Fractured bones can be intensely painful and lead to chronic discomfort and weakness without expert treatment. If you suffer a fracture, SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE can help. Their experienced orthopedic surgeons, David Lent, MD, FAAOS, and Eric Spencer, MD, FAAOS, have considerable expertise in repairing fractures throughout the body. For the best treatment of fractures, call the office in Yonkers or Mamaroneck, New York, or in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City today, or book an appointment online.
Fractures are breaks in your bones. Healthy bones are strong and slightly flexible, so they can withstand a great deal of pressure. However, any bones can fracture under enough stress.
Some common types of fractures include:
Stable fractures are clean breaks where the ends of your bones stay in alignment.
Compound (open) fractures are particularly painful injuries where the broken bone protrudes through your skin. Compound fractures are also prone to infection.
Comminuted fractures are breaks that leave the bone in several pieces. Sometimes the bone can shatter, creating multiple bone fragments — this is often what happens with crush injuries.
Whereas most fractures are acute injuries, stress fractures are chronic. They develop over time as tiny cracks appear in the bone and multiply, typically as a result of overuse or repetitive strain.
Any of your bones might fracture if it comes under enough pressure. However, some of the more common fractures seen by the team at SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE are:
Most fractures cause immediate pain and require urgent attention.
To confirm your fracture, your provider at SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE examines X-rays of the painful area. They can also use the X-rays to establish the severity of the damage, so you get the most appropriate fracture care.
The treatment you need for your fracture depends on the nature of the break and factors like your age and comorbidities (other health problems you might have) like osteoporosis.
A stable fracture where the bones are still in position might only need a cast to protect the injury while your bones heal. A clean break where the bones are out of position might be treatable using closed reduction — manipulation of the bones into alignment by hand before applying a cast.
If you have a more serious injury like a compound fracture, it's likely to need open reduction surgery to repair the damaged bones and soft tissues. Your surgeon might use fixtures like screws, pins, and plates to mend badly broken bones. A fracture in a joint that is not repairable in other ways might require joint replacement surgery.
If you have a fracture, make sure it heals properly by receiving treatment from SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE. Call their office today, or book an appointment online.
