If you have wrist pain following a perceived minor injury, why should you get an x-ray?

The answer is pure and simple-----and reinforced by the findings of a study recently published in the September issue of the Journal of Hand Surgery, entitled "Delays and Poor Management of Scaphoid Frctures: Factors Contributing to nonunion"--you might have sustained a fracture of 1 of you wrist bones (aka scaphoid bone; carpal navicular)

The article shows that a high percentage of unhealed fractures occurred in patients who either never sought follow-up after a wrist injury OR who saw a doctor, but did not have an x-ray.

So---if you have pain in your wrist after a "sprain"----I recommend an xray, AND if the x-ray is read as normal, and your pain persists, get a follow-up xray a couple weeks later---since this fracture may not show up acutely.

You must be logged in to post a reply. Please login or click here to create an account.