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Other Health Topics:
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Related Topics
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Bone Diseases
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Bones, Joints and Muscles
- Injuries and Wounds
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Go Local
- Services and providers for Fractures in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Fractures is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Languages
Fractures
Also called: Broken bone
A fracture is a break, usually in a bone. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open or compound fracture. Fractures commonly happen because of car accidents, falls or sports injuries. Another cause is osteoporosis, which causes weakening of the bones. Overuse can cause stress fractures, which are very small cracks in the bone.
Symptoms of a fracture are
- Out-of-place or misshapen limb or joint
- Swelling, bruising or bleeding
- Intense pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Limited mobility or inability to move a limb
You need to get medical care right away for any fracture. You may need to wear a cast or splint. Sometimes you need surgery to put in plates, pins or screws to keep the bone in place.
Start Here
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Fractures and Sprains
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player
Also available in Spanish
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Fractures: An Overview(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Also available in Spanish
- JAMA Patient Page: Bone Fractures(American Medical Association)
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Latest News
- Most Women with Osteoporosis Unaware of Raised Fracture Risk(09/15/2008, HealthDay)
- Powerful Antacid Drugs Raise Fracture Risk(08/11/2008, HealthDay)
- Do Antidepressants Make Bones Brittle?(07/11/2008, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Bone Scan: Using Nuclear Medicine to Find Bone Abnormalities(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Bone X-Ray (Radiography)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also available in Spanish
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Treatment
- Bone and Tissue Transplantation(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Care of Casts and Splints(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Also available in Spanish
- Internal Fixation for Fractures(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Prevention/Screening
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Bone Mass Measurement: What the Numbers Mean
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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JAMA Patient Page: Osteopenia and Preventing Fractures(American Medical Association)
Also available in Spanish
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Once Is Enough: A Guide to Preventing Future Fractures(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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Preventing Falls and Related Fractures(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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Bone Mass Measurement: What the Numbers Mean
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Rehabilitation/Recovery
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MedlinePlus: Mobility Aids - Canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs
- Physical Fields(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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MedlinePlus: Mobility Aids
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Specific Conditions
- Avulsion Fracture: How Is It Treated?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Broken Jaw(InteliHealth)
- Broken Ribs(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Collarbone (Clavicle) Fracture(InteliHealth)
- Eye Socket Fracture (Fracture of the Orbit)(InteliHealth)
- Fractures of the Nose(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Nonunions(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Penis Fracture: Is This Possible?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Related Issues
- Fractures (Broken Bones): First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Tutorials
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Fractures and Sprains(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player
Also available in Spanish
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Fractures and Sprains(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player
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Videos
- Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery (Ostetomy)(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 4/30/2007
- Periarticular Locking Plate Procedure(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 11/06/2006
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fractures, Bone(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fractures, Bone
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Research
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Drug Treatment for Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: A Clinical Practice Guideline(American College of Physicians)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Incidence of fractures attributable to abuse in young hospitalized children:...
- Article: Biomechanical concepts of fracture healing in weight-bearing long bones.
- Article: Closed versus open operative treatment of nondisplaced diacapitular (Class VI)...
- Fractures -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Glossary of Orthopaedic Words(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Directories
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Organizations
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Also available in Spanish
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Children
- Broken Bones(Nemours Foundation)
- Cool Cast Facts(Nemours Foundation)
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Facts about Broken Bones(Nemours Foundation)
Also available in Spanish
- Greenstick Fractures(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Questions and Answers about Growth Plate Injuries(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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What Are Growth Plate Injuries?
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Also available in Spanish
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Women
- First Fracture May Be Warning Sign(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Seniors
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Falls and Fractures(National Institute on Aging)
Also available in Spanish
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Falls and Fractures
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Date last updated: 17 September 2008 Topic last reviewed: 20 May 2008 |