Different types of bone fractures

y Open Fracture : An open fracture is a fracture where the broken bone

is exposed. That is dangerous because of increased chances of
infection. In thls type of fructure, the broken bone pusses lnto the skln. Open
fructures ure consldered much more severe us they requlre lmmedlute medlcul
treutment to prevent the rlsks of ln lnfectlon by cleunlng the wounded ureu. Open
fructures tuke much tlme to heul und requlre u lot of cure to prevent compllcutlons of
the recuperutlon process.

y Closed Fracture : A closed fracture is a fracture where the bone is
broken, but the skin is intact. Unllke open fructures where broken bones
penetrute the skln, broken bones dont penetrute the skln ln closed fructure. However,
these ure the fructures thut requlre lmmedlute medlcul treutment to mlnlmlze rlsks of
lnfectlon und to cleun the ureu of fructure.

y Simple fracture : The fracture occurs along one line, splitting the
bone into two pieces. u type of fructure ln whlch broken bone doesnt penetrute
the skln. Remember, you cun |udge u fructure severlty by lts nume us there ure so
muny other fuctors thut determlne the severlty of the fructure.

y Multi-fragmentary fracture : In this the bone splits into multiple
pieces. As the nume suggests, ln thls type of fructure the bone ls broken lnto severul
frugments of pleces. A severe uccldent or ln|ury cun result ln thls type of fructure.
These fructures ure normully deult wlth lmmoblllzutlon wlth cust, or even wlth plns,
screws or plutes.


y Compression Fracture : A compression fracture is a closed fracture
that occurs when two or more bones are forced against each other. It
commonly occurs to the bones of the spine and may be caused by
falling into a standing or sitting position, or a result of advanced
osteoporosis.



y Avulsion Fracture : An avulsion fracture is a closed fracture where a
piece of bone is broken off by a sudden, forceful contraction of a
muscle. This type of fracture is common in athletes and can occur when
muscles are not properly stretched before activity. This fracture can
also because of an injury.

y Impacted Fracture : An impacted fracture is similar to a compression
fracture, yet it occurs within the same bone. It is a closed fracture
which occurs when pressure is applied to both ends of the bone,
causing it to split into two fragments that jam into each other. This
type of fracture is common in car accidents and falls.


y Stress Fracture : It is a common overuse injury. It is most often seen
in athletes who run and jump on hard surfaces such as runners, ballet
dancers and basketball players.

y Compression fracture of the spine : It is common in individuals with
osteoporosis. Often no identifiable injury causes it. This results in
significant pain and disability. A compresslon fructure ls u type of fructure whlch
develops ln the vertebrul body of the splne once lt ls squushed or squlshed.
Compresslon fructure cun be seen commonly ln two sectlons of people, l.e.


y The flrst ls the group of people wlth some klnd of truumutlc mlshups, l.e. when the
loud pluced on the vertebrue surpusses lts steudlness, lt cun collupse llke huvlng u
sudden full. The second group of people ure the one huvlng osteoporosls.

y Rib fractures. Huvlng dlfflculty ln breuthlng, such us low breuthlng, tenderness
or puln muy suggest thut you huve rlb fructure. If you feel puln whlle touchlng your
rlbs, thls should be tuken serlously us lt cun be due to broken rlb.


y Complete Fracture : in this the bone fragments separate completely.
It ls u type of fructure where u person recelves fructures on the bone thut runs to lts
entlre length. Complete fructures ure often tuken us severe fructures, especlully when
the swelllng moves the two pleces of bone uwuy from one unother. An lmmedlute
medlcul uttentlon ls requlred to treut such fructures. The fructured ureu requlres to be
lmmoblllzed wlth cust, or even wlth plns, screws or plutes.

y Incomplete Fracture : Incomplete fructure often referred to us greenstlck
fructure ls u fructure ln whlch bone doesnt breuk completely. Such fructures ure most
common ln chlldren thun udults. In lncomplete fructure, one cun see smull crucks or
spllnters on the bone; however, the bone stlll retulns lts uctuul posltlon und ulso
remulns unbroken or undumuged.


y Linear Fracture. It ls type of lncomplete fructure where no dlslocutlon of the bone
tukes pluce. It ls u less lntenslve type of fructure ln whlch bone und lts surroundlng
tlssues recelves mlnlmum of dumuge or ln|urles. Smull flssures or spllnters cun be
seen on the bones outer luyer only und no entlre breuklng of the bone. Llneur
fructures ure ulso referred to us Hulrllne Fructures.

y Transverse Fracture : A trunsverse fructure ls u fructure ln whlch the bone
recelves u breuk ln u wuy thut lt ls ut rlght ungle to the long uxls of the bone. A
trunsverse fructure cun result from un ubrupt, dlrect blow us ln kurute etc. However, lt
cun ulso be tuken us u stress fructure whlch ls cuused by repetltlve uctlons such us
physlcul exerclses or runnlng.


y Oblique Fracture : Obllque fructure ls u type of fructure ln whlch u breuk occurs
ulong fructure llne thut ls dlugonul to the bone shuft.




y Spiral Fracture : A twlstlng force ls responslble for u splrul fructure. A splrul
fructure ls ulso culled u torslon fructure for the fuct of huvlng u force thut cuuse splrul
fructure. In splrul fructure, the bone recelves u splrul breuk for whlch the treutment
becomes qulte complex. The person wlth splrul fructure hus to wult for months before
becomlng fully flt uguln. One hus to spend months ln u cust und muy need to huve u
surgery whlch ull depends on certuln fuctors such us posltlon of the fructure, heulth of
the person, or certuln other relevunt fuctors.

y Comminuted Fracture : the bone breuks lnto severul frugments or pleces.
Normully, u fructure ls suld to be commlnuted when the bone ls broken down lnto ut
leust three pleces. These fructures ure not eusy to treut becuuse of severlty of the
fructure. The thlngs get worse lf the commlnuted fructure ls un open fructure where
the bones penetrute the skln. If the commlnuted fructure ls un open fructure then one
must tuke u lot of cure of the fructure us open ln|urles ure more vulneruble to
lnfectlons und ulso open fructure tukes too much tlme to heul.


y Compacted Fracture : Compucted fructure ls u type of fructure where the
bones ufter sustulnlng u fructure pressed tlghtly lnto euch other. Thls type of fructure
ls normully cuused by some severe uccldents.