Wrist injury

Personal injury and the wrist

Wrist injuries are very common. Around 25% of all patients who attend a fracture clinic as a result of a personal injury are doing so because they have experienced a broken wrist.

The wrist is a complex mechanism, made up of 8 carpal bones and lower end of the radius and ulna. Its complex physiology is what allows the wrist such a wide range of movement. However it also makes it vulnerable to injury through breaks and sprains.

Types of wrist injury

A wrist injury usually takes the form of either a fracture, or a sprain.

The wrist most often breaks a few centimetres from the joint. A severe break may affect both the radius and the ulna. A possible complication with this type of injury is that one bone may become longer than the other. If this occurs there will be long term damage and restriction of movement.

Wrist injury repair

There are several types of broken wrist, which are a direct result of the type of impact and the amount of forces the impact involves.

The most common type of broken hand is a simple fracture. This is where the bone fully breaks but does not pierce the skin. While there is less visual evidence, the symptoms of this personal injury are easily identifiable. There will be large amounts of worsening pain, severe swelling, bruising, and a lack of ability to bear weight.

An impacted fracture is a personal injury that is most commonly caused by falling from a great height. This is where the end of one bone is forced into another.

A spiral fracture is a break that is around the bone. Sporting injuries are the most common cause of this type of personal injury, because of the twisting motion that some sports require.

A comminuted fracture is a personal injury where a bone is broken into fragments. It is also known as a compression fracture. This type of injury most commonly occurs when large forces are involved with the impact. It is the most common type of personal injury fracture in road traffic accidents because of the large forces.

Serious Law have a great deal of experience in both the treatment and personal injury compensation of broken and sprained wrist. If you would like to investigate the possibility of a personal injury claim, or to ensure you are receiving the correct level of rehabilitation to ensure your personal injury recovers appropriately, then visit our > Contact Us page for more information.

Wrist injury treatment

The symptoms of a broken wrist include pain and swelling. It is most often treated with a sling or plaster cast in order to immobilise the joint for it to heal in the correct alignment. If the injury is severe a surgical procedure may be required in order to ensure that the bones are correctly aligned before they heal.

Wrist injury next steps

If you would like to investigate whether you may have a personal injury compensation claim from a wrist injury, then please call 0800 035 15 65 or visit our > Contact Us page for further information.