If you have recently injured yourself and found out you broke your wrist, you may be understandably feeling upset and in pain. You might also be wondering what you can expect from the process of treatment and recovery for your injury. You never know how much you use your wrists until one of them is injured, and dealing with a broken wrist can be quite challenging for you as you navigate the world. However, it's important to get to know more about the treatments available for your broken wrist. That way, you can know what to expect from your doctors and the recovery process. 

Expect to Be Put in a Cast

A broken wrist cannot heal properly without being at least partially immobilized to allow the bones to set. Because of this, you can expect to be put in a cast for your injury. Depending on the severity of the break and a number of other factors, the average amount of time you will wear a cast is five to six weeks. 

During this time, it is important to rest the arm that is in the cast and to not try to do anything like carry heavy bags or boxes with that arm. Doing so can further exacerbate the injury and cause you more problems in the future. 

Know You May Need Surgery

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor that specializes in fixing things like broken bones. They will be consulted on your wrist right away usually and will be the one to help you through the recovery process. 

The orthopedic surgeon will run scans of your wrist when you are first injured as well as when you get your cast off. Using these scans, they will determine if your wrist has healed properly on its own or if you need surgery to correct the issue. 

Broken wrists can be tricky to heal on their own. So, do not be surprised if your doctor recommends surgery for your wrist. Recovery from surgery can take as little as six weeks or may take several months, again depending on a number of factors. 

Recognize You Will Need Physical Therapy

After you get your cast off and/or have surgery for your wrist, you will need physical therapy to help with your recovery and building back flexibility and strength in your wrist. Physical therapy will last for several weeks throughout the recovery process and is vital in ensuring that you regain your range of motion in your wrist. 

Now that you know some of the facts to be aware of when you have a broken wrist, you can be sure you are prepared for the recovery process.