WHAT ARE FRACTURES ?

Ira Shah
Consultant Pediatrician - B.J.Wadia Hospital for Children
Editor - Pediatric Oncall

What is a fracture?
When the bones break, the break in the continuity of a bone is called a fracture.

How does a fracture occur?
Usually bones do not break so easily. Due to some trauma, injury or accident, the bones may break. In old people, bones tend to become weak and can fracture even with a minor trauma. In children, bones are very pliant and do not break so easily. Instead they may suffer from ligament tears and muscle injuries more than fractures. Thus, they may present more with sprains rather than fractures.

What are types of fractures?
Fractures are of following types:

• Open fracture: When the broken bone pierces through the skin and can be seen from outside.
  
• Closed fractures: When the broken bone does not pierce the skin.
  
• Complete fracture: When bone is broken into two pieces
  
• Greenstick fracture: When bone breaks but break is not all throughout and thus no two separate pieces are created.
• Communited fracture: When bone breaks into small pieces or is crushed.
• Hairline fracture: When there is a small crack in the bone
  
• Bending fracture: Seen in children where the bone bends but does not break.