What is Wrist Colles fractures?
Wrist fractures are common among children and the elderly. Children's bones are soft and often get buckle (torus) fractures. They are incomplete fractures on one side of the bone. Because bones become brittle as we grow older, a complete fracture is much more likely in adults and among the elderly. This is called a Colles' fracture.

The wrist Colles fracture/distal radius fracture leads to a functional shortening from the radius and a resultant relative lengthening of the ulna (inner forearm bone) creating increased compression and altered movement in the wrist. We at Cary Orthopaedics see this condition often through injured patients from Cary, Apex, Garner, Raleigh and also the Triangle.
Colles' Fracture Symptoms And results in

Symptoms include:
Pain
Swelling
Tenderness and bruising about the thumb-side of the wrist
The hand may appear to be turned or displaced outward in some cases

Colles' fracture is generally brought on by trauma to the wrist often involving an autumn on an outstretched hand or perhaps a direct trauma towards the wrist. This condition sometimes happens when a person attempts to break a fall during sports such as rollerblading, skateboarding, or other high-speed activities. In older adults any fall with an outstretched hand could result in this fracture.

In small children, bones are soft and tend to result in an incomplete fracture on one side of the bone, this may be termed a torus, buckle or greenstick fracture. In elderly, the bones are brittle along with a complete colles' fracture is more common.
Colles' Fracture Diagnosis And Treatment

Diagnosis involves the observation of the aforementioned symptoms following a personal injury or fall and also the condition should be evaluated by a physician. The evaluation can include a physical and x-ray examination.

First-aid or emergency care will include immobilization of the wrist inside a normal resting position. The application of cold packs or ice is advised to control inflammation. When the wrist is displaced, do not attempt to move or straighten it. The person should be taken to a medical care facility.

The fracture may need to be reduced in order to align the bone ends to allow proper healing. If small fragments of bone are participating, surgery and the utilization of pins, screws, plates, wires, etc., might be necessary. Following reduction, the fracture site is immobilized with a cast or splint.

If you have a teen or young adult that has fallen on an outstretched hand throughout a sporting event and today has difficulty holding or grasping huge object with the involved hand. Or the person in question is an elderly individual who tried to break an autumn with hands extended and is now experiencing pain and swelling in the wrist, a colles' fracture should be suspected and an appointment for medical care should be scheduled.