A broken wrist can happen in the blink of an eye. You may have been running, taken a fall, been injured in sports, or been playing it safe by breaking your fall with your hands, only to end up with a broken wrist.
Wrist Fracture Treatment London UK: Expert Wrist Fracture Treatment in London
The pain comes on suddenly, followed by swelling and immobility, and suddenly everyday tasks require assistance from your friends or family. Getting the correct assessment of your injury early is also critical to your recovery.
Align Orthopaedics specialises in the assessment of wrist injuries, with its orthopaedic consultants reviewing the X rays while also considering the fracture, the patient’s lifestyle, and what the patient’s wrist will be expected to do once it has healed.
A Wrist Fracture Can Be Deceptively Complex
Although the term “broken wrist” may be used to describe a fairly simple fracture that can easily be placed in a cast to heal, this term can also be used to describe fractures that may have a greater level of complexity.
Each part of the wrist consists of multiple small bones. Knowing the pattern and location of the fracture affects the treatment. A fracture with good alignment will likely heal well without treatment. Practically all others will need realignment with surgery.
Thus, assessment by a specialist for wrist fractures in London is necessary, particularly in the presence of significant swelling, increased deformity, decreased range of motion, pain, or any other significant symptoms.
A specialist considers the injury as well as the person, including the person’s age, health, employment, and normal activities. Someone who spends the majority of the day at a desk may consider a complete return to normal function a success, while a manual worker, musician, or athlete may consider anything less than a complete return a failure.
The treatment goal is to restore as much function as possible.
What Occurs After a Wrist Fracture?
Common fractures below the wrist involve the radius. Fractures of this type are termed distal radius fractures.
Pain following the injury will be present, along with swelling, bruising, and loss of movement. Some fractures will cause obvious signs and symptoms and alter the appearance of the wrist. Fractures can also occur as minor, less dramatic, and less visible injuries.
Less obvious injuries can be just as significant as dramatic injuries.
It is not advisable to dismiss wrist pain as simply a sprain. It is sensible to have pain and swelling evaluated by a professional.
In order to assess a suspected fracture and its position, as well as to establish a diagnosis, an X-ray is taken. Depending on the injury, your doctor may advise you to undergo other imaging tests.
The evaluation reports help your specialist decide whether surgery is needed for stabilisation or whether surgery can be avoided.
When Wrist Fracture Treatment London UK May Involve Surgery
Not all fractured wrists need surgery.
A fractured wrist can be stable, remain in a good position, and heal with immobilisation. While the wrist heals, it is closely monitored.
Surgery may be required if the fracture is significantly out of place, is unstable, or has involved the joint in such a way that, if left untreated, it could result in reduced function or an unsatisfactory outcome.
A specialist’s opinion is required here.
Whether surgery is required does not depend solely on the appearance of the fracture to the specialist. It depends on the shape of the fracture, your health and level of activity, and how much work your wrist does.
Surgery can help some patients restore alignment and function, while for others, the risks and disruption associated with surgery may not be justified.
Both these aspects of surgery should be reflected in the treatment plan.
Why Choose Align Orthopaedics for Wrist Fracture Surgery London?
When people search for wrist fracture surgery in London, they often focus on finding a surgeon as quickly as possible. However, the quality of the assessment leading to surgery is of equal importance.
Align Orthopaedics has multiple consultants with differing specialities in orthopaedic and trauma care, including a hand and wrist team. As a multispecialty service, they offer care at their practice, located at 119 Harley Street in London, for patients with traumatic and elective orthopaedic conditions.
Having this specialist focus means your treatment for a wrist fracture is evaluated in the context of hand and upper limb function.
The practice collaborates with therapists and other specialists in providing the necessary support and care beyond surgery. Align’s philosophy is to consider surgery as an appropriate option rather than viewing surgery as the best or only answer.
That philosophy is important.
A fracture is an injury. Recovery is the next phase.
The Specialist Behind Your Wrist Fracture Care
Mr Daniel Williams is a Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Upper Limb Surgeon at Align Orthopaedics and provides hand and wrist services, as well as services for the elbow and shoulder.
His special interests include hand and wrist trauma and fractures, scaphoid fractures, finger fractures and dislocations, ligament injuries, and post-traumatic reconstruction. Where appropriate, he utilises minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques.
Mr Williams completed his specialty training in London orthopaedics and then completed a two year fellowship at the Brisbane Hand and Upper Limb Unit. He practises at Barts Health NHS Trust in London, where he provides both trauma and elective surgical care. He is also heavily involved in teaching and research.
That combination of trauma and specialised upper limb training is ideal for the management of wrist fractures.
Along with Mr Williams, Suan Khor, who is also a Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Hand and Wrist Surgeon with a special interest in upper limb fractures and high complexity wrist surgery, and Kalpesh Vaghela, with similar interests, complete our team.
London UK Wrist Fracture Treatment Centre That Looks at More Than Just the Initial Injury
Healing a bone back into position after a fracture really only describes part of the treatment journey for wrist fractures.
