Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • ?
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Healthy Living/Sports Fractures 101

Sports Fractures 101

Sports Fractures 101
December 4, 2014
0 Comments
By: Eric J. Wall, MD

Fractures, or broken bones, are the most common injuries we see in orthopaedic sports medicine. During childhood, about 50% of females and 60% of males will suffer a fracture at some point, and for many kids, the injuries will happen during sport-related activity.

With sports fractures, we most often see injuries to the hands – there are a lot of broken fingers out there – but fractures to other bones in the hands, wrists, forearms and lower legs are also common injuries for athletes.

While a fracture can be traumatic for the child who sustains one, it is not necessarily a season-ending injury, as it used to be. With the treatment techniques available today, we are often able to help kids return to the sports they love while the bone is still healing, and that can sometimes be within the same season.

We now have moldable plastic materials for splints that can be ready in 5-10 minutes, giving our team new options for immobilization and the ability to provide highly customized treatment for patients. Additionally, waterproof casts have helped make returning to sports more quickly a reality for athletes who need the stability of a full cast. Athletes get sweaty, which makes traditional casts prohibitive during physical activity. But with waterproof casts, athletes can sweat and shower with the cast on, allowing new timelines for returning to competition.

While our team is always excited to be able to offer patients treatment options that will allow for as much activity as possible, we also remind families that the outcome of treatment is very much dependent upon how well the patient adheres to the treatment plan. Fractures still take weeks and sometimes months to heal properly depending on the location of the injury. And some fractures will still need complete rest and immobilization to ensure proper healing.

If you think your child may have sustained a fracture injury, it’s always best to have it examined. Some signs that it may be a fracture include:

  • A snap or a grinding noise during the injury
  • Swelling, bruising, deformity and/or tenderness around the injured part
  •  It is painful for your child to move it, touch it, or press on it; if the leg is injured, it’s painful to put weight on it
  •  In severe breaks, the broken bone might poke through the skin – If a bone is protruding from the skin, please quickly call an ambulance to take your child to the emergency department.

If an injury happens in the evening or on the weekend, one of our urgent care locations will be the best first stop to determine if a fracture has occurred. If needed, the team in urgent care will splint the injured area and help you set up an appointment with our team in orthopaedic sports medicine to determine the best course of treatment. We can usually assess new injuries within a day or two, and sometimes even the same day.

Our team of pediatric experts and child life specialists work hard to make the treatment process as quick and pain-free as possible. We also have the coolest casts around – options including colors, stripes and sparkles – which help distract the patient from the situation and provide a sense of control over the treatment. A cast in team colors often helps the child feel like he or she is still supporting their team even if they’re not in the action.

We know that fractures can be traumatic for the injured child and for his or her family and we certainly hope your child never breaks a bone, but the reality is that more than half of kids will at some point. And it’s important to have it checked out within a couple of days if you have suspicion that it may be fractured so we can begin treatment and get your young athlete back in shape as quickly as possible.

At Cincinnati Children’s, we are available help your young athlete and to answer your questions. To make an appointment or speak with a staff member, please contact our Division of Sports Medicine

Subscribe today for more stories, tips, and updates.

Related Articles

8 Misconceptions About Concussions in Kids
8 Misconceptions About Concussions in Kids
Summer Practices: What To Know
Summer Practices: What To Know
Frequently Asked Questions About Little League Shoulder and Elbow
Frequently Asked Questions About Little League Shoulder and Elbow
Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists
Caring for Young Athletes: The Importance of Pediatric Specialists
TAGS:
  • broken bones
  • orthopaedics
  • sports medicine
Avatar photo

About the author: Eric J. Wall, MD

Dr. Wall is the director of orthopaedic sports medicine at Cincinnati Children's. His clinical interests include sports-related injuries, endoscopic pelvic surgery, osteochondritis dissecans, non-fusion scoliosis correction, orthopaedic basic science research and orthopaedic management of myelomeningocele.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Comments Yet

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • How We Do It
  • Learning and Growing
  • Meet The Team
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Patient Stories
  • Pin of the Week
  • Radiology
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What Makes Us Different
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Never miss a post! Sign up to get new blog updates delivered to your email.

Popular Posts

  • Caring for the Caregivers of Children with Congenital Heart Disease  2.6k views
  • 6 Questions to Ask When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain 2k views
  • Stuttering In Young Kids: When To Be Concerned 700 views
  • Laryngomalacia: Is My Child’s Noisy Breathing Serious? 698 views
  • Button Batteries: What Parents Should Know 695 views
  • Bedwetting Solutions: Tips for Helping Your Child Overcome It 602 views
About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2022 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center