Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
OVERVIEW
A Colles’ fracture, also known as a broken wrist, is an injury most commonly caused due to a hard fall onto the wrist. This particular type of fracture is typically simple to treat, though treatment is heavily dependent on if the bones remained in their correct alignment or not. Depending on how displaced the wrist bones are, surgery may be necessary to realign the bones.
ANATOMY
The radius is the larger of the two bones of the forearm with the end toward the wrist called the distal end. A fracture of the distal radius occurs when the area of the radius near the wrist breaks.

DESCRIPTION
A Colles’ fracture, also known as a broken wrist, is when the distal radius breaks, causing it to tilt upward. This fracture was first described in 1814 by an Irish surgeon and anatomist, Abraham Colles — hence the name Colles’ fracture.
The most common cause of a Colles’ fracture is a fall onto an outstretched arm. Another reason for this particular type of fracture is osteoporosis, a disorder that causes bones to weaken over time.
The best way to prevent Colles’ fractures is by maintaining good bone health and wearing wrist guards during activities that can result in a fall, such as skateboarding.
SYMPTOMS
A broken wrist usually causes immediate pain, tenderness, bruising, and swelling. Often, the wrist hangs in an odd or bent way (deformity).
DIAGNOSIS
Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will look at your symptoms and medical history to help determine if you have a Colles’ fracture. Your physician will also order x-rays of your wrist, which produce an image of your wrist bones. This image will show if the wrist was displaced and how many pieces of broken bone there are. This information is essential to know how to treat your fracture.
TREATMENT OVERVIEW
The most important part of the treatment process for a Colles’ fracture is to make sure the broken bone pieces are in the correct alignment before they heal, and that they stay in place. Beyond that, there are both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options available to treat this type of fracture.
NONSURGICAL TREATMENTS
When the broken bone is positioned correctly, a plaster cast is applied until the bone heals. If the bone is not too severely displaced, a closed reduction may be necessary before casting. During a closed reduction, the bone is realigned without having to cut into the arm. For the best results, a closed reduction must be done as soon after the injury as possible.
Depending on the type of fracture you have, your physician will closely check the healing by taking regular x-rays. The quantity and frequency of x-rays you would need also depend on the severity and type of your fracture.
After about six weeks, the cast can be removed. At that point, physical therapy is often started to help improve the motion and function of the injured wrist.
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
If the bone is so displaced that it cannot heal correctly, even if put in a cast, surgery will be necessary. The procedure most commonly used is called reduction. During the procedure, an incision is made to allow access to your broken bones. Your surgeon will then realign your bones and close the incision.
Depending on the fracture, there are several options for holding the bone in the correct position while it heals:
- Cast.
- Metal pins (usually made of stainless steel or titanium).
- Plate and screws.
- External fixator (a stabilizing frame outside the body that holds the bones in the proper position so they can heal).
- Any combination of these techniques.

NEXT STEPS
Talk to your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician today to learn more about Colles’ fracture.
Areas of Focus
- Hand & Wrist
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Nerve Pain
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Trigger Finger
- Ulnar Neuritis
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Sprains
- Wrist Tendonitis
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist):
Specialties
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- ALIF: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion
- Arthritis & Adult Reconstruction Surgery
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Back Surgery Types
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Community Outreach
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discitis
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus - Cheilectomy
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Upper Extremity
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Heat Injury/Heat Prostration
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Interventional Pain Management
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- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- MACI
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
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- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatrist or Orthopaedic Physician?
- Primary Care Orthopedics Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Revision Knee Surgery
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- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sprained Ankle
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Verilast
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Sprains
- Wrist Tendonitis
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