
To keep your bones strong, make sure your diet includes enough calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. Add low-impact activities to your exercise regimen to avoid repetitively stressing a particular part of your body. The radius is the bone on the thumb side, closer to the body, while the ulna is on the same side as the pinkie. If you have flat feet, ask your doctor about arch supports for your shoes. Hispanolistic/Getty Images The radius and ulna are the two long bones in the forearm. Make sure your shoes fit well and are appropriate for your activity. Avoid increasing the amount you exercise by more than 10% a week. Start any new exercise program slowly and progress gradually. A wrist fracture is a medical term for a broken wrist, which means you’ve broken one or more of the many bones in your wrist. Simple steps can help you prevent stress fractures. If underlying causes are not taken care of, you may be at higher risk of additional stress fractures. The quick answer is the symptoms of hairline fractures of the wrist are pain (sharp or achy), swelling, bruising and lack of function of the wrist. Some stress fractures don't heal properly, which can cause chronic problems. Eating disorders and lack of vitamin D and calcium can make bones more likely to develop stress fractures. Having had one or more stress fractures puts you at higher risk of having more. Conditions such as osteoporosis can weaken your bones and make it easier for stress fractures to occur. Worn footwear contributes to the problem. People who have flat feet or high, rigid arches are more likely to develop stress fractures. Women, especially those who have abnormal or absent menstrual periods, are at higher risk of developing stress fractures. Pain from a hairline fracture is usually worse with activity and may be relieved with rest.

It can take several weeks and sometimes longer than a month for evidence of stress fractures to show on X-rays. Stress fractures often can't be seen on regular X-rays taken shortly after your pain begins. Stress fractures often occur in people who suddenly shift from a sedentary lifestyle to an active training regimen or who rapidly increase the intensity, duration or frequency of training sessions. The most common symptom of a hairline fracture in the wrist is pain. Doctors can sometimes diagnose a stress fracture from a medical history and a physical exam, but imaging tests are often needed. Stress fractures are more common in people who engage in high-impact sports, such as track and field, basketball, tennis, dance or gymnastics. Risk factorsįactors that can increase your risk of stress fractures include: During remodeling, bone tissue is destroyed (resorption), then rebuilt.īones subjected to unaccustomed force without enough time for recovery resorb cells faster than your body can replace them, which makes you more susceptible to stress fractures. Stress fractures often result from increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too quickly.īone adapts gradually to increased loads through remodeling, a normal process that speeds up when the load on the bone increases.
