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.
π¨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Scaphoid Fractures (Wrist Fracture)
Scaphoid fractures are breaks in a small boat-shaped bone in the wrist near the base of the thumb, commonly caused by falling onto an outstretched hand - they're tricky because they often don't show on initial X-rays and have poor blood supply making them slow to heal, with treatment ranging from cast immobilization for 8-12 weeks to surgical screw fixation for displaced fractures or non-healing cases.
πWhat is Scaphoid Fractures (Wrist Fracture)?
Scaphoid fractures are breaks in a small boat-shaped bone in the wrist near the base of the thumb, commonly caused by falling onto an outstretched hand - they're tricky because they often don't show on initial X-rays and have poor blood supply making them slow to heal, with treatment ranging from cast immobilization for 8-12 weeks to surgical screw fixation for displaced fractures or non-healing cases.
π¬What Causes It?
- Falling onto outstretched hand (FOOSH injury) - most common mechanism
- Direct blow to wrist during contact sports (rugby, football, martial arts)
- Motor vehicle accident or bicycle fall
- Snowboarding, skateboarding, or rollerblading falls
β οΈRisk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Contact sports participation (rugby, football, hockey)
- Activities with fall risk (snowboarding, skateboarding, cycling)
- Age 20-30 years (peak incidence in young active adults)
- Male gender (2-3 times more common in men than women)
π‘οΈPrevention
- βWear wrist guards for high-risk activities (snowboarding, skateboarding, rollerblading)
- βLearn proper falling techniques in sports (tuck and roll rather than bracing with outstretched arm)
- βMaintain wrist strength and flexibility with exercises
- βUse appropriate protective equipment in contact sports