Q&A

Can you still move your wrist with a hairline fracture?

Can you still move your wrist with a hairline fracture?

You can move the wrist with a hairline fracture but it is typically not recommended. It also depends on the location of the fracture and it severity. Immobilization is typically recommended to prevent healing complications.

How do you know if your wrist has a hairline fracture?

The most common symptom of a hairline fracture is pain. This pain can gradually get worse over time, especially if you don’t stop weight-bearing activity. Pain is usually worse during activity and lessens during rest….Other symptoms include:

  1. swelling.
  2. tenderness.
  3. bruising.

How can you tell the difference between a hairline fracture and a sprain?

A sprain is classified as a stretched or torn ligament or tendon, while a fracture is a broken bone. If you’re experiencing pain around the soft tissue but not over your bone, it’s likely that you have a sprain and not a break.

Can you fracture your wrist and have no swelling?

That’s usually what happens to the scaphoid bone in your wrist, a boat-shaped bone located on the outermost side of the thumb side of the hand. Many people with a fractured scaphoid think they have a sprained wrist instead of a broken bone because there is no obvious deformity and very little swelling.

Could I have fractured my wrist without knowing?

There are a few telltale symptoms to detect a wrist fracture: deformity of the wrist or bone matter breaking through the skin are obvious signs of fracture. When these occur, individuals need to seek medical care right away. However, other wrist injury symptoms are common for both fractures and sprains.

Can a sprain feel like a break?

Sprains can be extremely painful, and are easy to confuse as a break. Many times, they are more painful than a fracture, which has been confirmed by science. However, the symptoms of a sprain are usually: Pain around the injury area.

How to tell if you have a hairline wrist fracture?

A severe fracture in the wrist may involve one of the long bones (radius and ulna), or one or more of the 8 carpal bones. Hairline fractures are also known as stress fractures. Hairline fractures are also common in the foot, ankle and spine. Fractures are diagnosed with x-rays and an exam from a physician.

How to tell the difference between a wrist sprain and a fracture?

There are some differences that might clue you in on whether or not your accident may have resulted in a wrist fracture. They can include the following: Generally caused by a sudden impact. Hearing a popping or cracking noise. Range of motion changes in fingers. Numbness. Limited movement of the wrist joint.

What to do if your wrist is sprained or fractured?

X-rays are taken and sure enough unfortunately they have a wrist fracture. At that point, they typically have either a reduction of the fracture, meaning putting the bone back in place and setting it and a splint placed. Or if it’s not a bad fracture sometimes just a splint placed and are advised to follow up with an orthopedic hand doctor.

What’s the difference between a fracture and a hairline fracture?

A hairline fracture, also known as a stress fracture, is a small crack or severe bruise within a bone. This injury is most common in athletes, especially athletes of sports that involve running and jumping. People with osteoporosis can also develop hairline fractures.