Scaphoid Fracture of the Wrist

Falling on a stretched out hand, with the weight landing on the palm can result in a scaphoid fracture. The scaphoid is one of the small bones in the wrist and is most likely to break in this case. The scaphoid is located on the thumb side of the wrist, in the area where the wrist bends. It can most easily be identified when the thumb is held in a "hitch-hiking" position.

The scaphoid is at the base of the thumb, and the most common signs of a fractured scaphoid are tenderness and pain around the wrist and thumb. There are some cases when the area around the wrist has also been swollen. There are several different surgery methods in fixing a scaphoid fracture, including a scaphoid debridement, screw fixation, and the bone graft method. The most common nonsurgical treatment option is a cast for 9-12 weeks.

To learn more about scaphoid fractures of the wrist, make an appointment with our doctors at Southern Indiana Orthopedics at (812) 864-4138.