ThumbTendon Rupture
The long extensor tendon to the thumb is called the Extensor Pollicis Longus (EPL). The EPL straightens the end joint of the thumb and also helps pull the thumb in towards the index finger.
One of the complications of a wrist fracture is the potential rupture of the tendon that helps straighten the thumb. This tendon is called the Extensor Pollicis Longus or EPL. The rupture is not immediate. I may be sudden and catch everyone by surprise or following removal of a cast you may not be able to extend your thumb.
If this happens to you, you need careful assessment to make sure what the reason is. If indeed it is a rupture tendon, if appropriate, you can be offered surgery in the form of a tendon transfer. That is borrowing a tendon from another finger that has luckily two tendons and using it to reproduce the EPL function.