Hand and finger fractures

9-minute read

Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance or go to hospital immediately if bone is visible through the skin, if there is heavy bleeding or if the injured area is an unusual colour or shape.

Key facts

A hard knock to your hand can break the bones in your fingers and hand.
A fracture is a break in a bone.
If you fracture your finger or hand, you will have pain, swelling and trouble moving your hand.
See your doctor if you think you have a hand or finger fracture.
Treatment includes immobilisation, hand therapy and surgery.

What are hand and finger fractures?

A fracture is when you have a crack or break in your bone. If you injure your hand, you may break a bone in your finger or another part of your hand.

Hand and finger fractures can happen to people of all ages.

What symptoms are related to hand and finger fractures?

You might have:

pain
bruising and swelling
difficulty moving your hand
a change in the colour of your skin
deformity (different shape to usual)
a wound — cuts and bleeding

You may also have numbness or tingling in your hand and fingers.

If you are in severe pain or have a wound that won’t stop bleeding, get medical care straight away.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes hand and finger fractures?

Some causes of hand or finger fractures are:

accidents and injuries
health conditions that weaken your bones
overuse and repetitive use

Accidents and injuries

Many types of injuries can lead to hand and finger fractures. Here are some situations when you might hurt your hand:

playing sports and exercising
doing manual labour
if you trip or fall
getting your hand caught in a door
a car accident

If you punch a hard object or fall onto a closed fist it can cause a broken finger.

Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury in older Australians. If someone falls, it's not necessarily because they are not concentrating or they are clumsy. There are many reasons why older people might have a fall, such as having certain conditions, dangers around the house and changes to the body.

Health conditions

The most common symptom of osteoporosis is a bone fracture. Osteoporosis is caused by a decrease in your bone density. This makes your bones more fragile and easier to break.

Some types of cancer can also weaken your bones.

Overuse

Some jobs, sports and activities involve repetitive movements (doing the same thing again and again). Repeated movements can overuse your hands. This slowly weakens the bones and increases your chance of fractures.

How are hand and finger fractures diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask what has happened. They will examine your hands and check how well you move each finger. They will check for other injuries and problems. They might ask if this is your dominant hand (the hand you use the most).

Your doctor will probably send you for an x-ray. You may also need to have a bone scan or CT scan.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.

When should I see my doctor?

If you think you have broken a bone in your hand, and you experience the following, you should see a doctor:

pain
bruising and swelling
difficulty moving your hand

If your hand or finger does not seem to be getting better, visit your doctor again.

If you need to see your doctor but cannot wait for an appointment, you may be able to get treatment at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Use the Service Finder to find your nearest one.

When to seek urgent care

You should get medical help as soon as possible if:

you see bone coming through your skin
you have severe pain
you can’t stop the bleeding from a wound
you can’t move your hand
your hand is a strange shape
you have lost feeling in your fingers
you have signs of infection, such as redness, pus or very warm skin

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How are hand and finger fractures treated?

At first, you may need to use a splint if you have broken your finger or a bone in your hand. This will immobilise your hand (hold it in place).

You may need treatment for pain and swelling.

Your doctor may refer you to a specialist, such as an orthopaedic surgeon (bone doctor).

Later you may be asked to do hand exercises. You might need another x-ray to check your progress.

Be sure to attend all follow-up appointments and follow the instructions you get.

Self-care at home

When the hand injury has just happened, apply first aid. This may include:

using a cushion or towel to support your hand above and below the injury
calling for help
putting an ice pack on the area — always cover an ice pack with a cloth before placing on your skin
keeping your arm and hand still
elevating (raising) your hand
taking pain-relief medicine

You may also have other cuts and grazes that need treatment.

Medicines for hand and finger fractures

To control any pain and swelling, you can take:

paracetamol
a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen or diclofenac

Always follow the instructions on the pack.

Other treatment options

Your doctor may suggest exercises to make sure your fingers can move well as they get better. Or they may refer you to a hand therapist. A hand therapist is a physiotherapist or occupational therapist that is an expert in treating hand and arm injuries.

Your doctor or specialist may suggest surgery to reset the bone in your finger or hand.

What are the complications of hand and finger fractures?

Your hands are very important for doing daily tasks. If your hand or finger fracture does not heal properly, you could have problems later, such as:

stiffness in your finger joint
change in shape of your hand or finger
scar tissue which can make your hand or finger less flexible than before the injury

If your hand injury does not heal well, it can make it hard to do tasks at work or home.

If your skin has been broken, you may get an infection.

Rarely, a broken bone can damage a nerve or blood vessel. This needs urgent treatment.

Can hand and finger fractures be prevented?

