Common Misconceptions About Fracture Management
Breaking a bone can be a daunting prospect since it can significantly affect your quality of life. Because of this, you need to familiarize yourself with fracture management and know the right steps to take if you’d find yourself with a broken bone. You can start your journey by knowing the common misconceptions about bone fractures, which include the following:
Myth #1: Pain is always present when bones break.
Most fractures do result in pain. However, if you develop a small break in your bone, it’s possible not to feel any pain. In fact, there have been many people who have suffered a minor fracture but went on to go dancing or running for the rest of the day because they didn’t experience any discomfort! But here’s the thing: no matter how minor a fracture might be, you should still get professional help as soon as it’s discovered to ensure that the bone will heal properly and avoid infections and even permanent deformities.
Myth #2: Broken toes don’t need attention.
While it’s true that broken toes often don’t require plaster, they still have to be checked by physicians to ensure that they’ll heal properly. If you won’t seek medical attention for a broken toe, there’s a chance that it will become deformed when it heals, which can affect your gait and even cause chronic pain.
Myth #3: All fractures need surgical treatments.
Some types of bone fractures can be healed without surgery, which is good news for patients since they’ll experience minimal risk for infections and other post-surgical complications. If you’ve incurred one of these fracture types, your physician will most likely recommend a combination of splints, casts, and braces to stabilize the affected area and ensure that the bone is properly positioned as it heals. X-rays will be used to monitor your progress and check that the bone is healing correctly and, once the area is ready for movement you’ll have to go through physical therapy to rebuild your strength and mobility.
Don’t let these misconceptions stop you from getting the treatment that you need! If you have incurred a bone fracture, reach out to specialists like 417 Sports Medicine and Orthopedics: Eric M Gifford, MD right away. We are based in Springfield, MO, and we offer world-class non-operative fracture management solutions. Learn more about our services by calling us now at (417) 771-3147!