Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooWrist Fracture

A wrist fracture is a break in one of the bones of the wrist. The most common type is a break in the radius, one of the two long bones of the forearm, close to the wrist; doctors call this a distal radius fracture (AAOS, n.d.a). The most common reason these injuries occur is from someone trying to catch themselves during a fall and landing on an outstretched arm. A broken wrist can also happen in healthy bones if the force is big enough, for example in a car crash or a fall off a bike or scooter (AAOS, n.d.a). Snow sports such as snowboarding and skiing also carry a risk of wrist injuries (Fan et al., 2024). Osteoporosis can cause the bones to become fragile and thin, which leaves them prone to fractures, and a broken wrist is one of the common breaks in people with osteoporosis (NHS, 2022a).

It's important that you get medical help as soon as possible if you suspect you may have broken your wrist (NHS, 2026). Occasionally the bones might not heal properly, which can affect your ability to perform everyday activities, such as buttoning your shirt or holding a pen. Early treatment will help to minimize the amount of stiffness and pain in the joint. It can be hard to tell a broken wrist from a bad sprain, and a small break (for example in the scaphoid, one of the small wrist bones) can easily be mistaken for a wrist sprain (NHS, 2026; AAOS, n.d.b).

While you wait to see a doctor

• Use a towel as a sling to support the injured arm.
• Gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel to the injured area for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove any rings, watches or bracelets, as your fingers, wrist or hand could swell up.
• Do not try to use the injured arm or wrist.
• Do not eat or drink anything in case you need surgery to fix the bone when you get to hospital.
• The NHS says you can use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen gel if a healthcare professional has advised you to (NHS, 2026). (This medicine information comes from the NHS, not from me. Always check with a pharmacist or your family doctor or nurse practitioner before taking any medicine.)

Wrist Fracture Anatomy

The wrist connects the forearm and the hand together. It consists of two bones in the forearm, the ulna and the radius, and eight smaller carpal bones (AAOS, n.d.b). This unique arrangement provides you with a great range of movement, including straightening, bending, rotation and side-to-side movement. It is possible to injure any of these bones during a fall, especially in older people whose bones have been weakened by osteoporosis (AAOS, n.d.a).

How to Treat a Wrist Fracture

Treatments your hospital team or family doctor or nurse practitioner may discuss with you

Tips

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products, to help keep your bones strong (NHS, 2022b).
• The NHS also suggests considering a daily vitamin D supplement, because it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium, from food alone (NHS, 2022b). (This medicine information comes from the NHS, not from me. Always check with a pharmacist or your family doctor or nurse practitioner before taking any medicine.)
• If you are post-menopausal, ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner about your bone health. Women lose bone rapidly in the first few years after the menopause (NHS, 2022a), and a broken wrist can be the first sign of weak bones (AAOS, n.d.a).
• Whenever participating in high-risk activities, make sure to wear the proper protective gear. Wrist guards are often used in snow sports, skating and skateboarding, and have been shown to reduce wrist injuries in snow sports (AAOS, n.d.b; Fan et al., 2024).
• Follow the exercises your hospital team gives you, and the home programme I set with you, to help your recovery and reduce any post-fracture stiffness.

With a broken wrist, my job is to support healing without getting in its way. Your hospital team decides how long you're in a cast and when the wrist can take load, and I work inside those limits. If your break was treated with surgery, or it stops your normal daily tasks, I need your team's okay before any hands-on treatment.

Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.

In the Cast

• Easing the neck, shoulder and upper back, which work overtime
• Gentle lymphatic drainage above the cast, and keeping your hand raised
• Keeping your fingers, elbow and shoulder moving, as your team allows

Once the Cast Is Off

• Hands-on work for the forearm and hand, and scar work once any incision has healed
• Warm and cool applications, with no heat over metal plates or pins
• Pain-free movement first; stretching, resistance and joint mobilisation wait until your team confirms the bone has healed
• Grip and wrist strength, then everyday tasks like buttons, jars and writing

Back to Full Strength

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.a) Distal Radius Fractures (Broken Wrist). OrthoInfo. Available at: https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/distal-radius-fractures-broken-wrist/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. NHS (2026) Broken arm or wrist. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-arm-or-wrist/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
3. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.b) Wrist Sprains. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/wrist-sprains/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
4. NHS (2022a) Osteoporosis. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
5. NHS (2022b) Osteoporosis - Prevention. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/prevention/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
6. Fan, Z., Min, L., He, W. et al. (2024) 'Efficacy of multicomponent interventions on injury risk among ice and snow sports participants - a systematic review and meta-analysis', BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 16(1), p. 135. doi: 10.1186/s13102-024-00921-6