Dealing with Distal Fractures

The radius is the most commonly broken bone in the arm. When the break occurs at the wrist, the injury is known as a distal radius fracture. Some of these fractures are “lucky breaks” in that there is no bone displacement. In such cases, the arm can heal nicely with just a cast to support and immobilize the break. However, when bone is shattered or displaced, surgery will be needed to restore normal function to the arm.

Orthopedist Dr. David Nelson, a hand surgeon with MarinHealth Medical Center, has performed many reparative surgeries on distal radius fractures. Here, he explains what to look for if you are concerned you may have a distal fracture, and whether you can safely wait a day to get an X-ray. Dr. Nelson also discusses why it’s better to delay surgery until the swelling starts to go down, and what to expect from the recovery process.