![]() ![]() Your doctor or, in some cases, an occupational therapist, physical therapist or hand therapist, will provide specific exercises to help decrease stiffness and improve function.Įven after carefully following therapy instructions after fracture treatment, some patients may continue to have difficulty with stiffness or a contracture (loss of motion) in the hand. Complications of Hand Fracturesīecause some fractures require prolonged immobilization in a cast or splint, your hand and fingers may become stiff. Reproduced from Kozin SH, Thoder JJ, Lieberman G: Operative Treatment of Metacarpal and Phalangeal Shaft Fractures. (Right) In this X-ray, the fractures have been repaired with screws. (Left) X-ray shows fractures in the phalanges of two fingers. Small metal devices - such as wires, screws, pins, staples, and plates - may be used to hold the pieces of fractured bone in place. Your doctor may need to make an incision to help reposition the bone fragments into their normal alignment. Surgery is often necessary for open fractures in which pieces of bone have broken through the skin. Some hand fractures require surgery to realign and stabilize the fracture fragments. You can usually begin gentle hand exercises after 3 weeks. The non-injured finger acts as a “moving splint” to support the injured finger. Some types of fractures can be protected by wearing a removable splint or by being “buddy strapped” to a non-injured finger next to the injured finger. This is done to ensure that the bones are healing in the proper position.ĭepending on the location and stability of the fracture, you may have to wear the cast for 3 to 6 weeks. Your doctor will probably order a second set of X-rays about 1 to 2 weeks later. The cast may extend from your fingertips almost to your elbow to support the bones properly. A cast, splint or brace may be applied to keep the bones in acceptable alignment while they heal. This procedure is called a closed reduction. ![]() If a fracture does not line up in an acceptable position, your doctor can often realign the bone fragments by gently manipulating them back into position without making an incision. ![]()
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