hand conditions

Hand Fractures

Hand Fractures

Definition

A fracture is a break in a bone that can range from a hairline crack to an open fracture (a bone that has broken through the skin. A fracture in any one of the 19 bones in the finger, thumb and palm of the hand is called a hand fracture.

Symptoms

  • Pain, throbbing, swelling, and bruising
  • Finger looks deformed or out of place
  • Limited motion or inability to move finger(s)
  • Numbness if nerves have been stretched or injured

Pathology

  • Trauma or injury (from sports, accidents, falls)
  • Enough force to break the bone
  • May be associated with damage to other structures in the hand

Treatment

Non-surgical

  • Rest, activity modifications, immobilization and protection (splint or cast)
  • Closed reduction (setting or positioning of the fractured bone)

Surgical