Skip to content
WebMD: Better information. Better health.
 
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Medical Dictionary

Information and Resources

Font Size
A
A
A

Understanding Bone Fractures -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Bone?

Signs and symptoms of a broken bone include:

  • Swelling or bruising over a bone.
  • Deformity of an arm or leg.
  • Pain in the injured area that gets worse when the area is moved or pressure is applied.
  • Loss of function in the injured area.
  • In open fractures, bone protruding from the skin.

Fractures are usually caused by a fall, blow, or other traumatic event. Pathologic fractures are those caused by disease (such as cancer) that weakens the bones and can occur with little or no trauma. Osteoporosis, a disorder in which the bones thin and lose strength as they age, causes 1.5 million fractures each year in the U.S. -- especially in the hip, wrist, and spine.

Recommended Related to Bones and Joints

Understanding Hammertoes -- Prevention

Be good to your feet, for they bear you. They are designed to last a lifetime, but they are not maintenance free. Check your feet regularly for problems. This is especially true if you have diabetes or any other medical condition that causes poor circulation or numbness in your toes. If you do, check your feet daily so that problems can be caught early on. Good circulation is essential. When you're sitting down, put your feet up. If you've been sitting for a while, stretch your legs and feet. Give...

Read the Understanding Hammertoes -- Prevention article > >

 

Call Your Doctor About a Broken Bone If:

You think that you or someone you're with may have fractured a bone. This is a medical emergency.

WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed by Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on March 21, 2012

Hot Topics

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

WebMD Video: Now Playing

Click here to wach video: Michelle Obama’s Nutrition Tips for Moms

First Lady Michelle Obama shares tips on parenting with moms and other audience members in a WebMD Town Hall meeting in Miami, Florida.

Click here to watch video: Michelle Obama’s Nutrition Tips for Moms

Popular Slideshows & Tools on WebMD

puppy eating
What you need to know.
Ra Management Get A Personalized Report
Assess your symptoms.
Xray of foot highlighting gout
Causes, symptoms and treatments.
Concentration Killers Slideshow
What's robbing your focus?
brain scan
Recognizing symptoms.
group beer toast
Do you know your suds?
Diabetic tools
Symptoms, causes, treatments.
thumbnail for fatigue slideshow
Causes, fixes for fatigue.
thumbnail for Brain Food slideshow
Foods that can help you focus.
Hot cup of coffee
The facts about that cup of joe.
Wendy’s Chicken Club
Double-fisted diet wreckers.

Women's Health Newsletter

Find out what women really need.