Greenstick fractures

Diagnosis

Your doctor will check the affected area for tenderness, swelling, deformity, numbness, or an open wound during the physical examination. To check for nerve injury, your kid could be asked to make certain patterns or gestures with his or her fingers. The joints above and below the fracture may also be checked by your doctor.

The majority of greenstick fractures are visible on X-rays. For comparison, your doctor might request X-rays of the unharmed limb.

Treatment

The severity of a greenstick fracture determines whether manual realignment of the bone is necessary for proper healing. In such cases, the doctor may need to manually straighten the bone, and painkillers and possibly sedatives may be given to the child for this procedure.

The majority of these sorts of fractures are immobilized in a cast during healing because greenstick fractures have a significant chance of totally breaking through the bone.

In some cases, particularly if the fracture is almost healed, a removable splint may be as effective as other treatments. A detachable splint has the added advantage of allowing the child to take it off temporarily for a shower or bath.

In a few weeks, X-rays are necessary to verify the alignment of the bone, ensure that the fracture is mending appropriately, and determine when a cast is no longer required. The length of time required for a greenstick fracture to heal completely varies based on the child’s age and the type of fracture. In general, most greenstick fractures take around four to eight weeks to heal fully.