The forearm is composed of two bones, the radius and the ulna, which move together allowing your hands to rotate up and down. They also connect with the humerus, or upper arm bone, to form the elbow joint, and with the many small bones of the hand to form the wrist joint. As you can see, these two bones play a huge role in your ability to move your hands. The forearm also serves to protect the rest of your body – as most people have observed when catching themselves from a fall or protecting their face from an incoming object. Unfortunately, this also means that our forearms often get the brunt of the force and are frequently injured. Below we will discuss some of the most common fractures that occur in the forearm and how OSS can help you treat these injuries.
Elbow Fractures
Fracturing the radial head, or the pointy part of your elbow, is a common injury, occurring in 30% of elbow fractures. This type of fracture occurs in patients of all ages. It is most commonly caused by a person falling onto their outstretched hand, sometimes called a “FOOSH” injury.
What are the symptoms of a radial head fracture?
- Pain on the outside of your elbow
- Swelling and discoloration or bruising of the elbow joint
- May experience reduced range of motion of the elbow joint
- May experience numbness or tingling in the hand or difficulty using the hand
Wrist Fractures
The distal end of the radius, essentially the wrist area, is the most common site of fractures in the arm, making up nearly 50% of all fractures to the forearm. This injury is most commonly seen in young patients who sustain a hard fall during sports or elderly patients with more brittle bones. For the athletes, be aware that snowboarding and soccer are two of the sports that most frequently lead to wrist fractures, caused by falling on an outstretched hand.
What are the symptoms of a distal radius fracture?
- Pain on the outside of the wrist
- Swelling and discoloration or bruising of the wrist
- Deformity of the wrist joint, sometimes called the “dinner fork deformity”
- May experience numbness or tingling in the hand or poor circulation if underlying nerves or blood vessels were damaged
Fractures of the Mid-Forearm
Fracturing the middle of the forearm is the least common fracture types in the forearm. This is because it takes a lot of force to break this part of your arm, but for those high impact soccer and snowboarding accidents, it can happen. It is also more common in elderly females with reduced bone density.
Symptoms of these fractures are highly variable depending on the location of the fracture and/or dislocation. However, similar to the other fractures discussed, you would expect to see significant pain, some degree of swelling and discoloration or bruising and, in some cases, obvious deformity of the arm.
How do you treat forearm fractures?
The treatment of a forearm fracture depends on the extent and type of fracture. Any fractures that have broken the skin or have resulted in changes in feeling require urgent assessment and intervention to avoid permanent damage. Your physician may use an x-ray to determine whether or not you have a fracture, and if so how severe it is. Treatment for the fracture may include a splint or a cast, or it may require surgery, depending on the break. At OSS, we specialize in the assessment and treatment of your fracture and are here to assist you in your recovery.
