A closed fracture is a broken bone that does not penetrate the skin.
Whether the fracture is closed or open, if you suspect you have a fracture, seek medical care.
The injury may also appear crooked and out of place.
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Closed vs. Open Fracture
In an open fracture, the injury breaks the skin.
You may or may not be able actually to see the bone.
In a closed fracture, the skin remains intact.
Causes of Closed Fractures
Closed fractures can occur from a variety of different causes.
The main causes are trauma, overuse injuries,osteoporosis, and pathological fractures.
Overuse
Fractures can also occur as a result of overuse.
Overuse fractures are also known asstress fracturesand occur due to excessive, repetitive use of the bone.
They are common in athletes.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis weakens bones.
Individuals with osteoporosis are more likely to experience a fragility fracture or an insufficiency fracture.
Afragility fractureoccurs with a low-impact activity that would typically not induce a fracture.
An insufficiency fracture is a punch in of stress fracture.
Pathological
Weakening of the bone from various illnesses and disease states can cause fractures.
These types of injuries are called pathologic fractures and typically result in a closed fracture pattern.
Pathologic fractures occur when a bone weakens, typically from tumors orvarious cancers.
Types of Closed Fractures
There are several different types of fractures that can cause a closed fracture.
The throw in of closed fracture you experience significantly affects how the fracture is treated.
The types of closed fractures include:
Fracture types can be mixed.
For example, you might have a stable transverse or oblique fracture.
You may also hear your healthcare provider use the terms “displaced” and “non-displaced” fracture.
A displaced fracture means the bones are out of alignment.
This jot down of fracture is more likely to require surgery.
In a non-displaced fracture, the broken bones remain aligned.
This throw in of injury is more likely torecover with a castand immobilization and less likely to require surgery.
Locations of Closed Fractures
Fractures can happen throughout the body.
More severe wrist fractures may require surgery, even when the injury is closed.
In these cases, pins, plates, and screws are commonly used for treatment.
In older patients, osteoporosis causes hip fractures.
Trauma, such as from a car accident, is usually the cause of hip fractures in other populations.
Despite being a closed fracture, broken hips almost always require surgical treatment.
Ankle Fracture
Stress fractures are one of the more commonankle fracturetypes.
Trauma, such as from a car crash or fall, is another cause of ankle fractures.
Other causes include twisting orrolling the ankle.
Surgery may be needed depending on the jot down and severity of the injury.
Vertebral Compression Fracture
The spinal column is made of vertebrae stacked up upon each other.
Osteoporosis can weaken the bones in the spinal column.
They are one of the most common complications of osteoporosis.
Healthcare providers typically suggest nonsurgical treatments first before considering surgical intervention.
Clavicle Fracture
Clavicle fracturesare another common fracture punch in.
They occur in all age groups.
In kids and adults, clavicle fractures are typically the result of a fall or accident.
In babies, clavicle fractures can happen during childbirth.
Most clavicle fractures can heal without surgery unless the bones have significantly shifted.
A CT scan can provide more detailed pictures than an X-ray and may pick up small fractures more easily.
An MRI can show changes to the soft tissues as well as injury within the bone.
Sometimes very small fractures do not show up on X-rays until the injury begins to heal.
Angiography can show damage to blood vessels from a fracture.
A healthcare provider may ordernerve conduction teststo assess for damage to nerves from a fracture.
Treating a Closed Fracture
Fracture treatment is highly dependent on several different factors.
Factors such as patient age, patient preference, and surgeon preference play a role.
How long a closed fracture takes to heal depends on several conditions.
There are several causes of closed fractures.
Closed fractures are typically less emergent than open fractures due to the decreased infection risk.
Several treatment options exist, and surgery is not always necessary to align and heal the bones.
If you think you might have a closed fracture, seek advice and treatment from a healthcare provider.
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