What Is a Bone Fracture?
A fracture is a broken bone. It can be anything from a small crack to a bone that has separated and moves out of place.
Bone fracture symptoms include:
- Sharp pain.
- Swelling.
- Bruising.
Doctors can often treat bone fractures with a cast or splint. Severe breaks may need surgery.
Fractures are one of the most common injuries to bones. A Lancet study found that there are about 178 million fractures a year worldwide. About 18.3 million of those are in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative.
By the time they're 65, about half of all Americans will have broken a bone. These fractures range in severity and treatment.
What are the types of bone fractures?
Bones can break in different ways. The angle and degree of the crack matter when doctors are deciding how to treat the fracture.
Types of bone breaks include:
- Stress fracture: A tiny crack in the bone, usually caused by a repetitive motion or force.
- Stable fracture: A "clean break" where the broken ends of the bone are still in alignment. This means the bones aren't displaced.
- Compound fracture: Also known as an "open" fracture, this is when the bone has broken the skin. (You may or may not be able to see the bone.)
- Oblique fracture: The bone breaks in an angled pattern and has a curve or slope in the break. Sometimes oblique fractures are also displaced, meaning the bone is out of alignment.
- Transverse fracture: The bone has a horizontal fracture line and may or may not be out of place.
- Comminuted fracture: The bone breaks into three or more pieces, meaning there's more than one fracture in the bone.
Causes of fractures and breaks
Common causes of bone fractures and breaks include:
- Falls.
- Sports injuries.
- Car accidents.
Children are at a high risk of breaks and fractures since their developing bones have weaker spots (growth plates) that expand as they grow.
As we age, our bones become less dense and weaker. This puts older adults at an increased risk of broken bones.
What Are Risk Factors and Complications of Bone Fractures and Breaks?
People of all ages can break a bone. Children, especially those who play sports, are at risk of fractures because they are so active.
But your risk for fractures goes up as you age. Half of adults over 50 — 54 million Americans — are at risk for breaking a bone because of low bone density.
Severe low bone density leads to osteoporosis. About one in two women and one in four men will break a bone during their life because of this disease.
In terms of complications, a broken bone or fracture can put you at risk of getting arthritis later.
If a bone isn't realigned (put back into place) or repaired perfectly, it can cause more wear on a nearby joint. This increases your odds of getting arthritis in that joint.
Make an appointment for fractured or broken bone care
Request an appointment with a UPMC orthopaedic surgeon: