What are the symptoms of fractures?

A fracture refers to a break in the bone structure. Fractures are usually caused by injuries, and the symptoms of fractures are relatively obvious. Fracture patients may experience shock due to severe pain. Fractures can also affect a person's ability to move and their range of motion.

1. Systemic manifestations

1. shock

The main reason is bleeding at the fracture site, especially pelvic fracture, femoral shaft fracture, multiple fractures, etc., the amount of bleeding can be as high as 2000ml or more. Severe pain or concurrent visceral damage can also cause shock.

2. fever

Generally, the body temperature is normal after a fracture, but in some fractures with heavy bleeding, low fever may occur while the hematoma is absorbed, usually not exceeding 38°C. The possibility of infection should be considered in patients with open fractures who present with high fever.

2. Local manifestations

1. Common manifestations of fractures

(1) Local pain

Pain and obvious tenderness often occur at the fracture site. Compression or tapping of the fracture site from a distance can also cause indirect tenderness at the fracture site.

( 2) Swelling and bruising

When a fracture occurs, the affected limb will swell due to local blood vessel rupture and bleeding and edema after soft tissue injury. In severe cases, tension blisters may appear. If the fracture site is relatively superficial, the decomposition of hemoglobin in the hematoma may result in purple, blue or yellow subcutaneous ecchymosis.

(3) Functional impairment

The pain and swelling at the fracture site cause partial or complete loss of mobility of the affected limb.

2. Specific signs of fracture

(1) Deformity

Due to the displacement of the fracture segment, the injured part loses its normal shape, which is mainly manifested as shortening, angulation, and rotation deformity.

(2) Abnormal activities

Parts of the limbs that cannot move under normal circumstances will show abnormal movements after a fracture.

(3) Bone crepitus or bone friction

After a fracture, the friction between the fracture segments may produce bone friction sound or bone friction feeling, but during physical examination, you should not repeatedly and actively verify it to avoid increasing the patient's pain and local soft tissue damage.