Dr. Sanjeev Monga

A broken bone or a crack in the commonly known as a fracture. Any bone in the arm can be broken, but common areas for fractures in the arm is wrist, specifically the distal radius, forearm bones (radius and ulna), elbow, humerus and shoulder.

What causes fracture in bones?

1. Fall: Falling an outstretched hand or elbow is the most common cause of a broken arm.
2. Sports injuries: Direct blows and injuries on the field or court are a common cause of all types of arm fractures.
3. Significant trauma: Any of your arm bones can break during a car accident, bike accident or other direct trauma.
4. Abuse: In children, a broken arm may be the result of child abuse.

How to identify?

An audible snap or cracking sound may be your first indication you've broken an arm.

Signs and symptoms include:

1. Severe pain, which may increase with movement
2. Swelling
3. Bruising
4. Deformity, such as a bent arm or wrist
5. Inability to turn your arm from palm up to palm down or vice versa

When to see a doctor?

If you have enough pain in your arm that you can't use it normally, see a doctor right away and do the same for your child. Delay in diagnosis and treatment of a broken arm, especially for children who heal faster than adults do, can lead to poor healing and deformity.