Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA child's bones are softer and more flexible than those of an adult, so they're more likely to bend than to break completely. This flexibility can result in a greenstick fracture. In a greenstick fracture, the bone cracks but doesn't break all the way through — like when you try to break a green stick of wood.
A greenstick fracture can be difficult to diagnose, because it may not cause all the classic signs and symptoms of a broken bone. Treatment for broken bones, even incomplete breaks, such as a greenstick fracture, requires immobilization of your child's bone so that the bone will grow back properly.
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