16Jun/100
Types of Bone Fractures
A bone fracture is basically a "broken bone". Risk factors are varied and some fractures are more common to children while others are more prevalent in the elderly populations.
There are numeroud different types of bone fractures but most would fall under being either open or closed fractures and either displaced or non-displaced fractures.
Below are some of the different types of bone fractures.
- Open Fracture: An open fracture is a fracture in which the broken bone is exposed through the skin. This type of fracture will carry a high chance for infection.
- Closed Fracture: A closed fracture is a fracture in which the bone is broken but the skin remains intact.
- Simple Fracture: Occurs along one line and splits the bone into 2 pieces
- Greenstick Fracture: An incomplete fracture in which the bone is bent. This will be most common in children.
- Transverse Fracture: a fracture at a right angle to the bone's axis.
- Oblique Fracture: A fracture in which the break has a curved or sloped pattern.
- Impacted Fracture (Buckle): A fracture whose ends are driven into each other.
- Compression Fracture: A compression fracture is a closed fracture than occurs when 2 or more bones are forced against each other. It commonly occurs to the bones of the spine.
- Avulsion Fracture: A closed fracture where a piece of bone is broken off by a sudden forceful contraction of a muscle.
- Stress Fracture: This is commonly associated with overuse and commonly occurs in athletes.
- Complete Fracture: This will refer to fractures where bones fragments are comletly seperated
- Incomplete Fracture: Bone fragments are still partially joined.
- Spiral Fracture: Occurs as a result of twisting of bones.
- Pathologic Fracture: A pathologic fracture occurs when a bone breaks in an area that is weakened by another disease process. Causes of weakened bone include tumors, infection, and certain inherited bone disorders. There are dozens of diseases and conditions that can lead to a pathologic fracture.