Q: I broke my wrist last year. My doctor has me wearing a cast and following up with physical therapy. I still have pain. Why is that?
A: Wrist fractures, which typically involve the radius and ulna bones, are some of the most common fractures of the body. With proper treatment, most wrist fractures heal without problems. But some patients may continue to experience pain and/or loss of motion. This may be due to a number of things, the most common being damage to structures surrounding the bones — e.g., ligaments, cartilage — at the time of injury. Generally, associated injuries heal at the same time as the fracture and are not noticed but, on some occasions, they don’t heal correctly and cause problems that require further treatment. Patients experiencing these problems should receive an evaluation to make sure that healed bones are in an acceptable position. If necessary, surgery can be performed to realign the bones. For those with ligament injury or cartilage damage, temporary use of a brace, a steroid injection in the painful site or even surgery can provide relief.
— Dr. Robert Mastey, Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics; member, Chattanooga- Hamilton County Medical Society
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