Broken wrist

Colloquially speaking, a broken wrist is when there is a fracture at the lower end of the spoke (radius). This is one of the most common fractures and affects all age groups. At an older age, women are particularly affected, as they are more at risk of fractures due to osteoporotic changes.

Overall, the most common cause of a broken radius is a direct violent impact, such as a fall on the outstretched hand, impact trauma or a sports injury. The fracture directly causes severe pain in the wrist area, which is accompanied by severe swelling and often bruising. Sometimes the fracture is already externally visible when the ends of the bone are separated and cause a deformation of the forearm.

Otherwise, the fracture is diagnosed with the help of an X-ray. The fracture gap is visible. In addition, the physician can use the X-ray image to decide which therapy is appropriate for the type of fracture in question.If the fracture ends of the bone are not shifted against each other, a forearm cast is often sufficient to fix the wrist.

This is to prevent the fracture from slipping and the bone ends from healing together in the defective position. If the fracture is displaced from the outset, the bone pieces must be brought back into their correct position. This usually requires a surgical procedure in which the bone fragments are reattached to their correct anatomical position using screws, wires or plates.

The bone can then heal. After several weeks to months (depending on the type of surgery), the metal pieces are usually removed again. In adults, the cast usually remains in place for between three and six weeks.

During the follow-up treatment, it is important that physiotherapeutic exercises are performed to restore normal wrist function. Nevertheless, slight restrictions in the function of the joint may remain under certain circumstances. However, these are usually not serious, so that no significant restrictions in professional or everyday life are to be expected.

Long-term complications caused by a radius fracture are primarily the development of osteoarthritis or the occurrence of a growth disorder in children. To tap the wrist, kinesiotape strips of 3.75 cm width are required. The ends of the strips should be rounded off before application, as this prevents them from coming off so quickly.

To apply the tape, the affected arm is placed loosely on a table. It is easiest if a second person attaches the tape strips. First, a strip is wrapped circularly around the forearm just before the wrist.

A second strip is applied in the same way around the palm and back of the hand, just before the fingers are attached. These two strips are then joined together by the strips glued on below. First the back of the hand is glued.

Start with a strip on the side of the thumb, which should also include the thumb saddle joint. The other strips are applied at regular intervals next to it and end at the circular strip in front of the wrist. Then two tape strips are glued diagonally.

The first one starts at the back of the hand at the height of the little finger, then runs across the back of the hand and ends at the circular tape strip on the wrist on the thumb side. The second strip runs in such a way that it crosses over the first. It begins on the back of the hand on the thumb side and runs across the circular tape on the wrist on the little finger side.

If all these tapes are glued on the back of the hand, the same procedure is followed with the palm of the hand. Finally, the hand and wrist are completely covered with horizontal tape strips so that the previously applied strips are no longer visible. The wrist is then sufficiently stabilized. When taping, care should be taken to ensure that the strips are not stretched too much and that the tape is not too tight. It should not be felt as unpleasant.