What Happens If a Scaphoid Fracture Is Left Untreated?

A scaphoid fracture is one of the most typical types of wrist injuries. Generally, this injury occurs when the wrist gets jammed against a hard surface (usually when a person falls onto an outstretched hand). In most cases, this type of injury does not seem to be serious; nevertheless, if this fracture goes untreated, the patient may suffer from long-term pain and decreased use of the affected wrist. If a scaphoid fracture is not treated, the patient may develop severe injuries to the wrist.

What Is a Scaphoid Fracture?

The scaphoid is one of the small bones that make up the wrist. The scaphoid bone has an important role in providing stability and motion to the wrist joint. Scaphoid fractures may be difficult to detect at times; for example, patients may report pain at the scaphoid (due to injury), but initially, there is no obvious fracture on X-ray imaging. This may lead to underrecognition of scaphoid fractures and subsequent delay or failure of appropriate treatment, thereby increasing the risk of complications in the future.

What Does a Broken Scaphoid Feel Like?

Understanding what a broken scaphoid feels like can help with early detection. Common symptoms include:

Pain in the area of the base of the thumb
Swelling in your wrist
Tenderness when touched
Less grip strength

Because the amount of pain experienced when you have a fractured scaphoid may vary, there are many instances of people who do not think that they have experienced a fracture and will assume the injury is simply a sprain.

Untreated Scaphoid Fracture Symptoms

If an injury is ignored, the untreated symptoms can continue to worsen over time. As a great example, persistent wrist pain (with or without range of motion), weak grip strength, and difficulty doing everyday activities are just some of the common problems associated with scaphoid fractures. Also, because many of these signs and symptoms can develop over months or years, there will be long-term effects on how well your wrist works and how you enjoy living your life.

What Happens If a Scaphoid Fracture Is Left Untreated?

There can be severe complications if a scaphoid fracture is not treated. These include:

– Nonunion: The bone heals incorrectly, causing chronic pain and instability.

– Avascular Necrosis: The scaphoid has limited blood supply; therefore, if the fracture is not treated, a portion of the bone may be deprived of blood flow and die.

– Arthritis: Untreated fractures can cause permanent damage to the joint, thereby leading to arthritis of the wrist and stiffness of the wrist joint.

– Chronic Pain and Weakness: Continued pain and decreased strength can limit the ability to perform daily tasks.

These complications point out the importance of correct diagnosis and treatment of scaphoid fractures as soon as possible.

Scaphoid Fracture Test and Diagnosis

An accurate diagnosis of a scaphoid fracture can be made by performing an appropriate test for the scaphoid fracture after verifying through a physical examination that the wrist hurt and taking an appropriate imaging study (such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan).

If there is tenderness in the area of the scaphoid and the initial imaging study does not indicate a fracture, then additional imaging will usually be needed for follow-up to verify the diagnosis.

Treatment Options for Scaphoid Fractures

The type of treatment given for a scaphoid fracture is determined by how bad the injury is and how long after the injury you get treatment.

Immediate treatments for a scaphoid fracture may include the following:

Cast or splint to immobilize the wrist
Rest and limited motion with no use of the arm

Future treatments after more severe or longer-lasting injuries will likely be related to the function of the fracture and may include the following:

Surgery to correct the fracture and stabilize it while healing
Surgery for older scaphoid fractures is due to delayed diagnosis and rehabilitation from surgery of older scanned fractures.

Why Early Treatment Matters

Although a scaphoid fracture may appear to be a relatively less serious injury, if treatment is delayed or avoided, it can result in some degree of long-lasting complications. Early intervention not only allows for proper healing to occur but also avoids potential damage to the bone and helps prevent the development of chronic pain.

If you notice you are having pain in your wrist following an injury, please seek medical attention as soon as possible. Obtaining care promptly may have a drastic impact on your recovery process.

Protecting Your Wrist Health

What happens if someone does not get treated for a scaphoid fracture? Potentially, complications from this injury could include nonhealing fractures (called nonunions), damaged bone tissue from lack of oxygen (avascular necrosis), development of arthritis in the wrist, and permanent limitations on wrist function.

It’s important to recognise signs and symptoms of a scaphoid fracture early and get the appropriate treatment to return to full function of the wrist.

Dr. Ehab Bassim Aldlyami is a highly skilled hand specialist based in Dubai, renowned as one of the top orthopedic hand doctors in the region. He specializes in treating hand injuries and conditions related to hand pain across Dubai, UAE.