Sprained or Broken? How to Identify Common Hand and Wrist Injuries

Built for precision, prone to injury. Your hands and wrists are made up of a complex system of small bones and delicate tissue. Because we use them for just about everything, they are often the first parts of the body to get hurt during a fall or accident. Knowing how these common injuries happen is the best way to prevent them or the first step toward a meaningful recovery.

Wrist Sprains

A wrist sprain occurs when the supportive ligaments are overstretched or torn. This typically happens during a FOOSH injury (Fall On Outstretched Hand). Whether you are bracing yourself during a sport or a slip on the ice, the sudden impact forces the joint beyond its natural limit, compromising the soft tissue.

Hand & Wrist Fractures

The bones in your hands and wrists are remarkably thin, making them susceptible to breaks when subjected to direct trauma or excessive force. A fracture isn’t just a “bad break”; it’s a structural failure that can involve:

• The Forearm: The Radius or Ulna (often near the wrist joint).
• The Palm & Wrist: Metacarpal or Carpal bones.
• The Fingers: Phalanges.

Finger Dislocations

Dislocation occurs when bones are forced out of their normal alignment at the joint. This is usually the result of a finger being “jammed” or bent sideways during high-impact activity.

While any joint can be affected, these are the most frequent sites of displacement:

• Distal Interphalangeal (DIP) Joints: The joint nearest the fingertip.
• Proximal Interphalangeal (PIP) Joints: The middle finger joints; these are the most common athletic “jamming” injuries.
• Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) Joints: The primary knuckles where the fingers meet the hand.

See a Specialist Today

Pain that lingers for more than a week isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a signal that something isn’t right. At Fox Valley Orthopedics, we specialize in restoring the precision and strength required for a pain-free life.

Don’t wait for a minor ache to become a chronic limitation. Call (855) 386-7846 to schedule an evaluation.