A break in the ulna, which is one of the pair of forearm bones. Ulnar fractures usually happen along the shaft or at the olecranon process, the rounded projection found at the elbow’s tip.
A fracture along the shaft typically occurs due to an impact on the forearm or a hand landing after a fall. On occasion, the radius, which is the other forearm bone, might also suffer a fracture simultaneously. Surgical intervention is usually necessary to realign the fractured bone segments and secure them with either a plate and screws or a long nail inserted through the bone’s center. The arm is then immobilized in a cast, with the elbow positioned at a right angle, until the fracture fully heals.
A fracture involving the olecranon process typically arises from an impact on the elbow due to a fall. In cases where the bone ends remain in proper alignment, the arm is placed in a cast that maintains the elbow at a right angle. Conversely, if there is displacement of the bone ends, they are carefully aligned and secured using a metal screw.