Humans rely on their hands for many of the day-to-day activities they carry out. The wrists play a key role in facilitating the movement of the hands. A wrist injury can be debilitating, especially if it is serious.
Sprains are commonly thought of as minor injuries, but this is not always the case. If you have sprained your wrist in a traffic collision, how long will it take you to recover? It depends.
Sprains are not always minor
Minor wrist sprains will typically start to improve after a day or two and could heal within a week when the wrist is allowed to rest. However, not all wrist sprains are minor.
If more severe damage has been caused to the soft tissue of the wrist and ligament, then longer recovery periods can be expected. In more severe cases, ligaments and muscles may be torn completely, meaning that surgery is required. This has the potential to increase the expected recovery period by several months.
How do you know that you have a sprain and not a fracture?
Sprain injuries can feel just as painful as fractures. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two types of injuries. If your wrist is very swollen or your arm seems to be at an unusual angle, then the wrist could be fractured. You should seek medical treatment if this is the case. Scans and other diagnostic procedures will be able to identify what the injury is.
A sprained wrist can prevent you from working for weeks or even months. If your injury was caused by a reckless or negligent driver, you should get legal guidance to help you seek financial compensation.
