Distal Radius Fracture Treatment
The radius is the larger of the two bones of the forearm. The end toward the wrist is called the distal end. A fracture of the distal radius occurs when the area of the radius near the wrist breaks.
Risk factors include Osteoporosis (decreased density of the bones) which can make a relatively minor fall result in a broken wrist. Many distal radius fractures in people older than 60 years of age are caused by a fall from a standing position or walking.
Interestingly, exercise, as we know, reduces the risk due to higher bone density in woman over 65. The Archives of Internal Medicine released a study identifying the reduction in falls among those woman engaged in physical activity.
A broken wrist can happen even in healthy bones, if the force of the trauma is severe enough. For example, a car accident or a fall off a bike may generate enough force to break a wrist. In 2007, more than 261,000 people visited the emergency room due to a distal radius fracture.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently approved and released an evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures.
The final patient-oriented guidelines for treating distal radius fractures contain 29 evidence-based recommendations overall, some of which are included below:
1. The research suggests that a rigid cast is better than a splint if the fracture was displaced.
2. If a fracture was not displaced - as in a hairline crack - a removable splint can be worn.
3. If a fracture has a tendency to fall back the way it was before the physician fixed it, research suggests that these fractures heal better if the surgeon operates on them, rather than treating them with a cast.
More than 4,000 journal articles from around the world were analyzed over the course of a year and every article was graded on a five-point scale depending on the strength and quality of the evidence. Only prospective, randomly controlled clinical trials with enough patients to establish clinical and statistical significance could earn the highest grade, ranking as strong evidence.
Being aware of fractures in general, and especially in the population aged 65 and older, makes considering treatments important. Being informed is the best place to be if and when the need to know becomes immediate as when an unexpected fall lands us in the hospital.
