DOC TALK WITH DR. PALOMERA AND DR. GIRLING: DOES A FRACTURED BONE MEAN IT'S BROKEN?
Two of our docs discuss TOP patient questions: Does A Fractured Bone Mean It's Broken?
Dr. Palomera: We had the idea of answering very common questions that are medically related, but are not too detailed. What is something you get asked all the time?
Dr. Girling: I think my favorite question I get asked, and that everybody gets asked is,
"Hey, Doc, is it broken or cracked or is it a fracture?”
There's 50 different ways somebody asks, but it's all the same thing. We always have to pause first before we answer because it's a question with such a simple answer.
Dr. Palomera: I usually smile, what do you tell them? I guess I smile under my mask now when we're in the room.
Dr. Girling: Right? I always try to cut patients off just because I know it's coming. I'll say it's all the same. Same thing. We don't treat that differently.
Broken means fractured, fractured means cracked.
That's not how we describe a fracture. That's just a blanket term that we use to say,
"Hey, that bone, in fact, is no longer structurally sound. Something bad has happened." Then we go into detail about what that is. But if a family member or a colleague or somebody asks, "Hey, but was it broken or fractured?" Unfortunately, that means they're not an orthopedic surgeon because those words mean exactly the same
Dr. Palomera: When I have an athlete on a team, I always tell Mom and Dad, "It's fractured." But when other moms ask me, when the coach asks me, “Is it broken? Fractured? Cracked?” My answer is yes because it all means the same thing.
Then we discuss healing time and expectations. You know how to work some fractures as long as you brace it or cast it. Then, the patient is well. More major fractures require surgery. Some don't. I think I get asked that question once a week minimum.
Dr. Girling: Now, if you want to sound smart whenever you're asking these questions,
what you really want to ask is, is it displaced?
Because that's what matters, right? I mean, for most fracture types what's going to change is whether or not we're doing a surgery or whether or not you're getting casting is whether or not the fracture itself is displaced. So, that's the biggest question you really want to ask once you know that you have a break.
The second question would be, is it around a joint?
If it's around a joint, then we're looking at arthritis. We have a lower tolerance for surgery for arthritis than if the fracture is in the middle of a shaft of a bone because the alignment is easier to control. Because we're not as worried about arthritis.
Dr. Palomera: Right. In the end, we want the fracture break crack displaced, or if it has moved, nondisplaced, it hasn't moved. We want that part of the bone to be functional.
We do get asked a lot, "Does surgery help me heal quicker?" Not necessarily, but many times it makes sure that you heal properly.
Dr. Girling: Yeah. It's all about getting everything back in alignment. And it only really matters if it's going to change your outcome, right? Like I can make a really pretty X ray, but with some fracture types, like the clavicle...Clavicles look really dramatic, but they heal remarkably well. And there are situations when it's better to fix the problem. But there's a lot of situations when we say, “You're gonna end up a little bit of a bump, you know, unless you just really want me to make it look absolutely perfect it's going to heal and you're going to do great.” On the other hand, there's the downsides to surgery.
That's really where our roles come in. Whenever you come see us, what we’re going to discuss is whether the injury is a break or a fracture? Meaning yes. Is that something that we need to actually fix or mobilize? And then, what are the expectations trying to get you folks back to play?
Dr. Palomera: Absolutely. Luckily, the success rate is really high no matter what we do.
AT SPORTS MEDICINE ASSOCIATES OUR GREATEST REWARD IS KEEPING OUR PATIENTS ACTIVE AND SAFELY PARTICIPATING IN THEIR FAVORITE SPORTS.
At SMASA we stride to provide our patients and audience with resourceful content to help them make the best decisions for their health!