Urgent Care That Treats Fractures and Broken Bones
If you have questions about fracture treatment, we have answers at Reddy Urgent Care. We can also provide high-quality treatment if you experience a fracture. For more information, call us now. We have convenient locations in Downtown Long Beach CA, Bixby Knolls Long Beach CA, and Paramount CA.
Table of Contents:
What Kind of Injury is a Fracture?
What are the 9 types of Fractures?
How is a Stable Fracture Treated?
Can a Fracture Heal Without Surgery?
Whether mild or severe, it is a big deal anytime you experience a fracture. Not only can it be a shocking and upsetting experience, but any fracture left untreated could lead to long-term problems; because of this risk of complications you should seek medical care as soon as you suspect a fracture or broken bone to ensure it heals properly without lasting consequences.
A fracture is an injury that causes a break or crack in a bone, cartilage, or joint. While fractures can occur to cartilage or joints, they are more commonly known to involve one or more bones.
The nine different types of fractures are as follows:
1. Stable Fractures: also known as a simple fracture, stable fractures occur when there is a clean break to the bone, but the severed parts remain in alignment.
2. Transverse Fractures: a transverse fracture occurs when the break line is at a straight, 90-degree line perpendicular to the shaft of the bone.
3. Comminuted Fractures: a comminuted fracture occurs when the bone splinters or breaks into more than two fragments.
4. Oblique Fractures: an oblique fracture occurs when the break is on an angle through the bone.
5. Compound Fractures: a compound fracture occurs when the broken bone pierces through the skin, leaving an open wound.
6. Hairline Fractures: also known as a stress fracture, hairline fractures are a small crack or severe bruise in the bone and usually occur on the feet as a result of repetitive movement, such as frequent jogging.
7. Avulsion Fractures: avulsion fractures occur when the break happens at the point where the bone attaches to the tendon or ligament.
8. Greenstick Fractures: commonly affecting children, greenstick fractures occur when only a portion of the bone is broken, and the unbroken part of the bone bends near the broken part.
9. Spiral Fractures: a spiral fracture occurs due to forceful rotation or twisting of a limb, causing a clean break into two different fragments.
After sustaining a stable fracture, the first order of business is to protect the injured limb or body part from further damage. In order to do so, your doctor will immobilize the bone with a splint or cast. Since the bone fragments remain in alignment in a stable fracture, there is no need to perform a realignment procedure.
The casting process will occur in a few different steps. If a limb has been broken, a soft sock will be applied to minimize itching and protect the limb from edges. Then, a cotton wrap will be applied over the sock to add padding. Finally, two layers of casting material are wrapped over the cotton wrap. The second layer can be a color of your choosing or a generic type.
Many fractures heal without surgery. In general, only severe fractures like compound or comminuted fractures require surgery to heal. Other types of fractures that often require surgery include femur fractures, shoulder fractures, or hip fractures. However, most stable fractures can be effectively treated through immobilization.
If you or someone you care for has sustained a stable fracture, our medical doctors and professionals at Reddy Urgent Care can help. For more information please call us, schedule an appointment through our website, or feel free to visit one of our four clinics for a walk-in appointment in Long Beach, or Paramount, California. We serve patients from Downtown Long Beach CA, Bixby Knolls Long Beach CA, Paramount CA, East Side CA, and Los Altos CA.
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