You can’t always prevent the causes of fractures. But you can take some steps to make hand and finger injuries less likely. Build your bone strength — get enough calcium and vitamin D.

Check that all your spaces are safe, well-lit and organised including:

at work
when playing sports or exercising
when doing manual labour
when you do chores at home

You must be provided with training and safety equipment at work.

Visit Kidsafe Australia to find out how you can prevent accidents involving children.

Other health conditions

You are more likely to get bone fractures if you have a health condition such as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis weakens your bones. If you have osteoporosis, follow your doctor’s advice about your:

If you have risk factors for fractures or osteoporosis, you may need a bone density scan.

Read about more things you can do to prevent falls in older people.

Resources and support

If you are worried about fractures, ask your doctor or specialist for advice.
Find out more about limb injuries.
Learn about first aid for broken bones at the Red Cross website.
Visit the Know Your Bones site to find out your bone health score.
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: March 2025

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Decreasing the risk of falls and fractures | Fact Sheet | Australasian Menopause Society Hub

Download: Decreasing the risk of falls and fractures | Fact Sheet MAIN POINTSFalls and fractures can happen at any age, but the risk increases as women age.Falls in older people are more likely to cause more severe injuries.Low bone density, low muscle strength and poor balance are more likely as women age and increase the risk of falls.Improving your bone health can also help decrease the risk of falls and decrease the severity of any injuries or other consequences if you do fall.Appropriate physical activity can help decrease several fall risk factors.Speak with your doctor, assess your overall health and make changes to decrease your risk of a fall.You can reduce your risk of having a fall. The years before, during and after menopause are great times to speak with your doctor, assess your overall health and make changes to decrease your risk of a fall.By the numbers – falls and fractures in women after the age of 40Between the ages of 40 and 60 years, women begin to experience a decrease in the ability to balance and a decrease in bone density. Both of these changes contribute to the likelihood of both a fall and more severe outcomes after a fall. Here are some statistics showing the increase in the risk of falls as women age:After the age of 50, one in two women will break a bone at some stage during the rest of her life because of a fall.One in five women will fall each year before she reaches the age of 60.One in three women will fall each year after the age of 65.One in two women will fall each year after the age of 80.In older people, 30 per cent of falls result in more severe injuries such as head trauma, hip fracture, other fractures and dislocations. Of the hip fractures in older people, more than 90 per cent are caused by a fall – 25 per cent of people with hip fractures die within 12 months and 25 per cent never regain full mobility. After a fall, older people can also lose confidence and become less physically and socially active.Factors increasing the risk of falls and fracturesA proper review of your risk of falls and bone fractures can be performed by healthcare professionals. Self-assessment tools are also available to help you to uncover any risk factors. Your risk of having a fall increases if you have:low bone density / osteoporosis – women 60 years or older with osteoporosis have twice the risk of fallingdecreased strength in your lower bodydecreased balance, reaction time and postural stabilitya history of previous fallsother medical conditions including (but not limited to) – hearing and vision problems, heart disease, incontinence or dementia.Decreasing your risk of falls and fracturesYour doctor can suggest steps you can take to decrease your risk of falls. These include:increasing muscle strength through physical activitymaintaining or improving your bone density (see section below)improving your mobility through physical activityimproving balance through physical activityhaving your vision and hearing checkedmaking sure your footwear is appropriatereviewing your environment for tripping hazardsspeaking with your doctor if you have a fear of falling or feel physically or socially restricted.Maintaining or improving your bone health decreases the risk of falls and fractures and may decrease the severity of injuries or other consequences if you do fall.You can improve your bone health with:physical activity to improve bone density, muscle strength, mobility and balance – weight-bearing activities or strength training can improve your muscle strength, bone density and mobility, while activities such as Tai Chi, yoga or Pilates can improve balanceadequate calcium intake – a minimum of 1200g per day, preferably from dietary sourcesVitamin D – helps calcium absorption and maintains bones. Low vitamin D blood levels are common in Australia and you may need supplements if your blood levels are lowanti-osteoporosis medications, including menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), can reduce the risk of a first fracture and especially further fractures by up to 70%.Where can I find more information?Lifestyle and behaviour changes for menopausal symptoms (See AMS fact sheet Lifestyle and behaviour changes for menopausal symptoms)Osteoporosis (healthybonesaustralia.org.au)Calcium Supplements (See AMS information sheet Calcium supplements)Self-assessment tool: Are you at risk of osteoporotic fracture?Self-assessment tool: Know your bonesIf you have any concerns or questions about options to manage your menopausal symptoms, visit your doctor or go to the Find an AMS Doctor service on the AMS website.

Read more on Australasian Menopause Society website

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Hand and finger fractures

Key facts

What are hand and finger fractures?

What symptoms are related to hand and finger fractures?