Scaphoid fractures are relatively common after a fall on the outstretched arm and present with pain around the wrist, particularly at the base of the thumb, known in medical circles as the anatomical snuff box. These fractures require special x-ray views of the wrist and may not be obvious in the immediate aftermath of the fall with radiological signs developing over the next week. This is why it is common practice to place patients into a scaphoid fracture cast from just below the elbow to the hand, including encasement of the proximal phalanx of the thumb. If a fracture has been shown initially, the plaster may be in place for up to eight weeks, and longer under certain circumstances.