Wrist injury and fracture in Key West

The wrist is the most commonly fractured bone in falls

There is nothing remarkable about how wrist fractures happen. You are moving forward (on a bicycle, a scooter, a boat deck, a pickleball court) and then suddenly you are not, and your hand goes out to break the fall. It is an instinct so automatic you cannot override it. The wrist absorbs what the rest of the body is carrying, and when that load is large enough, something gives way. Distal radius fractures (breaks at the far end of the radius bone near the wrist) are among the most common fractures seen in emergency and orthopedic settings. They are also among the most commonly underestimated, because the wrist can often still move after a fracture in ways that suggest the injury is merely a sprain.

Why wrist fractures are easy to miss

A wrist fracture, unlike a compound fracture of a large bone, is frequently subtle in its presentation. The wrist may be painful and swollen, but it may also retain most of its range of motion. The person may be able to grip things and use the hand in limited ways. This is particularly true of non-displaced fractures, where the bone is cracked but the fragments have not shifted. The danger in treating a fracture as a sprain is that ordinary activity and loading on the wrist can displace a non-displaced fracture, converting a simple injury into a more complex one that requires more extensive treatment. The scaphoid bone (one of the small carpal bones in the wrist) is especially prone to fractures that are both subtle and consequential if missed.

Signs that point toward fracture

Certain features of a wrist injury increase the likelihood of fracture over sprain. Suspect fracture when pain is located directly over the bone rather than in the soft tissue around the joint, when swelling develops rapidly within the first thirty minutes after injury, when there is visible deformity or angulation at the wrist, when grip strength is significantly reduced, or when pressing on the anatomic snuffbox (the hollow on the back of the wrist at the base of the thumb) causes sharp pain. That last finding specifically suggests a scaphoid fracture and warrants imaging even when initial X-rays appear normal.

Emergency

Emergency signs for wrist injuries

Go to the emergency room for a wrist with visible bone deformity, a cold or pulseless hand below the wrist, an open wound at the fracture site, or significant numbness in the fingers. These presentations require emergency evaluation. For non-emergency wrist injury evaluation and imaging, Key West Healthcare recommends Key West Concierge Orthopedics. Do not drive yourself if you are in significant pain or if emergency signs are present.

Orthopedic imaging for wrist injuries in Key West

Key West Concierge Orthopedics has on-site X-ray available for wrist injury evaluation. Imaging and orthopedic assessment happen in the same visit. For injuries where clinical suspicion for fracture is high but initial X-ray does not clearly show a fracture (a common situation with scaphoid fractures), the orthopedic evaluation guides next steps, which may include additional imaging such as an MRI or CT scan. Same-day evaluation for acute wrist injuries may be available. Call ahead to confirm before making the trip.

Frequently asked questions.