Children and Fractures

Did you know one out of every ten broken bones occurs in the foot? There are 26 bones in the human foot, which means 26 ways to break it. Broken Bones are more common in children than adults. Here are a few facts/tips about children's fractures: 

Ligaments and tendons are stronger than bones when you are a child, which makes it easier to break a bone, as opposed to just spraining it.

Bones break when they get crushed, bent, twisted or stretched.  Most breaks happen suddenly as a result of accidents and injuries. Be sure your child is wearing appropriate shoes for the activity they are partaking in.

Children’s fractures may be difficult to see in x-rays because parts of a growing bone do not show up well on this diagnostic imaging. It is sometimes a good idea to x-ray the uninjured foot for comparison.

When examining an injured foot, compare both feet side-by-side. Check for swelling, bruising, cuts or wounds, discoloration, and coldness. Try to get an idea of how much pain your child is experiencing.

Get your child to a health care professional as soon as possible. Try to keep them from walking on the injured foot.

Image by Dennis Yang. My Foot in a Cast. (2006). Flickr.