Fractures

Fractures services offered in Wasilla, AK

Injuries that lead to fractured bones are painful and debilitating, and if you don’t take the correct steps to ensure they heal correctly, you could have chronic pain that reduces the quality of your life. At Pioneer Peak Orthopedics in Wasilla, Alaska, the team uses a comprehensive fracture care approach to ensure that fractures receive the right care and heal completely. They also offer pediatric fracture care for children. If you or your child suffers a broken bone, don’t hesitate to call the office to book your appointment. You can also drop by the practice’s orthopedic walk-in clinic.

What are fractures?

A fracture is a broken bone. Bones can break when an outside force applies more pressure than your bone is able to support. The severity of your fracture can range from a thin crack to a complete break, and it can be in one or multiple places.

When a bone breaks, the body immediately starts the healing process by forming a blood clot and a soft tissue called a callus around the fracture. Bone cells grow from both sides of the break, gradually connecting to close the gap and restore the bone’s strength. Proper medical care is essential to ensure the bone heals correctly and regains full function.

What are the symptoms of a fracture?

The main symptom of a fracture is pain at the time of your initial injury, which can become worse when you try to move it. Other symptoms include:

Snapping or grinding sound during the injury
Swelling, redness, and tenderness
Bruising
Visible deformity

In some severe cases, your bone may poke out of your skin, which significantly raises your chance of infection and needs medical attention right away.

How does fracture care heal an injury?

Fracture treatment focuses on controlling bleeding, preventing complications like bone death or infection, and stabilizing the broken bone. Non-surgical treatments include casting and traction.

A cast, made from fiberglass or plaster, keeps the bone in place while it heals. Traction, used for more complex fractures, involves applying gentle pulling forces to realign the bone. Surgical treatments may be necessary for severe fractures.

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) involves realigning the bone and securing it with metal plates, screws, or rods. External fixation uses a stabilizing frame outside the body to keep the bone in place, especially for complicated or open fractures.

External fixation may be necessary for the following:

Open fractures with soft-tissue involvement
Burns and soft tissue injuries
Pelvic fractures
Comminuted and unstable fractures
Fractures having bony deficits
Limb-lengthening procedures
Fractures with an infection or non-union

Recovery takes weeks to months, and a rehabilitation program with physical therapy helps regain strength and mobility. Even after a cast or brace is removed, gradual activity is recommended to ensure the bone fully recovers.

Is pediatric fracture care available?

Yes, the team at Pioneer Peak Orthopedics treats children with broken bones and understands the unique approach pediatric fracture care requires.

For example, children’s bones are still growing, and if a broken bone affects a growth plate (the area of growing tissue at the ends of bones), it can result in long-term complications like deformity or arthritis.

Children’s bones also heal quicker, so it’s important to get care quickly before the bone begins to reset in an incorrect place.

If you or your child suffers a fracture, don’t take any chances; get the right fracture care at Pioneer Peak Orthopedics. Call the office to visit the orthopedic walk-in clinic today.