Scaphoid Fracture Treatment at UPMC Sports Medicine
Nonsurgical Scaphoid Fracture Treatment
If the fracture happens near your thumb, wearing a splint or cast for four to six weeks is often enough to allow the bone time to heal.
At UPMC Sports Medicine, your doctor will track the healing and recovery process with routine x-rays or CT scans of your wrist.
Scaphoid Fracture Surgery
If the fracture is near the middle of your wrist or toward your forearm, your treatment may include scaphoid fracture surgery.
A break in this middle area doesn’t allow enough blood supply to flow to the fractured bone, which it needs to heal.
During scaphoid fracture surgery, your doctor will:
- Make a small incision in your wrist.
- Place a screw or wires to hold the scaphoid bone in place.
- Put a cast on your wrist.
You will be in a cast for weeks or even months after surgery until the bone heals.
Scaphoid Fracture Recovery
Whether you had scaphoid fracture surgery or nonsurgical treatment — after your doctor removes your cast or splint — you will need to avoid:
- Heavy lifting.
- Sports with a high risk of falling on your wrist again.
Most wrist fractures require some form of rehab for a full recovery.
Your doctor may prescribe physical therapy to help:
- Regain strength.
- Restore range of motion in your wrist.
- Relieve pain while the scaphoid bone heals.
Learn more about Scaphoid Fracture Treatment
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