Editing Distal radius fracture (section)

==Signs and symptoms==
People usually present with a history of falling on an outstretched hand and complaint of pain and swelling around the wrist, sometimes with deformity around the wrist.<ref name="Court-Brown 2015"/> Any [[paresthesia|numbness]] should be asked to exclude [[median nerve|median]] and [[ulnar nerve]] injuries. Any pain in the limb of the same side should also be investigated to exclude associated injuries to the same limb.<ref name="Court-Brown 2015"/>

Swelling, deformity, tenderness, and loss of wrist motion are normal features on examination of a person with a distal radius fracture.  "Dinner fork" deformity of the wrist is caused by dorsal displacement of the [[carpal bones]] ([[Colle's fracture]]). Reverse deformity is seen in volar angulation ([[Smith's fracture]]). The wrist may be radially deviated due to shortening of the [[Radius (bone)|radius bone]].<ref name="Court-Brown 2015"/> Examination should also rule out a skin wound which might suggest an [[open fracture]], usually at the side.<ref name="Court-Brown 2015"/> Tenderness at an area with no obvious deformity may still point to underlying fractures. Decreased sensation especially at the tips of the radial three and one half digits ( thumb, index finger, middle finger and radial portion of the ring finger ) can be due to [[median nerve]] injury. Swelling and displacement can cause compression on the median nerve which results in acute [[carpal tunnel syndrome]] and requires prompt treatment.  Very rarely, pressure on the muscle components of the hand or forearm is sufficient to create a [[compartment syndrome]] which can manifest as severe pain and sensory deficits in the hand.<ref name="Court-Brown 2015"/>

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 | caption1          = Malreduced distal radius fracture demonstrating the deformity in the wrist
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=== Complications ===
[[Nonunion]] is rare; almost all of these fractures heal. [[Malunion]], however, is not uncommon, and can lead to residual pain, grip weakness, reduced range of motion (especially rotation), and persistent deformity. Symptomatic malunion may require additional surgery. If the joint surface is damaged and heals with more than 1–2&nbsp;mm of unevenness, the wrist joint will be prone to post-traumatic [[osteoarthritis]]. Half of nonosteoporotic patients will develop post-traumatic arthritis, specifically limited radial deviation and wrist flexion. This arthritis can worsen over time.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lameijer |first1=C. M. |last2=ten Duis |first2=H. J. |last3=van Dusseldorp |first3=I. |last4=Dijkstra |first4=P. U. |last5=van der Sluis |first5=C. K. |title=Prevalence of posttraumatic arthritis and the association with outcome measures following distal radius fractures in non-osteoporotic patients: a systematic review |journal=Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery |date=1 November 2017 |volume=137 |issue=11 |pages=1499–1513 |doi=10.1007/s00402-017-2765-0 |pmid=28770349 |pmc=5644687 }}</ref> Displaced fractures of the [[Ulnar styloid process|ulnar styloid]] base associated with a distal radius fracture result in instability of the DRUJ and resulting loss of [[forearm]] rotation.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Nerve injury, especially of the median nerve and presenting as carpal tunnel syndrome, is commonly reported following distal radius fractures. Tendon injury can occur in people treated both nonoperatively and operatively, most commonly to the [[Extensor pollicis longus muscle|extensor pollicis longus]] tendon. This can be due to the tendon coming in contact with protruding bone or with hardware placed following surgical procedures.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Complex regional pain syndrome is also associated with distal radius fractures, and can present with pain, swelling, changes in color and temperature, and/or joint contracture. The cause for this condition is unknown.<ref name=":2">{{cite book|title=Rockwood and Green's Fractures in Adults |editor-last1=Ricci |display-authors=etal |editor-first1=William M.|date=2015|publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins|isbn=978-1451175318|edition=8th|location=Philadelphia, Pa.}}</ref>