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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
A broken bone typically causes pain, swelling and deformity. But these may be absent or minimal in greenstick fractures. Greenstick fractures don't displace the bone, and in a growing child usually heal very well. Unless the child has pain or if there's bending or displacement of the extremity, or swelling, you may never know a fracture even occurred. Additionally, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a greenstick fracture and a soft-tissue injury, such as a sprain or a bad bruise.
When to see a doctor
Seek medical attention if your child is unable to move or bear weight on an injured limb.
- Carson S. Pediatric upper extremities injuries. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 53 (2006);41-67.
- Hay WW. Orthopedics: Trauma, fractures. In: Current Pediatric Diagnosis & Treatment. 18th ed. The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2351689. Accessed July 22, 2008.
- Hopkins-Mann C, et al. Section 12: Musculoskeletal disorders in children. In: Tintinalli JE, et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. The McGraw Hill Companies; 2004. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=598149. Accessed July 22, 2008.
- Green NE. Fractures of the forearm, wrist and hand. In: Skeletal Trauma in Children. 3rd ed. Saunders, St. Louis, Mo.; 2003. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/100201301-4/728371990/1219/127.html#4-u1.0-B0-7216-9294-X..50013-2--cesec62_310. Accessed July 23, 2008.
