrist is broken, sprained or bruised and whether you need specialized treatment.
Broken Wrist How To Recover Faster
Depending on the source, the wrist is the 2nd or 3rd most common bone to break in the body. To be more specific, the distal radius is commonly broken with a fall onto an outstretched hand.
Once this happens, treatment can take several different paths. For a simple break the individual may;be placed in a splint or cast for a few weeks. Unfortunately more severe or displaced fractures require surgery. Regardless, the average healthy adult bone takes 8-12 weeks to heal. . Once the bone heals, it will be strong again. Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are important for quicker recovery.
Once the doctor deems the bone;is healed enough for cast or splint to be removed, is that it? Will you be good to go just like that?
In most instances the answer is DEFINITELY NO. After several weeks with limited movement due to splint or cast, that wrist and hand will be stiff. Many individuals will have some trouble regaining their motion and strength .
It is at this point a person has 2 options: 1) go at it alone or 2) go to therapy for help
Interestingly many doctors advise and patients choose the go at it alone option. Why would anyone really choose;this option? Why risk spending more time with a hand/wrist that does not move and function as optimally as possible?
Now with option #2, there may be some discomfort with therapy and there will definitely be some work in a clinic AND AT HOME .
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