Two days ago, I fell hard while running up some steps and hurt my wrist. I was told I might have a hairline fracture of my wrist, but no x-rays were done and I didn't get a cast. What exactly is a hairline fracture, and what's the difference between a fracture and a broken bone? - Kelly
The medical term for any break in a bone is a fracture. There are hundreds of terms to describe fractures and their locations, but a few of the more important ones for patients to know are open, displaced, and non-displaced.
Open fractures are where a bit of jagged broken bone has poked through the skin. They can be prone to infection, and often require a surgical washout and repair.
Displaced fractures are where the cracked edges of broken bone don't line up. The more severe ones will need to be pushed into alignment. They will need a cast, and some may need surgery with plates and screws to hold the bones in alignment.
Non-displaced fractures are where a crack occurs, but everything still lines up normally. Hairline fractures are a type of non-displaced fracture. On an x-ray, the bone can appear to have an extremely thin crack in it. But many times nothing abnormal shows up on the initial x-ray. The patient may have pain and tenderness, but the first x-ray may be perfectly normal.