The new bone is soft at first, and so it needs to be protected. Usually a fracture is immobilized to protect the new, soft bone tissue. Your doctor can immobilize the bone using options that include:. These devices can help keep the bone aligned while it heals. They also make it more difficult for you to accidently use the injured bone. For a small bone like a finger or toe, the fracture can be immobilized by wrapping it with a soft wrap or a splint. The realignment may be done without surgery, and is called closed reduction.
This often requires a local anesthetic and painkillers. Sometimes surgery will be required to reposition the injured bone. This is called open reduction. The surgeon may also need to insert the following into your bone to help surgically align the bone:. Hip fractures almost always require surgery to promote faster and better healing. Some limb fractures may need traction, a gentle pulling of the muscles and tendons around the broken bone in order to realign the bone.
The traction can be created with a system of weights and pulleys that are mounted on a metal frame over your bed. The healing time depends on the location and severity of the break. Your age and general health will also affect your recovery time. You may have a physical therapy program and exercises designed to build up muscle strength and joint flexibility in the injured area.
Most fractures heal without complications. Keeping your bones healthy is important at every age. This means getting enough calcium from your diet and doing weight-bearing exercises to keep your bones strong. Weak bones break more easily. After age 40, everyone begins to lose bone mass. Your genetic makeup determines your peak bone mass, but diet and exercise make a big difference in keeping your bones healthy as you age.
Read more: 5 Fun water exercise that seniors can do together ». But how do you differentiate between the two? A qualified orthopedics specialist can diagnose and treat these injuries to avert further damage.
Here is a brief description of the two, alongside the most appropriate treatment options for each. A fracture involves a cracked or broken bone or bone cartilage. A hairline fracture , also known as a stress fracture, is any of your bones receiving a small crack, or even an acute bruise. The damage may be instant but mostly occurs over time, due to repetitive tasks where the injury first appeared.
Hairline fractures are commonly found in legs and feet among athletes, but anyone can get them, especially if they have osteoporosis. Get help now: Ask doctors free Educational text. Similar questions A year-old member asked:. Ahmad M Hadied answered. Orthopedic Surgery 49 years experience. Capillary fracture: A minor fracture that appears on x-ray film as a thin line between two segments of a bone. The segments remain in alignment and the fracture may not extend completely through the bone.
Related questions A year-old member asked:. What are the signs of a hairline fracture? Willvitamins help heal a hairline fracture? How are hairline fractures in teeth treated? In how many days does hairline fracture heal? Displaced or comminuted toe fracture often heals with deformity. A broken fractured bone in your forefoot metatarsals or in one of your toes phalanges often is painful but rarely disabling. Most of the time, these injuries heal without surgery.
Since a dislocation can be mistaken for a toe fracture, it is important to obtain X-rays to ensure a correct diagnosis. If you have a broken toe, you may be able to walk but this usually aggravates the pain. If the pain, swelling, and discoloration continue for more than days, or if pain interferes with walking, something could be seriously wrong; see your foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon as soon as possible.
The simplest way to prevent these complications is to seek early and adequate treatment of any injury involving your toes. Your podiatrist can help get you on the road to recovery.
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