Most fractures heal on their own within 8 weeks. The healing time is different if the bones are stabilized surgically but rehabilitation is still an important component of recovery in those cases. While the bone is still healing, physical therapy interventions will focus on adjacent areas. Once healed, your physical therapist may recommend 4-8 weeks of rehabilitation to help restore normal function to the previously broken wrist and surrounding areas. Once PT can target the previously fractured area, you should experience improvements in many symptoms such as pain and stiffness within a few weeks but returns in strength, flexibility and overall mobility and return to your prior level of activity may take longer. Achieving long lasting results may take some time, but dedication to your program will help you achieve these results more quickly.

BASICS ON BROKEN BONES

Broken bones, also known as fractured bones, occur when stress across the bone exceeds the bone’s tensile strength. A bone may fracture due to trauma, or in the case of a weakened bone, can occur due to relatively normal forces. Fractures can occur in different patterns. They can be stable and nondisplaced and treated with a cast or splint or unstable or displaced and treated with either closed or surgical reduction and fixation followed by a cast or splint. A bone that is broken in several places or unlikely to heal well on its own often requires surgery to stabilize the fracture with some type of hardware.


The wrist consists of many different small and large bones articulating together. The two forearm bones, the radius and ulna, extend down toward the hand and connect to one another near the wrist. These bones allow you to rotate your hand up and down. Between these long bones and the long bones of the hand are eight small wrist bones known as carpal bones. Together the joints formed by these bones allow you to flex and extend the wrist and move the wrist side to side. A “wrist” fracture may include any of the small carpal bones or the bones of the forearm near the hand.

Signs and symptoms of a broken wrist include:

• Pain, tenderness and swelling over the bone
• Redness and bruising
• Difficulty moving the forearm, wrist or hand
• Signs of deformity or misalignment in the bones

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help with your broken wrist, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR A BROKEN WRIST

Your PT will avoid manipulating or stressing the broken wrist until the fracture is healed in order to prevent disruption of the healing bone. During this time, your physical therapist may recommend the following interventions:

• If needed, strength training, stretching and range of motion of adjacent areas of the body such as the shoulder or elbow may be prescribed to prevent stiffness and atrophy while the hand is healing
• Education on the healing process of bones

• Stretching, joint mobilization and range of motion to improve the flexibility and mobility of the fingers, hand, wrist and elbow
• Soft tissue mobilization to address any adhesions or scar tissue in the area
• Strengthening, motor control and coordination training of the fingers, hand and wrist to allow you to grasp, hold and manipulate objects with the hand
• Sport and work specific training to help the injured hand return to higher impact and repetitive activities like throwing a ball, push ups, pull ups, factory work, carpentry and much more.