What is the description of a scaphoid fracture?
What is the description of a scaphoid fracture?
Description. A scaphoid fracture is usually described by its location within the bone. Most commonly, the scaphoid breaks in its mid-portion, called the “waist.”. Fractures can also occur at both the proximal and distal ends of the bone. Scaphoid fractures are classified according to the severity of displacement–or how far the pieces…
Can You Break Your scaphoid bone and other bones?
Commonly you will fracture only your scaphoid bone but sometimes other bones around the wrist area may be broken at the same time. Scaphoid fractures may be non-displaced (the fragments of the broken bone haven’t moved out of position) or displaced (there is some movement of the bone fragments).
What is a delayed union scaphoid fracture?
A scaphoid non-union fracture refers to a wrist fracture that is failing to heal. A fracture that is healing more slowly than expected is a “delayed union” fracture. If the scaphoid fracture is not healing, you may or may not continue to have symptoms.
What to do if you have a scaphoid fracture of the wrist?
Scaphoid Fracture of the Wrist 1 Physical Examination. During the exam, your doctor will talk with you about your general health… 2 Tests. X-rays provide images of dense structures, such as bone. 3 Nonsurgical Treatment. Fracture near the thumb. Scaphoid fractures that are closer to the thumb…
What happens if you don’t treat a broken scaphoid?
Another type of injury which can accompany a scaphoid fracture or occur on its own is a rupture (tear) of the scapholunate ligament. This ligament connects the scaphoid with its neighbor, the lunate bone (also known as the semilunar bone). An undetected and untreated torn scapholunate ligament can also lead to osteoarthritis of the wrist.
How long should you wear a cast for a scaphoid fracture?
If your doctor suspects that you have a fracture but it is not visible on x-ray, he or she may recommend that you wear a wrist splint or cast for 2 to 3 weeks and then return for a follow-up x-ray. Often, scaphoid fractures become visible on x-ray only after a period of time.
What is the scaphoid and why is it important?
It is key to the correct functioning of the wrist. The most common injury of the scaphoid is a fracture (break), usually caused when a person falls with the hand stretched out to brace him or herself (a natural reaction). This is a frequent injury among snowboarders and active children who participate in sports.
