A fracture is another name for a broken bone. Broken bones can happen during sports, falls or direct impact and may affect bones in the arm, hand, leg, ankle, foot or collarbone. Some fractures are small cracks in the bone, while others are complete breaks.
How serious is it?
The severity of a fracture depends on which bone is broken and how your injury happened.
- Mild fractures may cause pain and make movement uncomfortable.
- More severe fractures can limit how well you can use the injured area.
What does recovery look like?
Most fractures heal with proper treatment, but recovery time depends on the type and location of your break.
- Imaging, such as X-rays or CT scans, is used to confirm the fracture and guide treatment.
- Treatment may include a cast, brace or splint, and sometimes surgery.
- Recovery can take weeks or months, depending on how severe the fracture is.