COLLES FRACTURE
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Colles Fracture
When the radius bone in your forearm fractures near the wrist, it results in a Colles wrist fracture. Other names for it include transverse wrist fracture, dinner-fork wrist deformity, and distal radius fracture. The radius is the bigger of the two major bones in the forearm. The end of the radius closest to the wrist is the distal portion. When your child suffers from a Colles wrist fracture, the distal end fractures, which may result in an unnatural bend in the wrist. This injury causes pain. The wrist will swell, and your child might not hold or grasp an object without pain. Bruising might occur as well. Young children, with fragile bones may incur this sort of fracture.
Surgery can effectively cure it; however, recuperation could take a while. Colles fractures typically happen following a fall onto an extended hand. When your child extends his or her hand when falling, the force may affect the tiny bones that make up the hand and wrist, especially two bones called the lunate and scaphoid. Your child’s radius becomes impacted and breaks at the dorsal end, which is located close to the wrist. This fracture normally occurs an inch or so from the end of the radius, and it tilts the damaged bone upward.
Symptoms
The following are typical signs of a Colles fracture:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness
- Deformed dangling at the wrist
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is a Colles fracture in a child, and how does it occur?
A Colles fracture is a specific type of wrist fracture characterized by a break in the radius bone, which is one of the two bones in the forearm. In children, this fracture can occur due to a fall on an outstretched hand or a direct impact on the wrist during activities such as sports or play. The force placed on the wrist can cause the radius bone to break near the wrist joint, resulting in a Colles fracture.
What are the common symptoms of a Colles fracture in a child?
The symptoms of a Colles fracture in a child may include severe pain, swelling, bruising, tenderness, and difficulty moving or using the wrist. The child may have a visibly deformed or angulated wrist due to the fracture. In some cases, there may be a noticeable “dinner fork” deformity where the wrist appears bent upward.
How is a Colles fracture in a child diagnosed and treated?
Diagnosis of a Colles fracture in a child involves a physical examination, medical history review, and imaging studies such as X-rays or, in some cases, a CT scan. Treatment typically includes immobilizing the wrist with a cast or splint to allow the fracture to heal. The child may need to avoid using the injured hand and wrist during the healing period. Pain management, physical therapy, and follow-up appointments with a pediatric orthopedic specialist are crucial components of the treatment plan to monitor healing progress and ensure proper recovery.
When children break bones, parents need to take them to the very best doctors. At the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, we are the best. We specialize in children and their bones.
Causes
If your child reaches out to break a fall, your child can incur a Colles fracture. Additionally, it may take place in an auto accident. The following are also potential situations that lead to children breaking bones.
- Suffer osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disorder.
- Possess a lack of agility and poor balance, or have little muscular mass or inadequate muscle strength.
- all). Take a stroll, engage in other ice- or snow-related activities, or engage in motion-intensive sports like in-line skating and skiing.
- Have insufficient vitamin D or calcium consumption.
Diagnosis
If a child’s arm hurts so much that it just hangs, the parents should take the child to see a doctor. If there is no deformity and the wrist is not particularly painful, parents could postpone seeing a doctor until the next day. Before a doctor can inspect it, it is advised to apply an ice pack to the wrist and keep it elevated. Before swelling happens, parents need to remove any rings from the child’s fingers. To determine whether any of the frequent causes of Colles fractures have happened, the doctor will inquire about the child’s activities. After that, they’ll look to see whether there are any blood vessels and nerves that have been injured. Doctors use the X-ray to diagnose fractured bones.
Treatment Options
When treating a Colles fracture, the doctor’s goal is to put all the fractured bones back where they belong and keep them there until the fracture heals. There are several ways to accomplish this. Doctors use the following primary factors in considering how to treat the child:
- Type and extent of the damage
- The person’s age
- Their activity levels
If the bones do not align properly, the doctor will recommend surgery. Your orthopedic surgeon places the bones into the appropriate position during this treatment, and one or more of the following is then used to maintain the bones in place:
- Metal pins.
- Plates.
- Screws.
- An external fixator
Physical Therapy
Parents may need to consult a physical therapist or occupational therapist, depending on the seriousness of their child’s injuries. Your doctor will provide exercises to assist your child’s wrist to restore strength and its usual range of motion.
