Fractured Scaphoid Healing Time – How Long Does It Take To Recover?

A Guide To Fractured Scaphoid Healing Time

The scaphoid is a small bone that makes up part of the wrist joint. It sits on the thumb side of your hand and is the most commonly broken bone in the wrist. Due to its position, the scaphoid bone is particularly vulnerable to impacts on an outstretched hand, such as when a person falls. It is also known for not presenting many symptoms and is often mistaken for a sprained wrist. At times, a doctor can even struggle to see a fractured scaphoid on an X-Ray.

Fractured Scaphoid healing time guide

Fractured Scaphoid healing time guide

A fractured scaphoid bone can really disrupt your day to day life. This can be especially true if your fractured scaphoid is in a cast. It can impede your ability to perform simple tasks. Fractured scaphoid recovery time can vary depending the severity of the damage to the bone but can be reduced if the right steps are followed.

In this guide, we will give information on what exactly a fractured scaphoid really is, and what can cause a fractured scaphoid. We aim to answer the following common questions:

  • What does a fractured scaphoid feel like?
  • What does a broken scaphoid look like?
  • What are the usual fractured scaphoid bone symptoms?
  • Can I have scaphoid pain but no fracture?

We will also cover common fractured scaphoid healing times, how this injury is diagnosed, and available treatments. A very common treatment for a wrist or scaphoid injury can be physiotherapy, which is used to improve healing times and help regain any lost mobility while in recovery.

Many people are not aware that they may qualify for free physiotherapy aftercare for a broken scaphoid. To find out if you qualify, contact our medical team today on 020 3870 4868. Alternatively, you could fill out our online contact form to have us call you back at your convenience.

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Fractured Scaphoid Overview

The wrist joint is made up of many small bones, one of which is called the scaphoid. It is a small bone that sits on the thumb side of your hand, and because of it position and size, it is particularly vulnerable to fractures and breaks. This is because it runs beneath the other smaller bones in your wrist, and if there is a heavy blow to the palm, or wrist, it absorbs a lot of the pressure from the impact, which could cause the fractured scaphoid to split apart.

With a fractured scaphoid, bruising and swelling aren’t very common. This makes it very hard to diagnose. Because of its position, a non-displaced fracture will not usually show up on an X-Ray, and a doctor will usually have to do a second set of X-Rays between one to two weeks later. This is because as it starts to try and heal itself, the new bone tissues are usually more visible on an X-Ray.

This means that when a patient comes to the doctor with complaints of wrist pain following an injury or accident, they usually assume the scaphoid has been damaged, and proceed to treat it as such immediately. They will then schedule more X-Rays for a later date, to confirm if the scaphoid has actually been fractured.

Fractured scaphoid treatment options can include a cast, but there can be some cases where a small surgical procedure might be required in order to help the scaphoid heal successfully. In more serious cases, there is a possibility that further treatment, surgery and follow up appointments might be necessary.

What Is A Fractured Scaphoid?

The scaphoid bone sits between the radius bone of the arm and the other small bones in the wrist joint. Although this bone is thick and can absorb a lot of pressure, it is still the most commonly broken bone in the wrist. This is because when the force of an impact travels through the palm, from a fall for example, it will usually travel though the smaller bones, and compress the scaphoid up against the radius bone of the arm, causing a fractured scaphoid.

The position of the scaphoid bone also makes it quite difficult to diagnose, as it will usually not cause any symptoms other than pain near the top of the wrist and near the thumb. Complications can arise from a fracture to the scaphoid, as the blood supply to the bone only enters at one point. Fractures that are not identified and that don’t re-connect can result in avascular necrosis, where a section of the bone actually dies. The scaphoid can be prone to avascular necrosis. Therefore, a doctor will usually run several scans over a few weeks to monitor the scaphoid in the event of an injury to the wrist.

Scaphoids are also prone to non-union, where the bone fails to fuse together, despite efforts made to treat it. This can usually result in surgery being required to help pin the pieces together and allow them to heal.

Early Signs Of A Fractured Scaphoid

There are not many symptoms of a broken scaphoid, but there are some things to look for that might help you decide if you need to seek medical attention. Signs of a fractured scaphoid can sometimes occur in the form of pain in certain sites on the wrist. In more severe cases where the bone has been moved out of place, you might be able to see some deformities.

