overview of common fractures

1. fractures greenstick, transverse & spiral

2. Overview A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone Fractures occur when there is more force applied to the bone than the bone can absorb Trauma (most common) Osteoporosis, Stress/overuse (common in athletes) Symptoms Pain and/or swelling in the injured area Obvious deformity in the injured area Difficulty using or moving the injured area in a normal manner Warmth, bruising, or redness in the injured area

3. Overview Diagnostic Tools X-rays reveal most fractures CTscan when more detailed-image is needed Treatment depends on nature and location of break Cast or splint Immobilizes the injured area to allow alignment and healing Protects the injured area from motion or use Traction Stretching the muscles and tendons around the broken bone to allow the bone ends to align and heal Surgery Metal rods or pins are used externally or internally to hold the bone fragments in place to allow alignment and healing Physical therapy once bone is healed

4. How fractures heal Bones heal through a gradual process called remodeling Healing time depends on the type of fracture Anetwork of strong fibers forms inside clot, holding bone fragments together Fibers are replaced by new bone, which is weak and spongy at first--called a fracture callus The new bone grows stronger--the fracture callus shrinks as the bone is used Tissues bleed around the fracture, forming a blood clot in the space between bone fragments

5. 3 Common Types of Fractures Greenstick Transverse Spiral

6. Greenstick Fracture Incomplete break where one side of bone is broken and the other side is bent Results in a “bowing” appearance

7. Greenstick Fracture Common in children due to softness of their bones Can be difficult to diagnose Typical symptoms associated with broken bone may be absent or minimal in greenstick fractures because bone is not displaced Often resembles soft-tissue injury, such as a sprain or a bad bruise X-rays reveal most greenstick fractures In children, CT scan may provide better images due to child’s lower bone density Casting is typical treatment

8. Transverse Fracture Bone is completely broken in a manner that is perpendicular to the way the bone runs Bone is separated into 2 pieces

9. Transverse Fracture Typically caused by blunt injury or trauma Fall, car accident, etc. X-ray is the main diagnostic tool to assess damage Reduction (alignment) may be very painful Casting is typical treatment Surgery for those areas which cannot be realigned by casting

10. Spiral Fracture Complete break, spiraling around the shaft of the bone Bone has been twisted apart “corkscrew” appearance

11. Spiral Fracture Common sports injury Rarely occurs when person is not in motion Bones are weakest when twisted Often associated with child abuse Red flag for healthcare workers Reduction (alignment) may be very painful Difficult to diagnose with single x-ray film due to helical nature of the fracture Often confused with oblique fractures Multiple x-rays or CT scan needed for accurate diagnosis Treated with casting Greater likelihood of surgery due to nature of the injury