Bone Fracture Symptoms and Signs: When To See an Orthopedist

Bone fractures occur when your bones experience traumatic injuries. They often happen when playing sports involving tackling, slipping and falling, or in car accidents. Some fractures are severe and require a trip to the emergency room, while others may not seem like a big deal at first because you can still move around, albeit with limited mobility.

If you’re one of the six million Americans who experience bone fracture symptoms annually, come to Metro Healthcare Partners. Our orthopedist in Brooklyn, NY, can help you recover from bone fractures and related joint pain so you can get back to enjoying life.

Types of Bone Fractures

There are several bone fracture types. You’ll need a medical diagnosis to determine which type you have so we can prescribe you with the proper bone healing treatment plan.

Transverse

A transverse bone fracture is likely what you think of when you hear about a broken bone. Usually caused by a direct hit, the bone will break at a right angle (90 degrees), often in the middle of the bone. You must visit an orthopedic surgeon to repair the bone.

Oblique

Oblique fractures occur after twisting your body. They’re common in leg bones since you can easily shift your weight around and cause your leg to twist.

Avulsion

Avulsion bone fracture symptoms aren’t easy to detect and will require an X-ray most of the time. This type of fracture is like a chip in the bone. Your bone is still intact and usable, though you’ll experience pain and discomfort. It’s often caused by a tendon being pulled in the opposite direction of your bone.

Stress

Your body will experience wear and tear throughout your life, especially if you have a job or hobby that requires repetitive movements. Stress fractures often come in the form of hairline fractures, meaning there is only a tiny break that’s largely unnoticeable. According to the Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging journal, up to 20% of sports injuries are due to stress fractures, with most of them experienced by track-and-field athletes.

Stress fractures are painful, even if you can still move around like usual. You might mistake aches and pains as something else rather than a bone fracture. Should you have any pain, get an X-ray to look for fractures.

Comminuted

A comminuted fracture is when a bone splinters into several fragments. While some fractures are limited to legs and arms, this kind can happen to any bone in your body.

Pathologic

Bone fractures may be due to bone diseases, like cancer or osteoporosis. “A Report of the Surgeon General” states that bone fractures may be the first sign of osteoporosis, which is more likely to occur in older women. Research has found that 20% of men and 50% of women aged 50+ will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point.

Though bone fractures are typically related to physical safety, your bone health is another key to avoiding fractures.

Common Bone Fracture Symptoms

Bone fracture symptoms may involve one or all of the following:

• Pain: Your pain levels will depend on the injury. Stress fractures likely won’t compare to transverse fractures where the bone bends after the break, but both will still give you pain ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain.
• Severe Injury: If you have pain following a severe injury like a car crash, sports injury, or another form of forceful impact on your bones, you likely have a fracture. 
• Limited Range of Motion: Most fractures will come with a limited range of motion. You may not be able to bend your legs and arms like usual, move your hips as much, or turn your head to the side as much as you could have before. The pain itself may be the limiting factor, but you may also be physically limited by infection, dislocation, or bone fragments or foreign objects stuck in the muscles around your joints.
• Joint Problems: Deformed and unstable joints are common occurrences following a bone fracture. Deformed joints may look like a bump protruding from your skin. Unstable joints will feel like you can’t put all your weight on them or they might dislocate.

When To Seek Treatment for Bone Fractures

The short answer: Seek treatment as soon as your injury occurs. That may not be a viable solution for everyone, so at the very least, find an orthopedic surgeon when you experience any of the following bone fracture symptoms:

• Open Fracture: If you can see a bone, you need immediate medical attention. Call Metro Healthcare Partners to see if we can accept a walk-in visit, or rush to the nearest emergency room.
• Pain: Pain of any kind—no matter how mild—should be brought to an orthopedist. What starts as mild discomfort can turn into severe pain if left untreated.
• Swelling and Bruising: Swelling and bruising are outward signs that your insides aren’t doing well. Seek medical attention immediately, especially if you have already put it off for a few days and your symptoms are only getting worse.
• Immobility: Immobility is one of the more obvious bone fracture symptoms telling you that you need medical attention as soon as possible.

When You Need an Orthopedic Doctor, Visit Metro Healthcare Partners in Brooklyn, NY

Metro Healthcare Partners is here to treat all your bone fracture symptoms in Brooklyn, NY. We may be able to treat walk-ins, but you can call ahead to schedule an appointment at (718) 568-5239. Our orthopedic surgeons are highly skilled and prepared to get you on a path to wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon should you see an orthopedist after a fracture?

You should seek orthopedic treatment promptly. The sooner you treat your bone fracture symptoms, the sooner you can recover.

What signs should you look for to see if a bone is broken?

Broken bones are typically accompanied by bruising, swelling, pain, and limited mobility. Stress fractures are often less noticeable, so you may only have mild pain with those.

When should I be worried about a broken bone?

Head to the emergency room if your bones are visible, you can’t move part of your body, or you have severe joint pain.