Causes

A broken wrist can be caused by:

• Falls. Falling onto an outstretched hand is one of the most common causes of a broken wrist.
• Sports injuries. Many wrist fractures occur during contact sports or sports in which you might fall onto an outstretched hand — such as in-line skating or snowboarding.
• Motor vehicle crashes. Motor vehicle crashes can cause wrist bones to break, sometimes into many pieces, and often require surgical repair.