Green stick fracture

What is a greenstick fracture? A greenstick fracture occurs when a bone bends and breaks, but doesn’t break into two separate pieces. It’s called by this name because it looks similar to what happens when you try to break a “green” branch from a tree. It also goes by the term “partial fracture.” Because greenstick fractures happen in young, soft bones, they typically occur in The symptoms of a greenstick fracture vary depending on the severity of the fracture. You may only develop a bruise or general tenderness in more mild fractures. In other cases, there might be an obvious bend in the limb or fractured area, accompanied by swelling and pain. Symptoms also depend on the location of the injury. For example, if the injury occurs in your finger, you might not be able to move the finger for a period of time. Alternatively, a fracture in your arm might be painful with swelling and tenderness while you maintain mobility. If you’re experiencing any of the following, see a doctor: • You have pain in a limb that doesn’t go away after a day or two. • There’s an obvious bend in your limb. • You’re unable to put weight on your leg. At your appointment, your doctor will perform a physical exam and look for tenderness, swelling, deformity, or numbness. To check for the nerve damage that can sometimes accompany bone injuries, your doctor may ask you to wiggle your fingers or perform other similar tests. Additionally, they may check the joints above and below the injured area. To be cer...

Terry Vine / Getty Images Causes and Features of a Greenstick Fracture The term "greenstick fracture" is used because it evokes a young, green branch that bends, and even splinters, but doesn't fully break. As such, it is classified as an incomplete break, since only one side of the bone is broken while the other side is merely bent.

Article: • • • • • • Images: • • Pathology Mechanism Greenstick fractures occur when the force applied to a bone results in bending of the bone such that the structural integrity of the convex surface is overcome. The fact that the integrity of the cortex has been overcome results in fracture of the convex surface. However, the bending force applied does not break the bone completely and the concave surface of the bent bone remains intact. This can occur following an angulated longitudinal force applied down the bone (e.g. an indirect trauma following a fall on an outstretched arm), or after a force applied perpendicular to the bone (e.g. a direct blow). This fracture is very different, and much less common, than the Radiographic features Plain radiograph • usually mid-diaphyseal • occur in tandem with angulation • incomplete fracture, with cortical breach of only one side of the bone History and etymology The fracture resembles the break that results when a supple green branch of a tree is bent and breaks incompletely. Differential diagnosis • • • • • terminology • fracture location • diaphyseal fracture • • • • • • • • • epiphyseal fracture • fracture types • • articular surface injuries • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • fracture displacement • • • • • fracture length • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • skull vault fractures • • • • fractures involving a single facial buttress • alveolar process fractures • • isolated zygomatic arch fractures • • • • • • ...

Diagnosis During the physical exam, your doctor will inspect the affected area for tenderness, swelling, deformity, numbness or an open wound. Your child may be asked to move his or her fingers into certain patterns or motions to check for nerve damage. Your doctor may also examine the joints above and below the fracture. Treatment Depending on the severity of the greenstick fracture, the doctor may need to straighten the bone manually so it will heal properly. Your child will receive pain medication and possibly sedation drugs for this procedure. Greenstick fractures have a high risk of breaking completely through the bone, so most of these types of fractures are immobilized in a cast during healing. On occasion, your doctor may decide that a removable splint could work just as well, particularly if the break is mostly healed. The benefit of a splint is that your child might be able to take it off briefly for a bath or shower. X-rays are required in a few weeks to make sure the fracture is healing properly, to check the alignment of the bone, and to determine when a cast is no longer needed. Most greenstick fractures require four to eight weeks for complete healing, depending on the break and the age of the child. Preparing for your appointment If your child has significant pain or an obvious deformity, you might go straight to an emergency room or urgent care clinic. The doctor who first examines your child may recommend a consultation with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon...

Overview A buckle fracture bulges a wrist out of place. What is a buckle fracture? Buckle fractures are a type of broken bone that almost always affects kids. They’re an incomplete fracture, which means the break doesn’t go all the way through the bone. You might see buckle fractures referred to as impacted fractures or torus fractures. Buckle fractures get their name from how they happen. They’re a compression fracture, which means the break is caused by sudden pressure on a bone. This pressure — usually caused by a fall — pushes on your child’s bone hard enough to bulge it out of place. The pressure “buckles” the bone without snapping it. Picture crushing an aluminum soda can. Pressure forces the can to bulge and collapse in on itself, but it’s still in one piece. Buckle fractures commonly affect the radius and ulna (the bones that connect your forearm to your wrist), but they can happen to any long bone. Other bones susceptible to buckle fractures include: • Femur (thigh). • Tibia (shin). • Fibula (calf). • Humerus (upper arm). Buckle fractures are usually caused by kids falling onto their outstretched arms. They’re very common in children under 12, and can almost always be treated with a Buckle fractures vs. greenstick fractures Buckle fractures (also known as impacted fractures) and greenstick fractures are different types of incomplete Buckle fractures happen when a bone is pressed to the point of bulging out of place. The fracture looks like a bump on a bone. Both b...

A greenstick fracture is a crack or break on one side of a long bone in the arm or leg that does not extend all the way through the bone. Children are more likely to have greenstick fractures because their bones are softer and less brittle than an adult’s. Treatment involves immobilization of the bone, or in some cases surgery. Overview What is a greenstick fracture? A greenstick fracture is a crack or break on one side of a long bone in the arm or leg. The crack or break does not extend all the way through the bone. It is named for the way a fresh green twig behaves when bent. Who is most at risk for greenstick fractures? Children are more likely to have greenstick fractures because their bones are softer and less brittle than an adult’s. How common are greenstick fractures? Greenstick fractures are very common. In the United States, millions of children are affected each year. A greenstick fracture often occurs when a child falls and tries to break the fall with his or her arms. Symptoms and Causes What causes greenstick fractures? Greenstick fractures result from the bending of a bone. Any force that bends a long bone, such as an arm or leg bone, without fully breaking it can cause a greenstick fracture. Instead of snapping into two pieces, the bone cracks on one side. Greenstick fractures can be caused by many things, including participation in sports, motor vehicle accidents and falls. What are the symptoms of greenstick fractures? The symptoms of a greenstick fractur...