Buckle Fracture

Information for patients

Your child has sustained an injury to the wrist called a buckle fracture.  This is a simple injury, a bit like a bone bruise, which does not usually cause long term problems and can be treated in a splint rather than a  plaster (stookie).

How long should they wear the splint?

We have given your child a wrist splint which they should wear for three weeks.  This reduces the chances of further injury  and makes them more comfortable. They can remove the splint to have a bath or a shower. If your child removes the splint, just replace it.

Pain Relief

A simple painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may help with pain.

What should I do at the 3 week point after injury?

After three weeks you can remove the splint: the hospital staff will have given you an estimated date for this. You should encourage your child to use their injured wrist.  It may feel slightly stiff to begin with.  Don’t worry – this is normal.

Things to avoid

To prevent re-injury we would ask that your child avoids contact sports for a further three weeks after you have removed the splint.

This includes games such as:

• Football
• Rugby
• Hockey
• Martial arts

Follow-up

We do not usually need to see your child again after this injury. If you are concerned, or your child is experiencing a lot of pain please contact the Emergency Department.

When should I remove my child’s splint?

You should remove your child’s splint approximately 3 weeks after injury.

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk