Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypeLocationPatternCauseSymptomsTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Type
Location
Pattern
Cause
Symptoms
Treatment
Prevention
There is no difference between a bone fracture vs. a break; they mean the same thing. Whether a bone has a hairline crack or is completely broken in two, anorthopedistororthopedic surgeonwill commonly refer to the injury as a break or fracture.
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Types of Bone Fractures
Bone fractures can range in severity from mild to permanently debilitating. As part of the workup, the healthcare provider will first assess whether a fracture is closed or open. By definition:
Location of Bone Fractures
The location of a bone fracture may be obvious, particularly when there is a compound fracture, but others may require anX-rayto find where the break (or multiple breaks) are.
In total, there are 206 bones in the adult body. These includelong bonesof the limbs,short boneslike those of the wrist and ankles,flat boneslike the skull and shoulder blades, andsesamoid boneslike the kneecap that is embedded.
Bone fractures are commonly seen in these five parts of the body:
Chest and Torso
Spinal Column
Head and Face
Arms and Hand
Lower Body
Pattern of Bone Fractures
There are seven main break patterns:
Why Bones Break
Based on these initial assessments, the orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon should be able to establish the cause of the fracture and determine the treatment plan.
Among some of the more common diagnoses:
How to Tell if You’ve Broken a Bone
Some bone fractures are obvious, while others may be subtle and easily confused with asprain or strain. Some of the more common symptoms of a bone fracture include:
If you are unsure whether you have broken something or not, err on the side of caution and see a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Leaving a fracture untreated can cause far more serious problems in later life.
How to Read a Bone Fracture X-ray
How a Fracture Is Diagnosed and Treated
X-rays are usually sufficient for uncomplicated fractures. Complex breaks may require acomputed tomography (CT)scan, which composites multiple X-ray images to generate a three-dimensional visualization of the break.
The treatment of a broken bone depends on which bone is fractured, how bad the injury is, and what your bone health and overall health are like.
Treatment of a fracture can involve:
How Long Does It Take a Bone to Heal?The healing time for a bone fracture depends on the location of the fracture, the severity and type of break, and your age and general health.Generally speaking, bone fractures requiring casting take between six and eight weeks to heal, although some like tibial fractures may take up to 24 weeks.Children’s bones may heal faster, while older adults may take longer to heal from a fracture.
How Long Does It Take a Bone to Heal?
The healing time for a bone fracture depends on the location of the fracture, the severity and type of break, and your age and general health.Generally speaking, bone fractures requiring casting take between six and eight weeks to heal, although some like tibial fractures may take up to 24 weeks.Children’s bones may heal faster, while older adults may take longer to heal from a fracture.
The healing time for a bone fracture depends on the location of the fracture, the severity and type of break, and your age and general health.
Generally speaking, bone fractures requiring casting take between six and eight weeks to heal, although some like tibial fractures may take up to 24 weeks.
Children’s bones may heal faster, while older adults may take longer to heal from a fracture.
Physical Therapy After a Bone Break
How to Prevent Fractures
If you take part in sports or other activities that put you at risk for broken bones, the best way to prevent fractures is to use the right protective gear. Examples include putting on shin guards when you play soccer and wearing a helmet when biking or horseback riding.
If you’re at a high risk for a broken bone because of your health—for example, because you have weak bones from osteoporosis—you may need to take proactive steps to prevent falls. For instance, you may need to be extra careful when taking the stairs, remove throw rugs from your bedroom to prevent tripping, and sand or salt your driveway in icy weather to reduce your risk of slipping.
Summary
A broken bone and a fracture are the same; the words are just used interchangeably. Whether your provider says you have a broken bone or a fracture, the treatment for the injury will be the same. However, the course of treatment will depend on how bad the break is, what type of fracture it is, and your overall health.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Fractures (broken bones).Palmer W, Bancroft L, Bonar F, et al.Glossary of terms for musculoskeletal radiology.Skeletal Radiol. 2020;49(S1):1-33. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1Hart NH, Newton RU, Tan J, et al.Biological basis of bone strength: anatomy, physiology and measurement.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact.2020;20(3):347–371.Vannabouathong C, Ayeni OR, Bhandari M.A narrative review on avulsion fractures of the upper and lower limbs.Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;11:1179544118809050. doi:10.1177/1179544118809050Williams BA, Alvarado CA, Montoya-williams DC, Matthias RC, Blakemore LC.Buckling down on torus fractures: has evolving evidence affected practice?J Child Orthop. 2018;12(2):123-128. doi:10.1302/1863-2548.12.170122Einhorn TA, Gerstenfeld LC.Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions.Nat Rev Rheumatol.2015 Jan;11(1):45–54. doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2014.164Houston Methodist.How to heal bones faster.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Fractures (broken bones).Palmer W, Bancroft L, Bonar F, et al.Glossary of terms for musculoskeletal radiology.Skeletal Radiol. 2020;49(S1):1-33. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1Hart NH, Newton RU, Tan J, et al.Biological basis of bone strength: anatomy, physiology and measurement.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact.2020;20(3):347–371.Vannabouathong C, Ayeni OR, Bhandari M.A narrative review on avulsion fractures of the upper and lower limbs.Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;11:1179544118809050. doi:10.1177/1179544118809050Williams BA, Alvarado CA, Montoya-williams DC, Matthias RC, Blakemore LC.Buckling down on torus fractures: has evolving evidence affected practice?J Child Orthop. 2018;12(2):123-128. doi:10.1302/1863-2548.12.170122Einhorn TA, Gerstenfeld LC.Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions.Nat Rev Rheumatol.2015 Jan;11(1):45–54. doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2014.164Houston Methodist.How to heal bones faster.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Fractures (broken bones).Palmer W, Bancroft L, Bonar F, et al.Glossary of terms for musculoskeletal radiology.Skeletal Radiol. 2020;49(S1):1-33. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1Hart NH, Newton RU, Tan J, et al.Biological basis of bone strength: anatomy, physiology and measurement.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact.2020;20(3):347–371.Vannabouathong C, Ayeni OR, Bhandari M.A narrative review on avulsion fractures of the upper and lower limbs.Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;11:1179544118809050. doi:10.1177/1179544118809050Williams BA, Alvarado CA, Montoya-williams DC, Matthias RC, Blakemore LC.Buckling down on torus fractures: has evolving evidence affected practice?J Child Orthop. 2018;12(2):123-128. doi:10.1302/1863-2548.12.170122Einhorn TA, Gerstenfeld LC.Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions.Nat Rev Rheumatol.2015 Jan;11(1):45–54. doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2014.164Houston Methodist.How to heal bones faster.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Fractures (broken bones).
Palmer W, Bancroft L, Bonar F, et al.Glossary of terms for musculoskeletal radiology.Skeletal Radiol. 2020;49(S1):1-33. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1
Hart NH, Newton RU, Tan J, et al.Biological basis of bone strength: anatomy, physiology and measurement.J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact.2020;20(3):347–371.
Vannabouathong C, Ayeni OR, Bhandari M.A narrative review on avulsion fractures of the upper and lower limbs.Clin Med Insights Arthritis Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;11:1179544118809050. doi:10.1177/1179544118809050
Williams BA, Alvarado CA, Montoya-williams DC, Matthias RC, Blakemore LC.Buckling down on torus fractures: has evolving evidence affected practice?J Child Orthop. 2018;12(2):123-128. doi:10.1302/1863-2548.12.170122
Einhorn TA, Gerstenfeld LC.Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions.Nat Rev Rheumatol.2015 Jan;11(1):45–54. doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2014.164
Houston Methodist.How to heal bones faster.
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