Hand Fractures Treatment

Hand fractures can be skilfully treated by Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell.

When one or more of the small bones in your hand like, those in your fingers or palm, get broken, that’s called a hand fracture. These injuries often happen from falls, sports collisions, or other accidents.

Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell is an Adelaide-based orthopaedic surgeon who treats these fractures using both non-surgical methods (like splints or casts) and surgery when needed. His goal is to heal your hand quickly and safely.

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$Hand fractures Treatment$

Understanding Hand Fractures

Your hand is made up of 27 bones, including the small bones in your fingers (phalanges), the long bones in your palm (metacarpals), and wrist bones (carpals). These delicate bones give your hand the strength and flexibility to handle everyday tasks.

A fracture anywhere in this structure can seriously hurt your ability to work, play, or even grip objects safely.

Causes of hand fractures include:

Trauma: Direct impact from falls, sports injuries, or accidents.
Repetitive Stress: Overuse or repetitive motions that lead to stress fractures.
Medical Conditions: Conditions like osteoporosis can weaken bones, making them more susceptible to fractures.

Types of hand fractures include:

Metacarpal fractures involve the long bones in the palm, often caused by direct blows or twisting injuries.
Phalangeal fractures affect the finger bones, usually from crushing injuries, falls, or sports injuries.
Mallet fractures occur when the extensor tendon is damaged, often from a sudden impact on the fingertip.

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Signs Your Hand May Be Broken

Identifying a hand fracture involves recognising the signs and understanding when to seek medical evaluation. Here are some steps to help identify a hand fracture:

- Assess for pain at the injury site.
- Look for swelling and bruising.
- Check for visible deformity (e.g., misaligned fingers or abnormal bumps)
- Test range of motion
- Evaluate numbness and tingling
- Assess grip strength

Symptoms of Hand Fractures

Common signs and symptoms of hand fractures include:

Immediate and severe pain, worsening with movement or pressure
Swelling, often with bruising or discolouration
Tenderness to the touch
Visible deformity or abnormal finger/hand position
Difficulty or inability to move the hand or fingers
Numbness or tingling
Weakness or inability to grip objects

Diagnosing Hand Fractures

When you injure your hand, it’s not always easy to know if it’s just a sprain or an actual fracture. A proper diagnosis is important because untreated breaks can heal poorly and affect long-term hand function.

Dr Brumby-Rendell uses both physical checks and imaging tools to make sure the injury is clearly understood before treatment begins.

Physical Examination: Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell will assess pain and tenderness, examine swelling and bruising, check for deformities or misalignment, evaluate range of motion, and test sensation and strength.
Imaging Tests: X-rays provide detailed images of the bone to reveal the fracture’s presence, location, and severity, while CT scans are used in complex cases for a detailed, cross-sectional view to identify fractures not clearly visible on X-ray.

An early and accurate diagnosis prevents complications like improper healing, chronic pain, stiffness, and permanent deformity, and ensures timely and effective treatment, optimising healing and recovery.

Treatment Options for Hand Fractures

Hand fractures can range from simple cracks in the bone to more complicated breaks that affect movement and strength. Because no two injuries are the same, treatment is carefully tailored to each person.

Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell considers the type of fracture, how severe it is, and the patient’s daily needs before recommending a plan. Options can include supportive splints or casts, guided therapy, or in some cases, surgery to realign and stabilise the bones. The goal is always to restore function, reduce pain, and protect the hand’s long-term mobility.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Many hand fractures heal well without surgery. If the bones are stable and in the right position, a splint, cast, or brace is usually enough to protect the hand while it heals. During this time, regular check-ups and follow-up X-rays may be needed to make sure the bones stay in place.

Buddy Taping

Splinting

A splint provides rigid support to immobilise the fractured area, reducing pain and preventing further injury. Splints can be made from plaster, fiberglass, or other materials and are custom-fitted. There are a variety of splints that are typically made by hand therapist:

Gutter Splint: Most often used for fractures of ring or little finger, the splint supports the outside of the hand cradling the ring and little finger.
Mallet splin – Specific for fractures of the end joint or knuckle of a finger or thumb. It locks the end joint straight to help the small bone fragment and tendon heal.
Finger/Hand based static splint – splints used to hold the finger completely immobilised whilst awaiting for fracture healing.
Thumb Spica Splint: Used for thumb fractures, this splint immobilises the thumb while allowing movement of the finger.

