A fracture is A fracture is also called a also called a broken bone.broken bone.
A broken A broken bone is often bone is often caused by a caused by a fall, an injury fall, an injury or an or an accident.accident.
You may You may need an need an x-ray to x-ray to see if you see if you have have broken broken your bone.your bone.
After your After your bone(s) are bone(s) are put back in put back in place, you place, you may have a may have a cast or splint cast or splint to keep the to keep the injured injured bone(s) from bone(s) from moving.moving.
If you have a bad break and other If you have a bad break and other injuries, you may need to have injuries, you may need to have surgery and stay in the hospital.surgery and stay in the hospital.
Most bones Most bones heal in 6-8 heal in 6-8 weeks.weeks.
Signs of FracturesSigns of FracturesThe area The area near the near the broken broken bone maybone may
•HurtHurt
The area near The area near the broken the broken bone maybone may
•Feel weakFeel weak
•Feel numb Feel numb or tingleor tingle
The area near The area near the broken the broken bone maybone may
• Be swollen or Be swollen or bruisedbruised
• Bleed if the Bleed if the skin is brokenskin is broken
• Look bent if Look bent if the bones are the bones are out of placeout of place
The area The area near the near the broken broken bone maybone may
•Be hard Be hard to moveto move
Your CareYour Care
Keep the Keep the injured area injured area raised above raised above your heart as your heart as much as much as possible to possible to reduce reduce swelling.swelling.
Your Care:Your Care:
Use pillows to raise your injured hand Use pillows to raise your injured hand or foot above the level of your heart.or foot above the level of your heart.
Your Care:Your Care:
Use ice to lessen Use ice to lessen pain and pain and swelling for the swelling for the next 1-2 days. next 1-2 days. Put the bag of Put the bag of ice on the cast ice on the cast or splint over or splint over the injury for 15-the injury for 15-20 minutes 20 minutes every hour.every hour.
Your Care:Your Care:
Take your Take your medi-medi-cines as cines as directed.directed.
If you have a castIf you have a cast Check the Check the
skin around skin around the cast the cast every day. every day. Call your Call your doctor if you doctor if you have red or have red or sore spots.sore spots.
If you have If you have a cast:a cast:
Put lotion Put lotion on dry on dry areasareas
If you have a If you have a cast:cast:
Sprinkle a Sprinkle a small amount small amount of cornstarch of cornstarch or talc under or talc under the cast to the cast to soothe the soothe the skin.skin.
If you have a cast:If you have a cast: Do not use lotion or powders if Do not use lotion or powders if
you have blisters or stitches on you have blisters or stitches on your skin under the castyour skin under the cast
If you have a If you have a cast:cast:
Use a hair Use a hair dryer daily, set dryer daily, set on cool. This on cool. This keeps your cast keeps your cast dry, dry, comfortable comfortable and helps and helps relieve itching. relieve itching.
If you have a cast:If you have a cast: Call your doctor if your cast fits Call your doctor if your cast fits
loosely. The cast can slide around loosely. The cast can slide around causing skin irritation.causing skin irritation.
If you have a cast:If you have a cast:
Exercise your fingers or toes. This Exercise your fingers or toes. This improves blood flow and helps healing.improves blood flow and helps healing.
If you have a If you have a cast:cast:
Use a nail Use a nail file to file file to file rough edges rough edges on your cast.on your cast.
If you have a cast:If you have a cast:
Do not scratch the skin under your cast Do not scratch the skin under your cast with sharp or pointed objects.with sharp or pointed objects.
If you have If you have a cast:a cast:
Do not put Do not put pressure on pressure on any part of any part of your cast or your cast or splint as it splint as it may break.may break.
If you have a If you have a cast:cast:
Keep your cast Keep your cast or splint dry by or splint dry by putting a plastic putting a plastic bag over it when bag over it when bathing.bathing.
Use a hair dryer Use a hair dryer if your cast gets if your cast gets wet.wet.
If you have a If you have a cast:cast:
Call your doctor Call your doctor or clinic to or clinic to schedule an schedule an appointment to appointment to get your cast get your cast removed after removed after the bone has the bone has healed.healed.
Call your doctor right Call your doctor right away ifaway if
You have You have trouble trouble breathing, breathing, chest pain chest pain or or confusionconfusion
Call your doctor right away if:Call your doctor right away if:
You have pain that does not go You have pain that does not go away.away.
Call your doctor right away if:Call your doctor right away if:
Your skin or nails of the injured Your skin or nails of the injured hand or foot are blue, grey, cold or hand or foot are blue, grey, cold or numbnumb..
Call your doctor right away if:Call your doctor right away if:
You cast gets damaged or You cast gets damaged or breaks.breaks.
Call your Call your doctor right doctor right away if:away if:
You have You have new stains new stains or an odor or an odor coming from coming from under the under the cast.cast.
Call your Call your doctor right doctor right away if:away if:
You have You have swelling swelling that makes that makes your cast your cast feel too feel too tight.tight.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions or you have any questions or
concerns.concerns.
Answer the questionsAnswer the questions
• What is a fracture?What is a fracture?• What are the signs of the fracture?What are the signs of the fracture?• Can you use sharp or pointed objects to Can you use sharp or pointed objects to
scratch the skin under your cast?scratch the skin under your cast?• What must you do if your cast gets wet?What must you do if your cast gets wet?• When must you call your doctor right When must you call your doctor right
away?away?
