Hand Fracture Treatment in Illinois

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Hands are comprised of many small bones, including 14 finger bones (phalanges) on each hand. A fracture occurs when sufficient force is applied to hand joints and bones, causing a break. Fractures may involve the short bones of the fingers or the longer hand bones (metacarpal bones), connecting the fingers with the wrist. Carpal bones are also subject to fracture, at the wrist joint. Sports-related trauma, falls, and direct blows to the hand are common causes of hand, wrist and finger fractures.

Cause of Hand Fracture

Various activities lead to hand fractures, typically resulting from trauma to the affected structure. Because manual dexterity plays such a prominent role in athletics, hand injuries are associated with a number of sports. Boxing, for example, may contribute to metacarpal breaks, where the bones form the knuckles. And participating in racket sports may cause twisting breaks. Direct blows, from bats and balls, can also carry enough force to break hand bones.

Description of Hand Fracture

27 individual bones make-up the hand’s rigid structure. The network of phalanges, metacarpal bones and carpal bones of the wrist provide a framework for tendons and muscles to connect and control hand movement. The hand’s complex, interconnected structure makes it particularly vulnerable to traumatic injury. Hand fractures are classified according to the characteristics of each break:

• Simple Fracture – A fracture is deemed simple when the broken bones remain stable and aligned.
• Displaced – When a bone breaks fully, into two pieces, the fracture is displaced
• Compound – Compound or open fractures occur when an affected bone breaks through the surface of the skin.

Symptoms of Hand Fracture

Depending upon its location and the bones involved, a fractured hand bone may cause these symptoms:

• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Deformity
• Inability to move finger
• Shortened finger
• Finger crosses over its neighbor when making a partial fist
• Depressed knuckle

Contact Fox Valley Orthopedics today or call (630) 584-1400 to schedule an appointment.