Health Topic

Fractures

A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone. There are different causes and types of fractures. Symptoms include intense pain, swelling and bruising.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Broken bone

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Fractures

A fracture is a break in a bone. Fractures are usually caused by injuries. Since they can sometimes be serious, it's important to get medical care right away if you think you have a fracture.

There are different ways to describe fractures. For example, there are different types of fractures based on:

  • Whether the bone is partially or completely broken.
  • Whether the bone breaks through the skin; if it does, it's called an open (or compound) fracture. If not, it's a closed fracture.
  • The direction or shape of the break, for example if it's in a line across the bone or if it has some kind of pattern.
  • The cause of the break. For example, a stress fracture is a small break in a bone that is often caused by overuse.
  • Which bone is broken, for example facial fractures include nose and jaw fractures.

Fractures commonly happen because of car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Overuse and repetitive motions can also cause fractures.

Low bone density and osteoporosis are conditions which cause weakening of your bones. Having one of these conditions makes you much more likely to break a bone.

The symptoms of a fracture can vary, depending on which bone you broke. But they may include:

  • Intense pain
  • Deformity, for example a limb that looks out of place
  • Swelling, bruising, or tenderness around the injury
  • Trouble moving the injured part

If you think that you may have broken a bone, get medical care right away.

To find out if you have a fracture, your health provider will do a physical exam and ask about your injury. They will also likely order an x-ray or other imaging test to see if your bone is broken.

The most common treatment for a fracture is for you to wear a cast or a splint. This will keep your bone from moving while it heals. How long you need to wear it will depend on the type of fracture and which bone is affected. But it's often for several weeks. Your provider will let you know when you can get it off.

In some cases, you may need surgery to put in plates, pins, or screws to keep the bone in place.

There are steps you can take to lower your risk of fractures:

  • Keeping your bones strong by: Getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet
  • Getting regular physical activity, including weight bearing exercises such as walking, tennis, and dancing
  • Getting treatment for low bone density or osteoporosis (if needed)
  • Getting rid of any tripping hazards in your home
  • Being careful when walking on wet or icy surfaces
  • Choosing the right footwear

It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles and Injuries and Wounds.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Fractures

4,801 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Diagnosis and Tests

  • Bone ScanMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
  • Bone X-RayRadiological Society of North America

Treatments and Therapies

Prevention and Risk Factors

Living With

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Fractures, Bone, Fractures, Cartilage. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Fractures, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.