Tracey Blanchard
Herzing University
Unit 3 Discussion – Fractures
May 21, 2024
SC154-TC
Professor Ty Hoffman
Many people think a fracture occurs when the break within the bone is completely through it.
That is not completely true. A greenstick fracture is a partial thickness fracture that affects the periosteum
and cortex within one side of the bone while the other remains intact (Sarwar et al., 2023). This type of
fracture is classified as an incomplete fracture of long bones and usually occurs in young children, mainly
under the age of 10 years. The bones within the body commonly affected by this type of fracture are the
radial, ulna, humerus, fibula, tibia, and clavicle but occur anywhere within the body. A greenstick fracture
resembles a tree branch that has bent but only breaks partially (Radswiki et al., 2024).
Greenstick fractures are frequently seen during an emergency room visit after a person has fallen
with their arm stretched outward but could also occur during other types of trauma situations including
sports, automobile collisions, or non-accidental situations in which a person has been hit with an object.
Most fractures known as condylar fractures and greensticks are seen the most by medical professionals.
When nasal traumas occur within the pediatric patient, they are commonly seen as greenstick fractures
based upon the unfused midline suture and in conjunction with the amount of cartilage in the nasal bones
(Sarwar et al, 2023). Based on the degree of angulation in the fracture, the physician may need to
perform a closed reduction before immobilizing the affected bone. An immobilized area should be applied
for approximately six weeks. The type of immobilization device will depend on the location of the
fracture. Distal fractures may use a short cast, while a proximal fracture will require a long cast for the
first half of treatment but may be changed into a short cast for the remainder of the treatment. All
greenstick fracture patients should be seen by an orthopedic physician based on the instability of the
