Types of Bone Fractures
It is critical to recognize that fractures are the medical term for broken bones. While there may be a distinction according to non-medical people, there is no difference among medical professionals.
Additionally, there are many specific names for fractures to body parts which have been omitted. The following are general classifications of the types of fractures that can happen to the body.
Bone fractures are very serious and must be dealt with by your primary physician or a medical professional.
Once you have gotten your bone set, contact BioMotion Physical Therapy to begin rehabilitating your body back to health.
Groupings of Soft Tissue Fractures
Open fractures contain two subtypes of breaks: contaminated, where the bone is infected, and clean, where the bone is not infected.
Open fractures are more prone to bone infection compared to closed.
Fracture Positioning
Displaced fractures have four subcategories:
Classifications of Fractures
Comminuted
Fracture which causes the bone to break into many small pieces.
Complete
Basic term for any fracture that is completely broken.
Linear — Break that runs along the axis of a bone. Also called a longitudinal fracture.
Stable — Fractured ends of each bone are aligned despite the break
Incomplete
A break where some of the bone is still connected.
Greenstick — Partial fracture which does not extend to the other side due to the flexibility of the bone. Greensticks occur mostly in children. Also known as an incomplete fracture.
Stress — Partial fracture that extends the length of the bone. Also known as a hairline crack.
Fracture Patterns
Avulsion — Caused by a muscle or ligament pulling on a bone excessively
Buckled — Two portions of a bone are compounded into each other. Also known as an impacted fracture. Happens most in children.
Compression — Caused by bone collapse that is likely due to osteoporosis. Also known as wedge.
Oblique — Fracture that happens in a sloped or curved fashion
Spiral — Caused by intense spiral pressure that breaks through and around the bone
Transverse — Fracture that happens at a 90º angle
Causes of Fracture
Fatigue — Caused by repeated stresses placed on a bone
Pathologic — Caused by disease which softens the bone, creating a break
Periprosthetic — Break that occurs close to a mechanical implant in a bone
Traumatic — Break caused due to severe injury or force
Stages of Healing
Delayed Union — Fracture which takes an unusually long time to heal
Malunion — Fracture that heals incorrectly
Nonunion — Fracture that is not healing at all
Union — Fracture that is healing at a normal rate
