A 35-year-old male presents with pain and swelling in the wrist after punching a wall. On examination, there is tenderness over the anatomical snuffbox. What could be the diagnosis and plan?
The patient's history of trauma from punching a wall, along with tenderness over the anatomical snuffbox, raises suspicion for a scaphoid fracture, which is common following this type of mechanism. An X-ray of the wrist should be obtained to confirm the diagnosis. If a fracture is confirmed or highly suspected despite a negative initial X-ray, the patient should be immobilized in a thumb spica splint and referred for orthopedic follow-up.