Rest and Immobilisation

Pain Management

Surgical Treatments

Surgery may be required if the bones are misaligned, unstable, or broken into several pieces. In these cases, Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell uses small plates, screws, or wires to hold the bones in the correct position while they heal. This helps restore the natural shape and function of the hand.

Lag Screw Fixation

Uses screws to hold bone fragments together, ideal for simple, non-comminuted fractures. Provides stable fixation, allowing early movement and quicker recovery. Suitable for long bone fractures in fingers, metacarpal fractures, and minimally displaced fractures.

“Key hole” Intramedullary screw fixation: This relatively new method involves inserted a specific type of screw down the middle inside the bone, holding it in alignment. This technique can be done through small ‘keyhole’ incisions and allow early range of motion. It has a big advantage in hand surgery as open surgery with plates can often cause adhesions leading to stiffness.

Plate and Screw Fixation

Wiring

Indications for Surgery

Certain types of hand fractures require surgical intervention to ensure proper healing and function. These include:

Complex or Comminuted Fractures: When the bone is broken into several pieces, aligning these fragments through surgery is often necessary to restore the hand’s anatomy and function.
Unstable Fractures: Fractures that cannot be maintained in a stable position with splinting or casting alone require surgical fixation to prevent displacement during the healing process.
Open Fractures: When a fracture is accompanied by an open wound, surgery is needed to clean the wound, remove debris, and stabilise the bone to prevent infection and ensure proper healing.
Displaced Fractures: Fractures where bone fragments are significantly out of alignment. Surgery is required to realign the bones correctly to restore function and appearance.
Intra-articular Fractures: Fractures that extend into a joint surface. Surgical intervention is necessary to restore joint congruency, prevent arthritis, and ensure joint function.
Non-union or Delayed Union: Fractures that have not healed appropriately within the expected timeframe may require surgical intervention to promote bone healing.

$Hand fractures Treatment post surgery$

Personalised treatment plans available for hand fractures

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Recovery and Rehabilitation

Immediate Post-Treatment Care: Your hand will be immobilised with a cast, splint, or brace. Elevate the hand and apply ice to reduce swelling. Use prescribed pain medications and follow wound care instructions if surgery was performed to avoid infection.

Typical Recovery Timeline: Manage pain and swelling in the first few days. After 1-2 weeks, swelling should decrease, with a follow-up appointment likely. Between 3-6 weeks, bones start to heal, and immobilisation continues. If surgery has been performed to stabilise the fracture, we can often start range of motion exercises straight away. By 6-8 weeks, the cast or splint may be removed for gentle movements and physical therapy.

$Hand fracture rehab$

Physical Therapy Exercises: Once approved, start with range of motion exercises (finger bends, spreads, wrist flexion). Strengthening exercises (squeezing a soft ball, lifting fingers, resistance bands) and coordination exercises (picking up small objects, finger tapping) will help restore dexterity.

Schedule a Consultation

Experience expert care for hand and wrist fractures. To schedule a consultation, simply contact as at (08) 7077 0101 or book online. Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell operates from Dulwich, Bedford Park, and Stirling in Adelaide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do when I get a hand fracture?

How long does it take to recover from a hand fracture?

When can I resume normal activities after a hand fracture?

Are there any specific exercises I should do during recovery?

What happens if a hand fracture heals incorrectly?

Is it normal to feel tingling or numbness after a hand injury?

Why Choose Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell?

Dr Oscar Brumby-Rendell is a highly trained orthopaedic surgeon in Adelaide specialising in upper limb conditions. He brings a wealth of experience to his practice, prioritising his patient’s needs and preferences and ensuring they receive the highest standard of care. Dr Brumby-Rendell’s commitment to his patients is evident through his passion for providing personalised treatment plans and compassionate care.

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