Hand and fingers all weird looking after broken wrist

[HarveyDanger]

My son broke his wrist over the Easter holidays. He has to have it manipulated… without surgery but under general.

He had it in a long cast for about 6 weeks. He’s had it off now for about 3 weeks and physio is going well, although the wrist is still stiff and bulging, but not swollen.

But I cut his finger nails today and I’ve noticed that the cuticle area on his fingers are really swollen, the end of the nail bed is also white, like it’s pressed against the skin too hard and his has completely changed shape and size compared to his other one!

Has anyone experienced anything like this with a break?

I’ve attached pics

This is his normal hand

This is the broken wrist hand

He’s just eaten pizza soo his fingers and table are messy! Sorry 🙈

I would get that checked at gp tomorrow - have no idea what causes that.

Unless:
Do a capillary refill test. Press his fingernails to that they blanch and check they quickly refill with blood (to normal colour) afterwards. If they don't then blood circulation is compromised and its an a&e job.

Thank you. I’ll do that now.

I’m not sure if it’s just started recently as he’s 14 so I’m not checking up on it often and he’s typical teen who’s not bothered about anything, soo wouldn’t mention it.

He’s been a bit under the weather today and is currently asleep. I’ve put it down to hayfever And antihistamine, but I’m worried it might be connected now

That does look odd doesn't it! Is he in pain?

Definitely not normal, but what the cause and best solution is I don't know, so that's not very helpful.
Wanted to add my 'you're not wrong to be concerned' though. 👀

Did he mention any hand/finger pain at the time? I'd be wondering if he broke the bones in those two fingers, as well...

Definitely get it checked out, it doesn't look 'right'!

He’s woken up and I don’t think the two are related

have you asked him if he can feel his fingers? No altered sensation? Pins and needles or numbness? Are his fingers warm? Can he move them freely without pain? No abnormal swelling? If not I wouldn’t be imminently worried but I would have that checked out by your gp asap.

He’s not in pain at all. Here’s a pic of his two thumbs… they’re completely different!

But even the fingers on his left hand are completely different to the other hand.

The nails are so much bigger!

Thanks. I’ll chat to gp tomorrow

He has no pain now. He couldn’t move them for a long time after the manipulation. He was kept in hosp for 2 days because of this.

Do the lines on his palms mirror each other?

Thanks, I’ll contact gp tomorrow.

He says they feel fine

Interesting! What would that indicate? Here’s a pic of his palms. The broken one is red and softer compared to the right… but I think that’s down more to it being in the cast for so long

Sorry, to answer your question… Yes they do

Did the cast come down and enclose the hand and fingers to the top of the nails?

Can you take a picture of a side on view of the nails and fingers? I'm not a medical person but wondering if it's an early stage of nail clubbing?

No, it enclosed the hand to the first knuckles. So didn’t include the fingers.

I’ve just googled that! That looks really weird! But potentially similar!

Sorry, struggling to get him to engage as he’s playing fifa

My fingersnails on one hand are bigger than the other hand

Yes, it made me think of digital clubbing as well. I think it can be caused by different things, and I'm not sure about the complicating factor of the break and surgery etc.