Closed Hand Fracture (Adult)

Home care

• Keep your arm raised to reduce pain and swelling. When sitting or lying down, raise your arm above heart level. You can do this by placing your arm on a pillow that rests on your chest or on a pillow at your side. This is most important during the first 48 hours after injury.

• Apply an ice pack over the injured area for no more than 15 to 20 minutes. Do this every 1 to 2 hours for the first 24 to 48 hours. Continue with ice packs as needed to ease pain and swelling. To make an ice pack, put ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a clean, thin towel or cloth. Never put ice or an ice pack directly on the skin to prevent damage to your skin. You can place the ice pack inside the sling and directly over the cast or splint. As the ice melts, be careful that the cast or splint doesn’t get wet.

• Keep the cast or splint completely dry at all times. Bathe with your cast or splint out of the water, protected with 2 large plastic bags. Place 1 bag outside the other. Tape each bag with duct tape at the top end or use rubber bands. If a fiberglass cast or splint gets wet, dry it with a hair dryer on a cool setting. Do not set the dryer on warm or hot, as it may burn your skin.

• Don't put powder or lotion on, near, or inside the cast. Don't try to put anything in your cast. You might hurt your skin, which can lead to infection.

• Your health care provider may assess your risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE).

• If you have diabetes, extra care and monitoring may be required, as you will be more prone to infection and slower wound healing.

• You may use over-the-counter pain medicine to control pain, unless another pain medicine was prescribed. If you take a blood thinner, have chronic liver or kidney disease, or have ever had a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding, talk with your provider before using these medicines.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your health care provider in 1 week, or as advised. This is to be sure the bone is healing correctly properly aligned. If you were given a splint, it may be changed to a cast at your follow-up visit.

If X-rays were taken, you will be told of any new findings that may affect your care.

Rehabilitation. Hand therapy is part of your rehab. It's a treatment that is done by either a physical or an occupational therapist. Its aim is to optimize your hand function.

To decide on the right treatment plan for you, your provider will consider:

• What hand is your dominant hand.

• The nature of your hand injury.

• How much you need your hand for your job.

• Other health issues you have.

Your physical therapist will tell you about exercises at every stage of your recovery to:

• Reduce stiffening of the joint .

• Strengthen your muscles, and restore your grip strength.

• Achieve a painless range of motion (ROM).

• Improve flexibility.

• Restore your hand function so you can return to your preferred activities.

When to get medical advice

Contact your health care provider right away if any of these occur:

• The plaster cast or splint becomes wet or soft

• The fiberglass cast or splint stays wet for more than 24 hours

• The cast or splint has a bad smell

• The plaster cast or splint becomes loose

• There is increased tightness or pain under the cast or splint

• The fingers on your injured hand become swollen, cold, blue, numb, or tingly.