What occurs in the aftermath is equally important.
Your wrist and hand will likely feel stiff after a significant period of immobilisation. Your grip strength will be weaker. After a short period of time, you may start to find it difficult and uncomfortable to accomplish simple activities.
Returning to your regular daily activities or sports too quickly will put you at risk of placing pressure on a healing wrist.
Your surgery and rehabilitation treatment will be discussed, and appropriate limits will be set on your initial progress.
If weakness or stiffness is limiting your return to normal activities, then a course of physiotherapy or other rehabilitation treatments may be arranged.
Recovery will be unique to every individual.
Someone who spends their day typing may return to work with a different recovery profile from someone who works with heavy tools or performs repetitive wrist movements. As an example, an athlete may have their own specific needs before returning to practice.
All of these elements must be taken into account when designing a treatment programme.
What If You Have a Distal Radius Fracture?
Almost 15% of the injuries affecting the wrist fall under this category. The end of the radius is fractured just above the wrist joint.
Treatment requires first deciding on the position and degree of stability of the fracture.
There are fractures that do not require surgery. These fractures may require only an appropriate cast for a period of time and follow-up.
There are other fractures that need surgery to realign the bones and stabilise them with implants.
There is no single best treatment option for a distal radius fracture that is universally applicable.
Hence, distal radius fracture treatment in London should begin with a thorough evaluation and not with the assumption that the wrist is broken.
Your consultant will give you a complete report with X-ray findings. He or she will explain the nature of the fracture, its stability, and the potential implications of the different options available.
What Should You Expect From Your Consultation?
A good consultation will outline the findings and the next steps for the patient.
Your specialist will look at all the circumstances surrounding the injury, examine your wrist, and review imaging. You may also be given an opportunity to discuss your priorities.
You may be concerned about the impact of the injury on your work or perhaps when you may return to play.
Maybe you just want to find out if you need surgery.
These are all reasonable questions.
At Align Orthopaedics, the aim is to give our patients their options. We provide private consultations and work with the best insurance companies, while self pay patients receive a full quote for surgery if needed.
Wrist Fracture Treatment London UK From Diagnosis Through Recovery
The best treatment is not always the most complicated treatment.
Sometimes it is not surgery that fixes a broken wrist, and other times it is.
What’s important is having the right information to make the decision.
At Align Orthopaedics, we put the focus on assessment, with treatment and care based on who the patient is. Our staff are all hand and wrist experts, so patients have those specialists available from assessment to surgery to wrist fracture rehabilitation.
If you recently had a wrist fracture or are experiencing wrist fracture pain, stiffness, and reduced ability to move your wrist, then a specialist assessment can help provide guidance on what happens next.
A wrist fracture should not dictate what you can do in your daily life.
A wrist fracture is a disruptive injury, but it does not need to define your recovery.
The right treatment can help restore movement to the wrist while also helping you regain strength and confidence in your hand. The first step is understanding the injury, along with a treatment approach that addresses your injury and fits your life.
If you are looking for Wrist Fracture Treatment London UK, then Align Orthopaedics is the best place to go for specialist treatment of hand and wrist injuries.
Set up a meeting to discuss your injury, assess different treatment paths, and learn more about the potential treatment options available to you.
FAQs
Is Surgery The Only Option For Wrist Fracture Treatment London UK?
Not always. Some fractures are stable and can be treated with immobilisation and follow-up. Surgery is sometimes indicated for fractures that are displaced or unstable, or where the position of the fracture increases the likelihood of an unsatisfactory outcome without surgery.
What Are The Circumstances For Surgery For A Wrist Fracture In London?
Surgery will be considered based on the type and position of the fracture, the degree of stability of the fracture, and the individual. An orthopaedic wrist surgeon can review imaging and discuss the surgical or non surgical options.
How Long Does A Broken Wrist Take To Heal?
The time required for healing will depend on the type of fracture, your overall health, and the healing plan. Your specialist will provide you with a more accurate estimate of healing time after evaluating your injury.
What Are The Work Return Restrictions After A Wrist Fracture?
This will depend on the type of work and the healing progress of the wrist. Desk work may be possible before work that involves heavy lifting and/or repetitive work requiring significant manual wrist use.
What Is The Post-Wrist Fracture Treatment Rehabilitation?
Not everyone requires the same extent of rehabilitation. Restoration of functionality is the goal of rehabilitation, but this depends on any restrictions in functionality and the progress of your recovery.
Why Choose An Upper Limb Specialist Based In London?
An expert with hands on experience dealing with injuries of the hand or wrist is best placed to assess your fracture in the context of the arm, shoulder, and neck and advise you on both surgical and non surgical options.
Book Your Specialist Consultation
Injury or diagnosed fracture of the wrist causing pain?
Don’t rely on guesswork for the next step.
Contact Align Orthopaedics for a consultation to discuss your injury with a specialist in the hand and wrist. Correct diagnosis is key to initiating the path to recovery.
