Fractures

What Types of Fractures are there?

When force on a bone is too great, the bones will fracture or break. The severity of a fracture will depend upon the initial force that caused the break to occur. Bones can break or crack only slightly if the force is small but if the force is extreme, such as in an automobile accident, the bone may actually shatter. An open fracture is in reference to a bone that breaks in a way that the bone fragments stick out through the skin. These types of fractures should be treated immediately because of its serious nature.

Some of the most common fractures include:

• Stable fracture - the ends of the broken bones remain lined up and are barely out of place.
• Open, compound fracture – when the bone pierces the skin, or by a blow that breaks the skin at the time of the fracture.
• Transverse fracture - this type of fracture has a horizontal fracture line.
• Oblique fracture - this type of fracture has an angled pattern.
• Comminuted fracture - the bone shatters into three or more pieces.

What can cause a fracture?

The most common causes of fractures are:

• Trauma such as a slip and fall; motor vehicle accident; or impact during a physical contact sport such as football or soccer.
• Osteoporosis weakens the bones and makes them more likely to break.
• Repetitive motion can cause the muscles to tire which places more force on bone resulting in a stress fracture. Stress fractures are more common in athletes.

Most fractures are very painful and can prevent you from being able to move the injured area. Some of the common symptoms of a fracture include swelling, tenderness, and bruising around the injury or deformity where the limb looks out of place in relation to the bones being misaligned.

How are fractures treated?

All fractures, regardless of cause, will be treated with the intention of allowing the bones to mend back together. The pieces of bone that were broken during the fracture must be put back into position and immobilized until they are healed. A variety of treatments can be used to treat fractures including:

• Cast Immobilization
• Functional Cast or Brace
• Traction
• External Fixation
• Open Reduction and Internal Fixation
• Surgery is sometimes required to treat a fracture