The first is pain in what is known as the anatomical snuffbox. This is a depression in your skin in the area just below the thumb that is visible when you push your thumb out to the side as far as it will go. The pain can be felt when you touch this spot, but also sometimes when moving the thumb itself. The second spot can be on the palm side of your wrist, in an area just below your thumb. This can sometimes hurt upon touching, or when you move your thumb or wrist. You might also feel pain when you try to grip or pinch something between your thumb and forefinger.

In certain cases where a scaphoid fracture has not been noticed, or not been treated, there is a chance of a non-union occurring. A non-union means that the fractured pieces of the scaphoid bone have not been able to fuse back together. If this happens, the usual symptoms would be that the pain increases over time. A non-union could also result in avascular necrosis, if the blood supply to a part of the bone has been severed. This would show up very easily on an X-Ray.

In cases where the bone has been displaced, or pushed out of alignment, there might be some visible deformity in the shape of your hand or wrist. In these cases, there might possibly be some bruising or swelling in the anatomical snuffbox, and you might have limited range of motion in your thumb or wrist.

How To Diagnose A Fractured Scaphoid

As the symptoms of a fractured scaphoid are not very obvious, a person can mistake it for a sprain, and choose to allow it to heal by itself. If a person does seek medical attention, it can also sometimes be very difficult for a doctor to diagnose. When a scaphoid is first fractured, it will usually not be visible on the initial X-Ray, and a doctor will usually decide to assume the scaphoid has been fractured and start treatment immediately.

They will then usually wait about ten days and do another set of X-Rays. This is because after about ten days, the bones will start to heal and try to fuse back together. This is more visible on an X-Ray, and so if there is a fracture present, they will be able to definitively diagnose it at this point.

In more complicated cases, or where even after the 10 days it is not certain there is a fracture, your doctor may arrange for you to have a bone scan. This involves an injection of dye into your blood, which builds up in bone tissue that is under a lot of stress, which would make it much easier to see via the scan.

What Causes A Fractured Scaphoid?

The reason why the scaphoid is the most commonly broken bone in the wrist is due to its placement between the radius bone of the arm, and the other bones that complete the wrist joint. Injuries to this type of bone are more common in younger adults and children but can happen at any age.

In most cases, a fracture occurs when a person lands on an outstretched hand usually in a fall. You could also have an impact on your hand or wrist while playing sports such as rugby or skating. You could also experience this kind of injury in a car accident, where your hand hit the steering wheel with enough force to cause damage.

Are There Different Types Of Fractured Scaphoids?

When diagnosing a scaphoid fracture, your doctor will usually class your fracture as non-displaced, or displaced, both of which may require different types of treatment.

A non-displaced fracture is when the scaphoid bone has cracked and separated, but not moved out of its natural position. This type of fracture is usually the easiest to treat, as the bones can easily be manipulated to fuse back together using a cast or splint. Though loss of blood supply to the bone is still possible, there is more of a chance that the blood supply may still be intact in this kind of break, which makes healing a lot more effective.

A displaced fracture can be more complicated, as it means that the impact has not only broken the bone but has also forced it out of alignment with the other piece. In this case, the jagged edges of bone may not meet properly, or the pieces of bone may overlap. The chances of the blood supply being severed are higher with this kind of break, and there can be a higher risk of avascular necrosis. This kind of fracture may sometimes need to be treated with surgery to give the bone the best chance of healing.

When Shall I Seek Medical Attention?

In some cases, scaphoid fracture pain levels won’t be very severe, which could result in a person mistaking the fracture for a sprained wrist. This may cause some people to decide not to seek medical attention. Although not every case of scaphoid fracture requires medical care, there can be some cases that, if left untreated, could result in avascular necrosis or a non-union, leading to further complications such as arthritis later in life.

You should consider getting a scaphoid fracture assessment if you notice that the pain in your wrist hasn’t receded within a day of the injury. If the pain stays the same, or increases, it could mean that you have fractured your scaphoid bone and may need medical assistance for it to heal properly.

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Fractured Scaphoid Treatments

Treatment for a fractured scaphoid can vary, depending on which type of break has occurred. There are some that can be treated non-surgically, and those that may require surgery to ensure they heal correctly.

Non-surgical:

A scaphoid fracture cast or splint can be used to treat non-displaced breaks. In these cases, the bones do not need to be moved back into the correct position, but instead only require immobilisation through a plaster or fibreglass cast. A splint or half cast could also be used where the doctor might need further access to the wrist before he/she decides to immobilise it long term in a full cast.

Surgical:

If the bones are displaced following an injury, there is a higher chance of needing surgery to help repair it. In some cases, surgery may be required to allow the doctor to correctly reset the bones. Sometimes the bones may need to be secured together using surgical screws while they heal back together.

