Fracture Clinic

Our pediatric physicians and surgeons have expertise in all kinds of fractures, including partial or complete breaks in the bone. When a child experiences a fracture, it’s important that they are seen by a pediatric specialist who understands that children’s bones are still forming and growing. At Phoenix Children’s, our team of experts regularly treat broken bones in children with open growth plates or fractures that involve the growth plate. The growth plate is the area of the bone where new bone is made to increase the size of the growing skeleton.

Fractures in children are common. About one-third of all children will experience some type of fracture before they become adults. Fractures in the upper part of the body (such as the arms) are more common than fractures in the lower part of the body (such as legs). 

When a fracture happens, it is classified as either open or closed:

  • An open fracture, also called a compound fracture, occurs when the bone breaks through the skin or the skin has a deep wound that exposes the bone. An open fracture is considered a medical emergency. If your child has an open fracture, call 911, or take them to one of our Emergency Departments. After the open fracture is stabilized, our Fracture Clinic will provide follow-up care.
  • A closed fracture, also called a simple fracture, occurs when the bone is broken but there is no wound in the skin.

 

Fractures we treat include:

  • Buckle fracture: Also called a torus fracture, a buckle fracture is an incomplete fracture that occurs when a child has an injury such as a fall, and the resulting pressure “buckles” the bone but doesn’t break it all of the way across the bone.
  • Greenstick fracture: This type of fracture occurs when a child has an injury and the resulting pressure bends the bone creating cracks but not complete breaks. As the name implies, this type of fracture is similar to what happens when you bend a wet (or green) stick of wood.
  • Growth plate fracture: A growth plate fracture occurs when cartilage (connective tissue) near the end of the long bones that are still forming is injured. The Salter-Harris Classification is a system used to grade growth-plate fractures. 
  • Pathologic fracture: This type of fracture occurs when a bone weakened by a low bone density, tumor, cyst or cancerous lesion breaks more easily.

 

When there is no clear trauma but a child is complaining of pain, it can be difficult to know if a bone is broken. If your child has pain but no obvious injury, imaging and evaluation can quickly confirm or rule out a fracture.

 

These are the most common symptoms a child may have if they break a bone:

  • New limp, or difficulty bearing weight
  • Obvious deformity of the limb or body part
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Trouble using or moving the bone in a normal manner
  • Warmth, bruising or redness

 

If you suspect your child has a fracture, it’s important to seek care quickly, whether it’s through our Fracture Clinic, one of our Urgent Care locations or one of our Emergency Departments. Prior to your Fracture Clinic appointment, we recommend reduced activity, ice, elevation and pain medication as recommended by your child’s healthcare provider.