Orthopaedic Surgery - Discharge advice following a simple wrist fracture

We are sorry to hear you had an injury. This advice is designed to help you get better as quickly as possible. During your recovery we may contact you to improve the service for future patients.

Please contact us if:

• You are worried about anything in this plan or have any questions
• You do NOT wish to be contacted about your injury
• If you are having pain or swelling in a different part of your body
• If you still have significant pain and/or swelling 6 weeks after your injury

Helpline - 0161 206 4892

You can leave a message anytime. We aim to return your call within 24 hours (except weekends).

What have I done?

You have broken a bone in your wrist. This injury is very common. Pain, swelling and bruising to the wrist, hand and fingers is normal and could last for a few weeks.

As your bones are still in a good position this injury does not need surgery.

You should make a very good recovery if you follow this advice and do the exercises little and often.

Injury recovery

• It takes up to 6-12 weeks to recover from this injury
• Pain and swelling are normal. Take simple painkillers e.g. paracetamol for as long as you need to, do not take more than the recommended dose. Your local pharmacist is also a useful source of information for pain relief
• Attempt to make a full fist and straighten your fingers as early on as possible
• The wrist support should be worn day and night for 4-6 weeks. It can be removed for washing but you should try and keep your wrist still when doing this
• You can start doing gentle wrist exercises out of the splint after 4 weeks
• If you need advice on exercise or your recovery please refer yourself to physiotherapy or call our helpline

Occasionally a plaster cast is applied instead of a wrist splint. If you have been put in a cast our fracture clinic will contact you to advise when this should be removed.

What to do in the first 24-72 hours to reduce pain and swelling

• Protect the wrist from further injury by using the splint
• Ice is very good at reducing swelling and pain. Wrap an icepack (or bag of frozen peas) in a tea towel and put it on your wrist. Leave for 5-10 minutes and repeat every 2-3 hours
• Gentle movement of the elbow, fingers and thumb creates blood flow to the injury. This helps it to heal and also reduces swelling. Start your exercises as soon as possible. Doing them after ice often feels better
• You should keep your hand elevated (higher than your heart) as much as possible to reduce swelling

Exercises

Attempt these hand and forearm exercises as soon as you can tolerate.

All exercises should be performed little and often or at least 4 times every day, and you should avoid pushing into any sharp pain.

You should continue with the exercises until you have made a full recovery or feel they are no longer beneficial.

Osteoporosis

If you’ve fractured a bone AND are over 50 years you may be at risk of having osteoporosis (weakening of the bones).

You may be contacted separately by letter from Salford Fracture Liaison Service offering you a telephone risk assessment; if you live outside of Salford please speak to your GP.

What is osteoporosis?

Bone is a living tissue, as we get older it does not renew itself as well so our bones can start to weaken. This happens to everybody to some degree, but when the bones become fragile it’s called osteoporosis.

Certain lifestyle factors affect the health and strength of your bones, such as smoking, alcohol, certain medications (steroids), being underweight, lack of exercise and not enough calcium and vitamin D. We get Vitamin D from sunlight; research shows people in the North of England or those with darker skin can be more deficient in vitamin D.

How can I help myself?

The following will help to reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis:

• Get plenty of calcium and vitamin D as part of a well-balanced diet
• Exercise regularly, especially activities that involve walking or running
• Stop smoking
• Don’t drink too much alcohol

Nutrition tips

• You can help your body to recover by eating the right food
• Drink lots of water
• Protein, calcium and vitamin D work together to help your body repair
• Foods high in protein: seafood, meat, dairy, eggs, beans, and soya. O Foods high in calcium: dairy, almonds, seeds, oily fish, beans, and lentils
• Dark leafy greens like kale, broccoli and cabbage also help calcium absorption
• Foods high in vitamin D: oily fish, milk, cheese and eggs
• You should consider taking vitamin D supplements whilst this fracture heals and during the autumn and winter months
• Eat less sugar and alcohol (sugar reduces calcium absorption)

Important information about smoking

Fact: Broken bones take longer to heal in people who smoke. In extreme cases, it can stop healing altogether.

Good News: Stopping now will make the difference and give you the best results.

Help Go to:  www.smokefree.nhs.uk or have a chat with your GP.

Physiotherapy

If you live in Salford you can refer yourself online to our physiotherapy department using this website www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk/go2physio

If you do not live in Salford or have no internet access, then ask your GP to refer you.

Work

You can return to work once you feel comfortable performing your duties. Any manual lifting duties should be avoided for the first 6 weeks and beyond this point you should make a slow return to these duties only when you feel comfortable.

Sports

You should not play any contact sport until you are symptom[1]free (this is unlikely to be within the first 8 weeks). You can exercise your lower body or uninjured arm as soon as you feel able and safe to do so.

Driving

It is important that you contact your insurance company to tell them about your fracture. You may be able to drive when you feel safe to perform an emergency stop and fully operate your vehicle. You may not be insured while wearing a wrist support.

Alcohol

Try to minimise the amount of alcohol you drink whilst your wrist is recovering.

Excess alcohol can reduce the ability for injuries to heal and it can cause you to have further injury.

Remember…

• Wrist fractures can be very painful
• The majority of these injuries will recover within 6-12 weeks
• Gentle exercises will aid your recovery and reduce the risk of re-injury