What happens if you hit your wrist hard?
But once your hand hits the ground, the force of impact bends it back toward your forearm. This can stretch the ligaments that connect the wrist and hand bones a little too far. The result is tiny tears or — even worse — a complete break to the ligament.
Table of Contents
How do you know if you cracked a bone in your wrist?
A broken wrist might cause these signs and symptoms:

- Severe pain that might worsen when gripping or squeezing or moving your hand or wrist.
- Swelling.
- Tenderness.
- Bruising.
- Obvious deformity, such as a bent wrist.
How do you treat a wrist bone injury?
Immobilization. Restricting the movement of a broken bone in your wrist is critical to proper healing. To do this, you’ll likely need a splint or a cast. You’ll be advised to keep your hand above heart level as much as possible to reduce swelling and pain.
Is my wrist broken if I can move it?
Many people mistakenly believe that if you can still move your wrist, it may not be broken. But, even if you’re only having some of the symptoms above, your wrist can still be broken. A sprained wrist is also a common injury and may sometimes be confused with a wrist fracture.
Can you have a fractured wrist and not know it?
Sometimes a bone can break without you realizing it. That’s usually what happens to the scaphoid bone in your wrist, a boat-shaped bone located on the outermost side of the thumb side of the hand.

What kind of wrist injury do I have?
Common Hand and Wrist Injuries
Injury | Causes/Description |
---|---|
Tendon Tear “Jersey Finger” | Force of grasp with object (jersey) pulling away, ruptures tendon |
Wrist Bone Fracture “Scaphoid” | Fall on outstretched hand |
Wrist Ligament Tear | Impaction or twisting injury of wrist |
Can you have a broken wrist without swelling?
Expect there to be swelling and pain with a broken wrist. Sometimes there is an obvious deformity or misalignment, but other times the wrist may look normal aside from mild swelling. It is always best to see a specialist for a proper diagnosis and an X-ray.
Should I go to ER for wrist injury?
Seek medical care at the emergency room or an urgent care center if: you think you have a broken bone in your wrist or hand or there is a visible deformity; you have an open wound that needs immediate treatment; you are in severe pain; or.
How do I know what type of wrist injury I have?
The angle at which the wrist hits the ground may determine the type of injury. The more the wrist is bent back (extension), the more likely the scaphoid bone will break. With less wrist extension it is more likely the lower arm bone (radius) will break. Scaphoid fractures are not always immediately obvious.