Scaphoid fracture how long to heal

The farther your wrist is bent back, the more likely it is that your scaphoid bone will break. When you fall on your hand, all of the energy produced when your hand hits the ground travels to your forearm through the scaphoid.

The force puts a huge amount of stress on this small bone, which can cause a fracture. FOOSH injuries occur in many sports, especially things like skiing, skating, and snowboarding. Wearing a wrist guard is an easy way to prevent these injuries.

Participating in sports that repeatedly stress your scaphoid bone, such as shot put or gymnastics, can also cause a scaphoid fracture. Other causes include a hard blow directly to your palm and motor vehicle accidents. The most common symptom is pain and tenderness over the anatomic snuffbox.

The pain is often mild. It may get worse with pinching and gripping. The pain may even improve in the days and weeks after the fracture. When not treated with immobilization right away, the fracture may fail to heal. This is called nonunion, and it can cause serious long-term complications.

About 5 percent of scaphoid fractures are nonunion. Avascular necrosis can also cause nonunion. X-rays are the primary diagnostic tool. By that time, a fracture has begun to heal and is more noticeable.

Once an X-ray shows the fracture is healed, the cast can be removed. Please call for details. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. No Stitch Procedure. Where is My Scaphoid Bone? Classification of a Scaphoid Fracture Not all scaphoid fractures are created equal. Most patients with a fractured scaphoid will experience: Swelling of the wrist near the thumb Pain that may worsen with movement of the wrist or thumb, specifically when attempting a grasping or pinching motion Consistent pain lasting beyond 1 or 2 days The Road to Recovery.

Previous Post Previous. One of the most common ways that people break their scaphoid bones is by breaking a fall with their hands. When you land on an outstretched hand, it forces your hand backwards, causing the fracture.

Many patients think they simply have wrist pain and try to tough it out. If you receive proper treatment and restrict activity with your hand, a scaphoid fracture may heal without surgery. Your doctor will likely recommend casting if it appears that the bones may heal on their own. The cast immobilizes your wrist, so the pieces of bone to fuse back together.

Surgery is usually the best option when the ends of your scaphoid bone are displaced. If surgery is required, there are a few ways that a surgeon might repair your scaphoid. In many cases, procedures can be completed using guided instruments without an open incision. Bone from another part of your body is fixed with the pieces of your scaphoid. This may result in quicker and better healing. Scaphoid fractures tend to take longer to heal than other breaks.

Of course, there are always complications that can arise, and many factors, including age, general health, bone health, and regular activity can also affect the speed of healing, but ten to twelve weeks is a good estimate, without any complications. How exactly can the scaphoid bone get fractured? Fractures to the scaphoid bone are caused by a very specific type of injury, typified by a fall onto the outstretched hand, with the wrist flexed, and the majority of the force on the radial side of the wrist.

This is most commonly suffered by athletes or anyone who falls unexpectedly and tries to stop their fall with their hands, but it can also be caused by an automobile accident, where the wrists slam into the dashboard or the steering wheel, which mimics the circumstances of the fall.

Do I need surgery to repair my scaphoid fracture? As with most fractures, surgery is always a possibility, but conservative treatment is usually effective as long as the scaphoid bone maintains proper alignment during the healing process. If the bone is set and there is no growth detected, or there are indications that the bone is dying anyway, then surgery will be necessary.

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