A greenstick fracture is really a bone fracture seen almost exclusively in youngsters.The term greenstick is derived from an analogy between your pliable bones of children and the flexible nature of a young twig. Greenstick fractures are usually the result of direct trauma to the bone, and are only "partial" fractures, where the bone does not completely break through. Often, since these fractures are so stable, an easy application of force using one's thumbs is that is needed for reduction. Due to children's great capacity to mend their bones,

A common cause of a greenstick fracture is really a fall, as falls can cause a bone to bend beyond it is able too. Blunt trauma such as a blow can also cause such a fracture. The name of greenstick fracture is really apt, because the best instance of this fracture involves obtaining a young twig and bending it; you will see that part of the twig breaks, generally not very cleanly, while the other side stays whole, even though it may be stressed from the bending process.

There are three different types of Greenstick fractures, all brought on by different things. The first, a transverse greenstick fracture, extends in to the middle portion of the bone but runs mainly on the outside of the bone, not disrupting the center. A second type is a buckling greenstick fracture that is generally caused by some kind of hard impact on the bone that triggers it to bend and snap back, just like a rubber band. The third type is really a bow fracture in which the bone bends all along the longest portion of the bone.

These types of fractures generally don't occur in accidents that would typically fracture bones. In order to incur a greenstick fracture, some sort of heavy blow or impaction must be made to the bone. When this type of fracture occurs, there is lots of pain in the affected site. Just like other fractures, the region will become red and swollen plus some bruising may occur. To deal with a greenstick fracture, typically all that is needed is casting. The cast is continued for 3 -- 4 weeks to straighten out the curvature and promote healing.

Treating a greenstick fracture requires reducing the fracture, typically by pulling the bone apart slightly and then pushing it into place to straighten it out. To ensure that the fracture heals, a doctor will put the affected limb into a cast, immobilizing it so the bone can re-grow. Healing times for greenstick fractures in many cases are very quick, and these fractures are usually not as painful as some other types of fractures, especially when the fracture has been reduced. Anti-inflammatory drugs might be prescribed to bring down swelling in the fracture site.