A hand fracture is a traumatic injury to a bone in the hand, which can often have similar symptoms to a sprain.
What is a hand fracture?
A hand fracture is a break or crack in one or multiple bones in the hand, fingers or thumb.
Bones are made of calcium phosphate and collagen, and have different densities depending on how old you are. While bones are designed to take weight, if too much force is put onto them, a fracture can occur.
When a bone is fractured, it becomes less stable and you may not be able to put weight on it or move it. This can impact your daily life, and should be addressed as soon as possible, or else the fracture can become more severe and the recovery period can be longer.
What are the symptoms of a hand fracture?
If you have a hand fracture, you might experience:
- Sensitivity or tenderness
- Bruising
- A swollen hand and/or finger(s)
- Intense pain – this pain might become worse when you move your hand or attempt to hold or squeeze something
- Deformity
- Difficulty or inability to move your finger(s) or thumb
- Tingling or numbness
What causes a hand fracture?
A hand fracture can be caused in a variety of ways, most often from a direct blow or from being crushed.
For example:
- A car accident
- A fall
- Direct contact in sport
How is a hand fracture diagnosed?
If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, you should go to your consultant or A&E, who will do a visual inspection and take X-rays to determine whether any bones in your hand are broken. They will then decide what treatment options will be best for you.
How is a hand fracture treated?
Depending on the severity of your fracture, the hand may be able to be treated without surgical intervention. Because it is important to limit the movement in the hand while the bones are healing, you will probably be provided with a splint or a cast after the bone has been set.
If the break is more severe or complex, you might need to undergo surgery and have rods, pins, screws or plates implanted, or have a bone graft, in order for the bones to heal correctly.
Surgery might be needed if you have:
- A fracture extending into a joint
- An open fracture (a broken bone that has punctured the skin)
- Multiple broken bones or if a bone is completely crushed
- Bone pieces that have moved
- Bone fragments that have loosened and are at risk of entering a joint
- Damaged the surrounding blood vessels, nerves or ligaments
If you’re unsure what treatment you should go for, or the above treatments don’t work for you, our team of expert specialists are here to help.