At Home
Immobilizing your child’s wrist in a splint is the most crucial initial therapy. Parents may just support it by wrapping a magazine around their wrist. To stop the wrist from swelling and to stimulate healing, raise it above the level of your heart. Applying an ice pack to the wound also lessens swelling. Pain relief is possible with over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Avoid trying to straighten your wrist and keep it in a fixed position. Make an appointment with your doctor at Medical City Kids Ortho right away, or seek treatment at an urgent care facility. If your wrist is completely numb or the pain is extreme, get straight to the emergency department.
Non-Surgical Treatment
For the first few days, elevate your wrist by resting it on a pillow or the back of a chair above the level of your heart. This will reduce swelling and discomfort.
For two to three days, place ice on the wrist to reduce swelling. Do this for 15 to 20 minutes every two to three hours. While icing, take care to keep the cast or splint dry.
Ask your physician about NSAIDs. They can aid in reducing pain and swelling. The negative effects of these medications include a higher risk of bleeding and ulceration. Unless your doctor advises differently, they should only be taken seldom as doing so might cause recovery to be delayed.
Practice stretching and strengthening exercises
If your doctor advises it, perform stretches and shoulder, elbow, and finger strengthening exercises. These therapies will usually help your child. However, surgery is occasionally required for persons with fractured wrists. If the bone is not likely to mend well in a cast, your doctor could advise this. Sometimes holding the bone in place as it heals requires the use of pins, plates, screws, or other tools.
Surgical Treatment
Your doctor will advise surgery to treat a wrist fracture if it is serious. Pins, a plate, screws, or an external device that keeps the pins in place to straighten your child’s bones and hold them together. Doctors will conduct surgery if the bone is so misaligned that it cannot mend properly even with a cast. The most popular technique is referred to as reduction. An incision is created during the treatment to provide access to your child’s shattered bones. Following that, your surgeon straightens your child’s bones and closes the incision. For retaining the bone in the appropriate position as it heals, many solutions are depending on the fracture:
- Metal pins
- Plate and screws.
- External fixator
- Any combination of these methods.
Recovery
The entire recovery from a Colles wrist fracture might take a year or longer. Usually, 3 to 6 months following surgery, your child can resume more strenuous activities. After the cast is removed, your child’s wrist will likely feel stiff for a month or two. For around two years, your child can continue to have dull pain or stiffness. Some children who have Colles wrist fractures go on to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Following are some general pointers for a complete recovery:
- Following the removal of the cast or following surgery, physical rehabilitation will begin.
- Almost everyone who has a Colles wrist fracture will develop wrist stiffness.
- It may take up to a year to fully recover from a Colles wrist fracture.
Pain Management and Care
Colles fractures cause a wide range of discomfort that is difficult to predict. The discomfort is frequently mild, so the doctor may suggest using cold packs, elevating the arm, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers. To treat pain and inflammation, ibuprofen and acetaminophen may be suggested. The doctor will prescribe opioid drugs for more severe pain. If a cast is used, parents should try and keep it dry.
Complications
For a Colles’ fracture, problems are often avoidable with quick treatment and attentive aftercare. Nerve or blood vessel injuries are examples of complications that might occur without prompt medical attention or with major wounds. Additionally, some persons have compartment syndrome, a disorder that occurs when the pressure inside the muscles becomes dangerously high. These issues typically arise quickly following the fracture. Osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome are complications that may develop later. Tendon damage and chronic discomfort might result when a fracture doesn’t always heal properly. Colles’ more severe fractures may result in the following:
- The wrist joint is affected by the break.
- A shattered bone fragment pierces the skin.
- The bone has many fractures.
- Bone fragments shift about.
- Bone fragments harm a nerve or blood artery.
- Ligaments might tear.
The above complications depict instances where wrist fractures can heal slower than normal.
Choose the Very Best Doctors for your Child
The Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists has been providing excellent broken bone fracture care for many years. We focus on improving the long-term health of your child’s bones. If your child is in pain as a result of a broken wrist or arm, call one of our compassionate experts at 214-556–0590 to schedule an appointment with us. Finally, we offer personalized treatment and urgent pediatric care services at all of our four locations — Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX. If you notice any symptoms of a broken arm in your child, don’t hesitate to contact us to avoid complications.
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Footnote:
Medline Plus: Colles Risk Fracture
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