Note: Your progress in watching these videos WILL NOT be tracked. These training videos are the same videos you will experience when you take the full ProFirstAid program. You may begin the training for free at any time to start officially tracking your progress toward your certificate of completion.

Show full transcript for Types of fracture video

Understanding Bone Fractures: Types and Characteristics

Introduction

Bones, though sturdy, are susceptible to fractures under certain conditions. The severity and nature of a fracture depend on various factors such as the force of impact and the individual's bone strength.

Types of Fractures

1. Open or Compound Fracture

Description: Bone breaks through the skin, posing a risk of excessive bleeding and infection.

2. Transverse Fracture

Description: Bone breaks in a straight line across its width.

3. Stable Fracture

Description: Broken bone ends align properly with minimal displacement.

4. Complicated Fracture

Description: Injury extends beyond the bone, affecting surrounding tissues such as blood vessels and nerves.

5. Fracture-Dislocation

Description: Joint dislocation accompanied by a fracture in one of the joint's bones.

6. Greenstick Fracture

Description: Bone bends and breaks but remains partially connected.

7. Spiral Fracture

Description: Break spirals around the bone, commonly observed in long bones.

8. Compression Fracture

Description: Bone is crushed, resulting in a wider and flatter shape, often seen in the spine.

9. Stress Fracture (Hairline Fracture)

Description: Tiny cracks in the bone surface, challenging to detect via standard X-rays.

10. Impact Fracture

Description: Bone ends are driven together by force during impact.

11. Oblique Fracture

Description: Diagonal fracture across the bone, common in long bones.

12. Comminuted Fracture

Description: Bone shatters into three or more pieces with fragments at the break.

13. Avulsion Fracture

Description: Tendon or ligament pulls a fragment of bone away.

14. Segmental Fracture

Description: Bone fractures in two places, leaving a floating segment between the breaks, often observed in long bones.

Treatment Considerations

While understanding fracture types is beneficial, initial treatment typically follows similar protocols regardless of the specific fracture name.