You have been treated for a broken wrist. You have had a thorough examination and are now considered fit to be discharged. The following instructions will aid your recovery.
Your Broken Wrist - Some Information
These notes give you information about your broken wrist. They do not cover everything. If you want to know more, please ask.
What is the problem?
Your wrist is broken. (NB: A fracture is the same as a break).
There are various types of wrist fractures. The most common is a Colles’ (…Kol-eez) fracture.
Your bones were not in their proper place. Had they been allowed to heal in this position, you may not have been able to use your wrist normally. This is why your wrist was manipulated in the Emergency and Urgent Care Centre.
Will it hurt?
Your wrist should not hurt much now the bones are in their correct position. If it does, we can give you medicine or tablets to ease the pain.
Fracture Clinic
You will be given an appointment to come to the fracture clinic about one week after your manipulation. We will take another X-ray to check that the bones are healing in their correct position.
Usually, you will be seen in the fracture clinic one, two and six weeks after your injury.
How long in plaster?
You will need a plaster cast for up to six weeks.
Physiotherapy
It is very important that you keep your shoulder, elbow and fingers moving while your arm is in plaster.
You should keep your arm in your sling for the first week after your injury. After that you must discard your sling and use your arm as much as possible.
After we remove your plaster cast your wrist will be stiff. To help your wrist loosen, you must bend and straighten your wrist as far as possible and as often as possible. A good exercise is to put your hand over the edge of a table. Put your good hand on the top of your injured arm. Make a fist. Bend your fist down as far as it will go. Bring your wrist up as far as it will go.
If you need to see the physiotherapist, this will be arranged.
Washing
You must not get your plaster cast wet.
Once everything is removed, you may wash your arm normally.
Looking after a plaster cast
- Do not press on the plaster for 48 hours.
- Do not let the plaster cast get wet.
- Do not cut or bang the plaster.
- Do not put anything down the inside of the plaster (eg, coins).
- Do not use anything to scratch under the plaster.
Come back to the hospital if:
- you have pins and needles or numbness in your fingers.
- you cannot move your fingers.
- your fingers go blue.
- your fingers become very swollen.
- you have severe pain.
Come back to see the plaster technician if:
- the plaster cracks.
- the plaster becomes soft.
- the plaster is loose.
Driving
You must not drive with a plaster cast on your arm. If you were to have an accident, your insurance company may not cover you.
You should not drive until you have recovered good wrist movement. You may not be able to drive for two or three months after your injury.
Work
If you can work with your wrist in a plaster, you may. Clerical work is good physiotherapy! This is providing that you can get to work.
If you do manual work, you will be off work for at least three months after your operation.
Sport
You may swim and re-start most sports six weeks after your injury, since your break should have healed by this time.
When you re-start sport, you will not be able to play for as long as normal. Your wrist will ache at the end of a game.
General recovery
Your wrist will continue to improve for a year.
Complications
It is not uncommon for the bones to move within a plaster cast. This is why we take further X‑rays after a week. If the bones have moved, another operation may be needed. You cannot do anything to prevent this. You should use your hand as much as possible from the outset. This will not influence whether or not the bones move.
You are unlikely to develop arthritis of your wrist as a result of this injury.
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