Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Scaphoid Fracture Surgery
Scaphoid fractures are breaks in a small boat-shaped bone in your wrist near the base of your thumb - they commonly occur from falling onto an outstretched hand and are tricky because they often don't show up on initial X-rays and have poor blood supply - most scaphoid fractures heal in a cast over 8-12 weeks, but surgery with a small screw is needed for displaced fractures (moved out of position), fractures not healing in a cast, or fractures in athletes who need faster return to sport
📖What is Scaphoid Fracture Surgery?
Scaphoid fractures are breaks in a small boat-shaped bone in your wrist near the base of your thumb - they commonly occur from falling onto an outstretched hand and are tricky because they often don't show up on initial X-rays and have poor blood supply - most scaphoid fractures heal in a cast over 8-12 weeks, but surgery with a small screw is needed for displaced fractures (moved out of position), fractures not healing in a cast, or fractures in athletes who need faster return to sport
🔬What Causes It?
- Falling onto outstretched hand (most common - 80-90% of cases)
- Direct impact to wrist during sports (football, basketball, rugby)
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Workplace injuries involving falls or impacts
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Contact sports participation (football, rugby, martial arts)
- Activities with fall risk (skateboarding, rollerblading, cycling)
- Young active adults age 15-40 years (most common age group)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Wear wrist guards during high-risk activities (skateboarding, rollerblading, snowboarding)
- ✓Learn proper falling techniques in contact sports
- ✓Maintain wrist and forearm strength with exercises
- ✓Use proper protective equipment in sports