The Schafer Law Office

Fracture Types

When you are injured in a Kentucky automobile wreck you may have a broken bone. Doctors use many terms to describe these breaks and fractures. What do these terms really mean?

Bones are rigid organs that form the skeleton of humans.  They move, support and protect various parts of the body. Excess pressure applied to the bone may break its continuity cause it to fail. Fractures happen when the bone cannot withstand the outside forces applied. It may occur because of a Kentucky car accident, a fall, and repetitive forces on the bone due to physical activities such as running or weightlifting.

Some fractures are easily identified because of the obvious deformity. An x-ray is needed in order to better assess the injury and diagnose the type of fracture. Orthopedics need to know the history of injury in order to evaluate and treat.

Here are the different types of fractures:

•  Open fracture - broken bone is exposed. A dangerous type due to the increase chances of infection.
•  Closed fracture - there is a broken bone but the skin is intact.
•  Simple fracture - occurs along one line, the bone splits into two pieces.
•  Multi-fragmented fracture - bone splits into multiple pieces.
•  Compression fracture - a closed fracture that happens when two or more bones are forced against each other.
•  Avulsion fracture - a closed fracture that occur wherein a piece of bone is broken off by a sudden, forceful contraction of a muscle. Commonly common in athletes or may be caused by injury.
•  Impacted fracture - a closed fracture that happens when pressure is applied to both ends of the bone, causing it to split into two fragments that jam in each other. This is common in car accidents and fall.
•  Compression fracture of the spine - common in people with osteoporosis and results in significant pain and disability.
•  Complete fracture - bone fragments separate completely.
•  Incomplete fracture - bone fragments are still partially joined.
•  Linear fracture - fracture is parallel to the bone's long axis.
•  Transverse fracture - fracture is right angle to the bone's long axis.
•  Oblique fracture - fracture is diagonal to bone's long axis.
•  Spiral fracture - occurs when at least one part of the bone has been twisted.
•  Comminuted fracture - the fracture results in several fragments.
•  Compacted fracture - occurs when bone fragments are driven into each other.

When you are involved in a Kentucky automobile accident, immediately consult your Kentucky physician. It is important to immediately establish a diagnosis of the injury in order to receive appropriate treatment and to document your insurance claim so you can be adequately and fairly compensated for your fracture from your Kentucky car accident.