Fractures and Trauma: Understanding Bone Fractures
A bone fracture is a broken bone, and it can range from a thin crack to a complete break into separate pieces. Fractures most often happen from a fall or a sports injury, and they can affect almost any bone in the body. While a broken bone can be painful and disruptive, many heal well with the right care. Knowing what kind of fracture you have and getting it treated properly is an important step in the recovery process.
From the wrist to the ankle, the board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic specialists at Resurgens Orthopaedics diagnose and treat a wide range of bone fractures at locations across metro Atlanta, with on-site imaging, surgery and rehabilitation to support recovery from start to finish.
Overview
- What Is a Bone Fracture?
- Common Types of Fractures
- Fractures by Body Region
- Bone Fracture Symptoms
- How Fractures Are Diagnosed and Treated
- Why Choose Resurgens for Fracture Care?
- Schedule an Appointment for Fracture Care
What Is a Bone Fracture?
A fracture is a break in the continuity of a bone. It can be a hairline crack or a break that splits the bone into two or more pieces. Physicians often describe a fracture by how the bone broke and whether it stayed in place. A nondisplaced fracture means the broken ends are still lined up, while a displaced fracture means they have shifted out of position. A closed fracture stays beneath the skin, while an open fracture breaks through it. The type of fracture, along with which bone is involved, guides how it is treated.
Common Types of Fractures
Fractures come in several patterns, and the pattern helps your physician plan treatment. Common types include:
- Stress Fracture: A small crack from repetitive force, common in athletes
- Hairline Fracture: A thin, partial crack in the bone
- Transverse Fracture: A straight break across the bone
- Oblique Fracture: A diagonal or angled break across the bone
- Spiral Fracture: A break caused by a twisting force
- Displaced Fracture: Broken ends that have moved out of alignment
- Comminuted Fracture: A bone broken into several pieces
- Avulsion Fracture: A piece of bone pulled away by a muscle or ligament
- Compression Fracture: A bone that collapses, most often in the spine
- Open Fracture: A broken bone that breaks through the skin and needs urgent care
Fractures by Body Region
Almost any bone can break, though fractures happen most often in the hip, spine and wrist. The right treatment depends on which bone is involved. Resurgens specialists treat fractures throughout the body, and you can learn more on the pages for each area:
- Hand and Wrist: Fractures including the distal radius (the larger forearm bone at the wrist) and the scaphoid (a small wrist bone near the base of the thumb)
- Shoulder: Fractures including the clavicle, or collarbone
- Elbow: Elbow fractures and dislocations
- Hip: Hip fractures, which are especially important to treat quickly in older adults
- Knee: Fractures including the kneecap and the top of the shinbone
- Tibia and Fibula: Fractures in the lower leg
- Foot and Ankle: Fractures including stress fractures
- Spine: Spine fractures, including compression fractures
Bone Fracture Symptoms
The symptoms of a fracture usually appear right after the injury, though a stress fracture can come on gradually. Common signs include:
- Pain: Pain that worsens with movement or pressure
- Swelling and Bruising: Swelling, tenderness and discoloration
- Visible Deformity: A limb or bone that looks out of place
- Limited Movement: Difficulty moving or putting weight on the injured area
- Grinding or Snapping: A sensation felt at the time of injury
Please Note: A bone that breaks through the skin, a visibly deformed limb, numbness or heavy bleeding is a medical emergency and needs immediate care. For these injuries, go to an emergency room rather than waiting for an appointment.
How Fractures Are Diagnosed and Treated
Diagnosing a fracture starts with an exam and imaging. An X-ray is the main tool for confirming a break and showing how the bone is positioned, and a CT or MRI scan may be used for more complex injuries or fractures that are hard to see. Once the fracture is identified, treatment focuses on getting the bone back into good position and holding it there while it heals.
Many fractures heal without surgery, and a cast is the most common type of fracture treatment. A cast, splint or brace keeps the bone still, sometimes after the bone is gently realigned. When a break is displaced, unstable or involves a joint, surgery may be needed to realign the bone and secure it, often with plates, screws, rods or pins. After the bone heals, physical therapy helps restore the strength, motion and function lost while the area was immobilized. Your Resurgens physician will recommend the most appropriate treatment approach for your injury.
Why Choose Resurgens for Fracture Care?
Resurgens Orthopaedics is one of the largest orthopedic practices in the country, with specialists for every part of the body and locations across metro Atlanta. That means you can find experienced care close to home, with on-site imaging, surgery centers and rehabilitation that keep your treatment coordinated from diagnosis through recovery. For urgent but non-emergency injuries, Resurgens NOW offers walk-in orthopedic urgent care on weekdays, so you can be seen quickly by a specialist.
Schedule an Appointment for Fracture Care
If you have a known or suspected fracture that is not an emergency, the right specialist can evaluate your injury and recommend appropriate treatment. Book an appointment online today with Resurgens Orthopaedics or call us at (404) 847-9999.