Snowboarding Injuries – Wrist Fractures

Queenstown Snowboarder Tiarn Collins who came second in the snowboard event. PHOTO: NICK PRICE

Falls are more common in Snowboarding. The natural response to a fall is to stretch out a hand to break the fall, and falls tend to occur more often in beginners. For this reason, Scaphoid fractures and Colles fractures of the wrist are a relatively common feature, with around 100,000 wrist fractures worldwide among snowboarders each year.

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SportsStuff Snow Ryder 130 cm | Beginners Board, Hardwood Construction, Easy Adjustment, Blue
Above $300
System MTN and APX Complete Men's Snowboard Package (156 cm, Boot Size 11)
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2020 System Juno and Mystic Complete Women's Snowboard Package (141 cm, Boot Size 6)
Best for Kids
Burton Kids' Riglet Snowboard, 90cm
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SportsStuff Snow Ryder 130 cm | Beginners Board, Hardwood Construction, Easy Adjustment, Blue
System MTN and APX Complete Men's Snowboard Package (156 cm, Boot Size 11)
2020 System Juno and Mystic Complete Women's Snowboard Package (141 cm, Boot Size 6)
Burton Kids' Riglet Snowboard, 90cm
ZIONOR X Ski Snowboard Snow Goggles OTG Design for Men Women Adult with Spherical Detachable Lens UV...
Under $100
SportsStuff Snow Ryder 130 cm | Beginners Board, Hardwood Construction, Easy Adjustment, Blue
SportsStuff Snow Ryder 130 cm | Beginners Board, Hardwood Construction, Easy Adjustment, Blue
Above $300
System MTN and APX Complete Men's Snowboard Package (156 cm, Boot Size 11)
System MTN and APX Complete Men's Snowboard Package (156 cm, Boot Size 11)
Top Women's Snowboard
2020 System Juno and Mystic Complete Women's Snowboard Package (141 cm, Boot Size 6)
2020 System Juno and Mystic Complete Women's Snowboard Package (141 cm, Boot Size 6)
Best for Kids
Burton Kids' Riglet Snowboard, 90cm
Burton Kids' Riglet Snowboard, 90cm
Amazing Offer
ZIONOR X Ski Snowboard Snow Goggles OTG Design for Men Women Adult with Spherical Detachable Lens UV...
ZIONOR X Ski Snowboard Snow Goggles OTG Design for Men Women Adult with Spherical Detachable Lens UV...

Scaphoid Fracture

The scaphoid is one of the eight small carpal bones that make up the wrist complex. The fracture of the scaphoid usually occurs following a fall onto an outstretched hand.

As with any fracture, there is a good deal of pain. There is tenderness and a small area of swelling at the base of the thumb, on the outside of the wrist. Moving the hand in the direction towards the thumb will exacerbate the pain.

In the case of an acute fracture of the scaphoid, the wrist is immobilized in a plaster of paris for 6 weeks. Once the cast has been removed, the patient begins physiotherapy.

Colles Fracture

The Colles fracture describes a fracture of the radius bone of the forearm, just above the wrist. The most common method of sustaining a Colles fracture is to fall on an outstretched hand.

Symptoms include a great deal of pain, a “dinner fork” deformity, swelling and an inability to use the wrist and hand.

If a fracture of the wrist is suspected, the patient should be taken to an accident and emergency department without delay. The most common treatment is simply to put the forearm and wrist into a plaster of paris for a period of 6 weeks.