First X-ray might have missed wrist fracture from basketball injury

Q. I was playing basketball last month and fell on my right wrist. I felt severe pain when I landed on it. I went to the emergency room and got X-rays, which showed nothing was broken.

I was given a splint that I wore for a few days and then began moving my wrist. My wrist is still painful and I have been unable to shoot or return to play. What do you think is wrong and what can I do to get better?

A. Without knowing which part of your wrist hurts, there are a variety of wrist injuries that you may have sustained.

About 5 percent of the time, the initial X-rays can miss a fracture that will subsequently show on repeat X-rays. This is most common on the the thumb side of the wrist in the scaphoid bone.

Ligament or cartilage injuries can also be the source of wrist pain, and an MRI scan can be helpful in establishing a correct diagnosis.

I recommend you see an orthopedic surgeon or upper extremity specialist as quickly as possible, as a delay in diagnosis and treatment can result in a slower and more complicated recovery.

Dr. Harlan Selesnick is team physician of the Miami Heat and Inter Miami. Send your questions to HarlanS@baptisthealth.net