Greenstick Fractures

Symptoms:

Typically, pain, swelling and deformity are caused by a broken bone. However, in greenstick fractures, these signs and symptoms could be absent or minimal. The bone isn't displaced due to a greenstick fracture, and usually heals very well in a growing child. Parents may never even know that a fracture has occurred, unless the child experiences pain, or if there's bending or displacement of the extremity, or swelling. The difference between a soft-tissue injury, such as a bad bruise or a sprain, and a greenstick fracture could also be difficult to tell. In case a child is not able to move or bear weight on an injured limb, they should seek medical care.
 

Causes:

When a child falls while playing or participating in sports, childhood fractures may occur. Because of people's instinct to throw out their arms to catch themselves when they fall, the bones of the arms are the most likely to be harmed.
 

Complications:

None

Treatments:

In order for broken bones to be able to grow back together, even greenstick fractures, they should be immobilized. The most common way to keep a bone still is a cast; however, a removable splint could also do the trick. The benefit of a splint is that it could be removed briefly for a shower or a bath.

Although most casts are now made of a water-resistant material, but a child shouldn't go swimming wearing a cast, unless the lining of the cast is waterproof as well.

To make sure that the bone is healing properly, the doctor may want an X-ray of the bone after seven to ten days.

The cast or splint of the child could be removed or replaced with a smaller cast in three to four weeks, because children's bones tend to heal faster than those of older adults.
 

Prognosis:

Not available

Expert's opinion: