Distal Radius Fracture ORIF: Your Journey from Preparation to Full Recovery
Your surgeon will review your medical history and ensure you are healthy for anesthesia. In the week before surgery, medications such as blood thinners, aspirin and anti‑inflammatory drugs are usually stopped, and you should inform the care team about all prescriptions, vitamins and supplements. Avoid eating or drinking anything for at least 8 hours before your operation. The medications related to your surgery will be sent 2-4 days before your surgery, if possible please pick up medication before your procedure.
The night before surgery, wash your operative hand and fingers with soap, remove dirt and trim fingernails, and avoid lotions. Wear loose clothing on surgery day because you will have a bulky dressing or splint afterwards. Follow fasting instructions—do not eat or drink after midnight.
On the morning of surgery, arrive at the hospital at the instructed time with a list of your medications. Do not eat or drink anything; remove jewelry and nail polish, and prepare for anesthesia. You will receive postoperative instructions and prescriptions for pain control at the hospital.
After surgery, your wrist will be protected in a splint or cast with sterile dressings; do not remove these until your first postoperative visit to avoid infection and displacement. Keep the extremity elevated above the heart and avoid getting the splint wet; sponge baths are recommended. Pain is managed with prescribed narcotic medication and over‑the‑counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, but avoid excessive NSAID use due to potential bone healing delays.
Do not bear weight or lift more than a cup of coffee with the surgical hand for the first four weeks. The wrist remains non‑weight bearing through the protection phase; gentle weight bearing on a tabletop or countertop begins around 4 weeks. Avoid heavy gripping, pushing or pulling until cleared by your surgeon.
Wear the postoperative splint continuously for the first several weeks; you are not allowed to remove it for bathing and but your are allowed to perform gentle finger exercises three times per day. Continue to use your fingers for light activities (typing, eating, dressing), and keep the wrist elevated to reduce swelling.
Schedule a follow‑up with your surgeon 7 - 10 days after surgery for splint change; additional visits typically occur at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 3 months with x‑rays to monitor bone healing. Another visit at 4 weeks checks progress and adjusts exercises.
From weeks 3–6, you will gradually increase wrist and forearm range of motion and begin weaning from the splint at weeks 4–5. By 6–12 weeks, you may start gentle weight bearing and progressive resistive exercises; the orthotic is usually discontinued around week 8, and you can perform light household tasks and return to desk work.
Complete bone healing and return to unrestricted activities typically occur around 3 months after surgery. Advanced strengthening continues through weeks 12–20, allowing return to heavy work and sports once strength and motion have normalized. Avoid early overuse, as too much activity before healing can risk hardware failure or post‑traumatic arthritis.