Distal Radius Buckle (Torus) Fracture

This fracture is a common injury in children. It is often caused from falling on the hand. This fracture causes one side of the bone to bend, but does not actually break through the entire bone. It is an incomplete fracture that normally heals within one month. 

Diagnosing and Treatment

• Your child will have an X-ray that shows a distal buckle (torus) fracture (break).
• They will be given a Velcro^® wrist brace (Picture 1).
• The Velcro wrist brace is the final treatment for your child’s fracture. They do not need to follow-up with an orthopedic provider.

Brace Care and Activities

• After the Velcro brace is placed, your child should keep it on at all times. However, they may take it off for baths or showers. It may be taken off one time each day to check for skin irritation or redness.
• Keep the brace clean and dry.
• Your child should move their fingers often to help keep good blood flow to the fingers.
• Your child may participate in all activities as tolerated with the brace on.
• Your child may stop wearing the brace 4 weeks from injury.
• Check if your child has wrist pain in 4 weeks by pushing firmly about the location of the wrist where a watch would be worn (the fracture site). If your child has no pain, they may stop wearing the brace and slowly return back to activities as tolerated.
• If you have any concerns, or your child is not returning to baseline function within a few weeks after the brace is removed, call to schedule a visit with an orthopedic provider. 

When to Call the Doctor

If any of these things happen after you leave the emergency department or urgent care center, call your child’s orthopedic provider right away:

• Your child has numb or tingling fingers and cannot feel when you scratch the fingers.
• Your child’s fingers are bluish-purple in color.
• Your child’s fingers feel cold and do not improve with elevation.
• Your child’s fingers do not become pink again within 3 seconds of pressing the fingernails.
• There is more than a little swelling.

Follow-up

• No follow-up with an orthopedic provider is needed.
• Your child may have some wrist stiffness, tenderness, and weakness for 1 to 2 weeks after the Velcro brace is removed. If these symptoms continue after 2 weeks, please call the Orthopedic Center in Columbus at (614) 722-5175 or in Toledo at (419) 251-5175.
• If you have any concerns or questions about your child's injury, please call Nationwide Children’s Hospital Orthopedic clinic in Columbus at (614) 722-5175 or in Toledo at (419) 251-2061.

Distal Radius Buckle (Torus) Fractures (PDF)

HH-I-422 12/16, Revised 1/22 Copyright 2016, Nationwide Children’s Hospital