Types of Bone Fractures
A bone fracture is when a bone in your body is broken, either in part or in full. The more commonly used term is a broken bone, but in medical terms, a fracture is any bone that is broken to any degree. The most common reasons for bone fractures occurring are stress or impact, but they can develop from medical conditions that affect bone strength or make bones weaker and easier to fracture. To speak with a bone fracture specialist for sports medicine in Paramus, NJ, reach out to us at New York Sports Medicine Institute and see how we can help you.
Types of Bone Fractures
A bone can fracture anywhere in your body, and for a wide range of conditions. For example, if a bone fracture in your body damages and penetrates surrounding tissues and the skin, it is a compound fracture. However, a fracture that doesn’t damage the surrounding tissues is a closed fracture. Some other types of fractures include:
- Avulsion Fracture: your bone gets pulled and pressured by surrounding tissue that causes a fracture
- Comminuted Fracture: in this fracture, the bone is broken into many small pieces
- Compression Fracture: this fracture happens in spongy bones, such as the bones in your spine. In this type of fracture, your vertebrae can collapse to due added pressure or weakness
- Fracture Dislocation: in this fracture, a joint becomes dislocated and undergoes a fracture
- Greenstick Fracture: a bone fractures on one side, but bends on the other. This fracture is common in children, as are their bones or more elastic.
- Hairline Fracture: a small partial fracture in a bone that is hard to detect without x-rays
- Impacted Fracture: in this type of fracture, your fractured bone pushes into another part of the bone
- Intra Articular Fracture: a bone fracture brakes into a connected joint if the bone
- Longitudinal Fracture: a fracture that extends across the length of the bone
- Oblique Fracture: a fracture that extends across the width of the bone
- Pathological Fracture: when a previous condition or disease weakens your bones and causes it to fracture
- Spiral Fracture: a fracture that causes your bone to twist
- Stress Fracture: repetitive stress and strains into the bone causes a fracture
- Torus Fracture: your bones start to deform or bend, but does not break
- Transverse Fracture: a complete break across your bone
These are some of the fractures you can develop in your bones. While some of these fractures are more complex than others, a bone specialist can help with them all. For sports medicine in Paramus, NJ that can help with your fractures, reach out to us at New York Sports Medicine Institute and see what we have to offer.
Symptoms of Fractures
Because fractures can happen in any part of the body, where you feel the symptoms of your fractures vary from fractures to fractures. However, wherever your fracture occurs the symptoms will involve some of the same things. Some of the symptoms you may experience include pain, swelling, bruising, discolored skin in the area, angulation where the affected area is bent or out of shape, inability to use the affected area or loss of functions in the area, feeling a grating sensation when moving the bone, bleeding if the tissue is pierced, dizziness, feeling sick or nauseous, and even a pale complexion right after the fracture occurs. Our team of sports medicine in Paramus, NJ is well-versed in treating all types of bone fractures.
If you suffer from a fracture, it is best to prevent moving the fractured bone as much as possible until a healthcare professional can access and help with your fracture. This usually involves an x-ray, MRI, or CT scan to get a better look at the affected bone. Since your bones naturally heal and recover themselves, medical treatment is focused on creating the best environment for your body to naturally heal. The first step involves reducing the fracture, or in other words realigning your bone back to its natural state. After that, the area needs to be immobilized. This can be achieved with plaster casts, metal plates and screws, or external fixators such as special boots.
Sports Medicine in Paramus, NJ at NYSMI
After these two steps, the bone will begin healing naturally. The old and damaged bones are absorbed and new bone is created to replace it. When the bones are replaced and stable again, the muscles and surrounding area may be weakened, stiff, and feel “out of shape”. In this case, physical therapy is recommended to help restore muscle strength and get the area back to previous functionality and mobility. If you have suffered from a fracture and are in need of medical help, contact us at New York Sports Medicine Institute for sports medicine in Paramus, NJ, and see how we can help!