There are some cases where your doctor might decide to use a bone graft to help stimulate bone growth in the damaged scaphoid. A bone graft is where a small section of bone tissue is taken from another point (either on your wrist, or sometime from your hip) and placed on top of the fractured scaphoid. It can sometimes be secured using screws.

In some cases where the bones have not fused again for certain reasons, the doctor may decide to perform a debridement of the two halves, which involves removing any old scar tissue that may have grown on either side of the fracture. This refreshes the bone tissue on either side, and essentially gives the bone another chance at reconnecting.

After your bone has healed sufficiently, your doctor will remove your cast or splint, and encourage you to engage in exercises and rehabilitation. During this time, as you go back to doing normal activities, you may wish to support your wrist with supports or straps. These can vary depending on your needs and can help support your wrist as it regains strength and stability after immobilisation.

Fractured Scaphoid Healing Times

As with any type of fracture, the recovery time can vary depending on the extent of the damage. Fractured scaphoid bone healing time is slower than most fractures, and some cases require regular monitoring as they heal. This is due to the fact that the blood supply to the bone is minimal and may have been further reduced as a result of the fracture. The blood supply is very important in the healing process as it carries all the essential oxygen and nutrients the bones need. Therefore, smoking should be avoided when you are trying to heal a broken bone. Smoking makes your blood vessels smaller, and this could increase the length of time it takes for your fracture to heal.

In general, whether you have had surgery or other means of treatment, you could expect to be in a cast for up to 5 – 6 weeks. In some cases, if there are any other complications while healing, the length of time you spend in a cast or splint may increase to up to six months.

During the healing process, it is recommended that you keep your fingers and arm active, but with gentle exercises that will help stimulate blood flow and prevent the muscles and joint from getting too stiff. Taking care of your cast and preventing the need to replace it can also help keep your recovery on track. This includes not getting it wet, and not engaging in strenuous activities like sports or heavy lifting.

Taking care of your scaphoid fracture after cast removal through physiotherapy and taking measures to help yourself at home can also improve how long it takes to heal. It is normal to build strength in your fractured scaphoid with rehab exercises and guidance from a physiotherapist, who could help you regain your joint’s strength and mobility. After a fractured scaphoid, physical therapy is a great way to reduce the amount of time it takes to recover from your wrist injury. To find out if you might qualify for free physiotherapy aftercare following your fractured scaphoid injury, contact our team today.

Are There Short-Term Or Long-Term Implications From A Fractured Scaphoid?

A fracture to the scaphoid can heal normally in many cases, and not have any lasting impacts on a person’s life. However, due to the limited blood supply to the scaphoid bones, and its tendency to go unnoticed or untreated, there are cases where complications can arise.

Scaphoid fracture complications can include a long-term loss in mobility in the hand and wrist following the injury. This could be due to extensive damage to the bone, ligaments or cartilage surrounding the bone that have not been able to heal correctly.

A non-union of this type of fracture (where the bone fails to fuse back together) can also be a complication. This can lead to more serious conditions, as well as cause more pain and discomfort. This issue usually requires further surgery to repair.

The scaphoid bone is particularly at risk of avascular necrosis, due to its already limited blood supply. If the artery connected to the bone is severed, and the bone loses its supply, then it could potentially die. This dead bone could cause more symptoms like severe pain, as well as lead to more long-term issues.

With a scaphoid fracture, arthritis is a possible long-term complication. This can result when there has been a non-union and avascular necrosis. In this case, the cartilage around the scaphoid has been worn away, allowing the bones to rub together and become inflamed. This condition could require further extensive treatment, and in severe cases, further surgery.

Call Us Today For Free Treatment

To see if you qualify for free orthopaedic treatment and physiotherapy aftercare, contact our medical team today on 020 3870 4868 or use our online contact form to have us call you back. Physiotherapy could greatly help reduce your healing time and overall recovery.

Additional Resources To Relevant Pages

This article was put together to provide you with helpful information on having a fractured scaphoid. For more information, and advice on similar topic, we have provided some extra links below which you might find useful.

Fractured Scaphoid NHS – See this leaflet from the NHS for further information on dealing with a fractured scaphoid.

Caring For a Plaster Cast – See this article from the NHS about keeping your cast clean, dry and effective.

The Importance of Physiotherapy – See this NHS article about how physiotherapy can help you recover from an injury.

Fractured Wrist – See this guide to the causes, diagnosis and treatments for a fractured wrist.

Broken Finger – See here for more information on managing a broken finger.

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