Anyone can get a broken bone at any age. Broken bones can often occur as the result of trauma, such as an auto accident, a fall, or a sport event such as football. A broken bone or fracture is a crack or break in a bone. Broken bones are among the most common orthopedic injuries.
Types of Broken Bones
Fracture is a broken bone.
A closed fracture happens when the bone does not protrude through the skin.
An open fracture is when the bone is protrudes through the skin.
A greenstick fracture occurs mostly in children. It happens when the bone cracks on one side and does not break through the skin.
A comminuted fracture is when the bone breaks into two or more pieces.
A stress fracture is a hairline crack in the bone that develops from repetitive or prolonged forces against the bone.
A dislocation is a detachment of two bones where they come together at a joint such as the hip, shoulder, fingers, ankles, elbows and jaw.
Common Causes of Broken Bones
- A fall
- car accident
- Contact sports
- Joints weakened from a previous injury
- Direct hit
- Child abuse
- Osteoporosis
Signs and Symptoms
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Numbness, tingling
- May look crooked, misshaped or deformed
- Inability to move injured part
- Skin can be pale, blue, purple or even gray
- Skin can feel cold on the uninjured skin
Treatment for broken bones should be treated at the emergency room, where they can take care of it by immobilizing by a cast, splint, brace, brace or sling.