How long does hand therapy take to work for a distal radius fracture?

A broken wrist may be stiff and weak after a cast, splint, or operation. Therapy timing depends on bone healing, the stability of the repair, swelling, pain, and the movement your clinician allows. Sessions may begin with gentle finger, wrist, and forearm motion, then progress toward grip, lifting, and task practice. Better movement can appear before the wrist feels strong enough for heavier activities.

Keep the injured arm positioned and loaded as instructed by your fracture team. Complete only the exercises approved for your stage, and use swelling control measures advised by your therapist. Practise small, regular movements instead of forcing a stiff wrist. Bring questions about driving, work, sport, and lifting to review so the activity can match healing progress.

Contact your fracture team if pain, swelling, or stiffness is worsening rather than settling, or if progress stops. Seek urgent care for new deformity, severe increasing pain, fingers that become blue, pale, cold, or numb, inability to move the fingers, or fever and wound redness after surgery.

What wrist movement and lifting are safe now? Which signs show that the fracture is ready for more resistance? When should persistent stiffness or pain be reassessed?