Fracture treatment and care

Bruises, bumps, and even fractures are common childhood experiences. However, fractures can affect people of all ages and can occur due to trauma, osteoporosis or overuse. If you have broken a bone, you can trust Perry County Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for exceptional care.

Causes

The type and severity of a fracture usually depend on the force that caused the break. The most common causes of fractures include:

• Trauma: A sudden, unexpected impact, such as a car accident or sports injury.
• Osteoporosis: This condition weakens bones and makes them brittle.
• Overuse: Repetitive motion can tire muscles and place more force on the bone. This can result in stress fractures. Stress fractures are more common in athletes.

Symptoms

Many fractures are very painful and may prevent you from moving the injured area. Other common symptoms include:

• Swelling and tenderness around the injury.
• Bruising.
• Deformity: A limb may look "out of place," or a part of the bone may puncture through the skin.

Treatment

If you think you may have a fracture, contact Perry County Orthopedics & Sports Medicine to schedule an appointment. With our convenient in-office x-ray, we can evaluate your injury and start treatment immediately. Once bones are put back into place, broken bone ends heal by "knitting" back together with new bone being formed around the edge of the broken parts. The type of treatment required depends on the severity of the break, whether it is "open" or "closed," and the specific bone involved. Due to this, surgery is sometimes required.

Recovery

Depending on the severity of your injury, fractures take several weeks to several months to heal. Pain usually stops long before the fracture has fully healed, so do not use that as a sign you are ready for normal activity. Additionally, during your recovery, you could lose muscle strength in the injured area. Physical therapy may be ordered to help you restore normal muscle strength, joint motion and flexibility.