Bones are strong, but they can still break, which is called a fracture. However, not all fractures are the same, and different fractures require different treatment plans. At Central Jersey Urgent Care, we have seen many of these types of fractures in our pediatric urgent care where we treat children six months and older, seven days per week.
Greenstick Fracture
This type of fracture is most often seen in children because their bones have not completely developed and are still softer than adult bones. A heavy blow that would break an adult’s bone may only cause a greenstick fracture in a child. Instead of simply breaking, the bone bends instead.
Stress Fracture
A fracture common among athletes, stress fractures hairline cracks in the bone that cause significant discomfort to the patient. An athletic child complaining of a sore foot, a common site of stress fractures, may need to be evaluated.
Transverse Fracture
This fracture occurs at a 90-degree angle to the longer axis of the bone. It takes a lot of force to create a fracture in this manner, and the blow has to hit at a perpendicular angle to the bone. This type of break cannot be treated in a pediatric urgent care setting because it requires an orthopedic trauma surgeon.
Comminuted Fracture
A very serious type of break, the comminuted fracture is a breaking of the bone into several small pieces. Many of these fractures occur in the small bones of the hand or foot, and they commonly occur after a car accident or other traumatic event.
Oblique Fracture
This type of break occurs at an angle. A sharp, powerful blow in an upward or downward motion is generally the cause of this type of fracture.
Pathologic Fracture
This break is due to the weakening of bones from disease-causing them to fracture easily. This is not a common type of break for children, and it is rarely seen in pediatric urgent care. The most common cause of a pathologic fracture is osteoporosis.
Central Jersey Urgent Care is here for you when you need us. Our physicians are qualified to assist in minor medical emergencies, like broken bones and fractures. We have in-house x-ray capabilities to get your child the treatment they need as quickly as possible. Our kind and caring staff will put your little one at ease, and have them smiling again in no time.