Find your fracture below to learn how it's commonly treated, protected, and rehabilitated.
Select a fracture below to see how it's commonly treated — including immobilization, weight-bearing or limb use, when motion begins, and typical recovery milestones.
Every fracture is different. These guides describe general treatment patterns. Your surgeon will tailor your care based on your specific fracture pattern, displacement, age, bone quality, and any associated injuries.
This protocol applies whether your clavicle (collarbone) fracture is being treated with or without surgery — t...
Read GuideThe scapula (shoulder blade) is surrounded by muscle, so many fractures here heal well without surgery. Fractu...
Read GuideThe proximal humerus is the upper part of the arm bone, near the shoulder. After surgical repair, early gentle...
Read GuideMany proximal humerus (upper arm, near the shoulder) fractures that are well-aligned can be treated without su...
Read GuideThe distal humerus is the lower end of the upper arm bone, forming the top of the elbow joint. Even though wei...
Read GuideThe olecranon is the bony point of the elbow, where the triceps tendon attaches. Fractures that are broken int...
Read GuideThis describes a fracture of both forearm bones (radius and ulna) together in an adult, typically stabilized w...
Read GuideDistal radius (wrist) fractures that remain in good alignment can often be treated without surgery, protecting...
Read GuideThis protocol applies to a straightforward (simple) fracture pattern treated with surgery — generally a more p...
Read GuideA severely comminuted distal radius fracture — broken into several pieces — sometimes requires a spanning plat...
Read GuideAssess nail plate, nail bed, skin integrity, and tetanus status. Open nail-bed injuries may require irrigation...
Read GuideEven brief DIP flexion can disrupt early healing and may restart the splinting timeline.
Read GuideAvoid prolonged rigid immobilization because PIP stiffness can become the dominant problem.
Read GuideLoss of active DIP flexion after forced finger extension is a tendon avulsion until proven otherwise.
Read GuideA central slip injury can look minor early and declare itself later as a boutonnière deformity.
Read GuideExamine the finger cascade and nail alignment with active flexion.
Read GuideAcceptable angulation depends on the metacarpal, but clinical rotation must be absent.
Read GuideThe deforming pull of the APL makes displaced Bennett fractures prone to redisplacement.
Read GuideA Stener lesion prevents the ligament from healing in its normal position.
Read GuideProximal pole injuries and displacement have greater nonunion and avascular-necrosis risk.
Read GuideEvaluate for associated carpal or ligament injury when pain is disproportionate.
Read GuideThis describes a fracture near the top of the thighbone, close to the hip joint, stabilized with screws. Weigh...
Read GuideAn intertrochanteric fracture occurs in the upper thighbone just below the hip joint, and is typically stabili...
Read GuideThe patella (kneecap) helps the thigh muscles straighten the knee, so protecting the repair while it heals — b...
Read GuideSome patella (kneecap) fractures that remain in good alignment can be treated without surgery, protecting the ...
Read GuideThe tibial plateau is the top surface of the shinbone that forms part of the knee joint. Protecting this weigh...
Read GuideThis protocol applies to ankle fractures that do not involve the syndesmosis (the strong ligament complex conn...
Read GuideThe syndesmosis is the strong ligament complex holding the two lower leg bones together just above the ankle j...
Read GuideA bimalleolar fracture involves two of the bony prominences around the ankle joint; a trimalleolar fracture in...
Read GuideThis describes a fracture in the middle portion of the shinbone (tibia) stabilized with an intramedullary nail...
Read GuideFractures near the ends of the shinbone (tibia) — closer to the knee or ankle — are generally protected with a...
Read GuideThe key decision is ankle stability, not simply whether the fibula is fractured.
Read GuideSyndesmotic injuries usually recover more slowly than common lateral ankle sprains.
Read GuideThe ankle injury may be more important than the proximal fibula fracture that draws attention.
Read GuideModern outcomes depend heavily on early functional rehabilitation and adherence.
Read GuideThe calcaneus (heel bone) bears significant weight with every step, which is why non-weight-bearing periods fo...
Read GuideThe calcaneus (heel bone) bears significant weight with every step, which is why non-weight-bearing periods fo...
Read GuideCheck rotation, nail bed, and skin; protect tape with padding.
Read GuideThe great toe is important for balance and push-off, so alignment matters more than in the lesser toes.
Read GuideA small persistent radiographic fragment does not always mean failed healing if the patient is asymptomatic.
Read GuideThis fracture occurs in a vascular watershed region and has greater delayed-union/nonunion risk.
Read GuideLook for cavovarus alignment, metabolic factors, and training-load errors.
Read GuideA subtle Lisfranc injury may have normal non-weight-bearing films.
Read GuideLoss of sesamoid position or plantar-plate integrity changes the injury from a simple sprain.
Read GuideNavicular stress fractures are high-risk because symptoms can be subtle and healing can be slow.
Read Guide