A Colles’ Fracture is a break of the radius ( a bone of the forearm) close to the wrist area. Signs of colles’ fracture involve wrist pain and swelling and it should be difficult for an individual with this fracture to hold or lift heavy objects with the hand. This article will take a look at the medical symptoms of colles’ fracture of the wrist and points out how it is treated.
Colles’ Fracture Symptoms And Causes
Signs or symptoms include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Tenderness and bruising on the thumb-side of the arm/wrist
- The affected hand may appear to be turned or displaced outward in somecircumstances
Colles’ fracture is generally induced by trauma to the arm/wrist generally involving a fall on an outstretched hand or a direct trauma to the wrist. The ailment can come about when one makes an attempt to stop a fall in the course of sports like rollerblading, skateboarding, or various other high-speed activities. In older adults any fall on an outstretched palm could result in this fracture.
In young children, bones are delicate and soft and have a tendency to result in an incomplete fracture on one side of the bone, this may be termed a torus, buckle or greenstick fracture. In elderly, the bones are brittle and a complete colles’ fracture is a lot more common.
Colles’ Fracture Diagnosis And Treatment
Diagnosis entails the observation of the aforementioned symptoms following an injury or fall and the disorder ought to be evaluated by a physician. The analysis may incorporate a physical and x-ray examination.
First aid or emergency treatment could include immobilization of the wrist in a normal resting position. The use of cold packs or ice is advisable to manage inflammation. If the wrist is displaced, do not attempt to move or straighten it. The person ought to be taken to a health treatment facility.
The fracture may have to be reduced in order to align the bone ends to enable proper healing. If small fragments of bone are involved, surgical procedure and the use of pins, screws, plates, wires, and so on., may be essential. Following reduction, the fracture area is immobilized with a cast or splint.
If you have a youngster or young adult who has fallen on an outstretched palm through a sporting event and now has difficulty holding or grasping a large object with the concerned hand. Or the particular person in question is an aged individual who attempted to break a fall with hands extended and is now experiencing pain and inflammation in the wrist, a colles’ fracture ought to be suspected and an appointment for medical care should be scheduled.