Conditions We Treat

An acetabular fracture is a break in the socket portion of the "ball-and-socket" hip joint. Acetabular fractures are not common — they occur much less frequently than fractures of the upper femur or femoral head (the "ball" portion of the joint).

An ankle fracture can range from a simple break in one bone, which may not stop you from walking, to several fractures, which forces your ankle out of place and may require that you not put weight on it for a few months.

A distal humerus fracture is a break in the lower end of the upper arm bone (humerus), one of the three bones that come together to form the elbow joint. A fracture in this area can be very painful and make moving the elbow impossible.

Elbow fractures are common childhood injuries, accounting for about 10% of all childhood fractures. In many cases, a simple fracture will heal well with conservative cast treatment. Some types of elbow fractures, however, including those in which the pieces of bone are significantly out of place, may require surgery. Other structures in the elbow—such as nerves, blood vessels, and ligaments—may also be injured when a fracture occurs and require treatment, as well.

Femur fractures vary greatly, depending on what cause it to break. The pieces of bone may line up correctly (stable fracture) or be out of alignment (displaced fracture). The skin around the fracture may be intact (closed fracture) or the bone may puncture the skin (open fracture).

A fracture of the calcaneus, or heel bone, can be a painful and disabling injury. This type of fracture commonly occurs during a high-energy event—such as a car crash or a fall from a ladder—when the heel is crushed under the weight of the body. When this occurs, the heel can widen, shorten, and become deformed.

A hip fracture is a break in the upper quarter of the femur (thigh) bone. The extent of the break depends on the forces that are involved. The type of surgery used to treat a hip fracture is primarily based on the bones and soft tissues affected or on the level of the fracture.

A broken bone must be carefully stabilized and supported until it is strong enough to handle the body's weight and movement. Until the last century, providers relied on casts and splints to support and stabilize the bone from outside the body. Today, advances in research and surgery allow providers to internally set and stabilize fractured bones.

Some broken bones do not heal even when they get the best surgical or nonsurgical treatment. In some cases, certain risk factors make it more likely that a bone will fail to heal. When a broken bone fails to heal it is called a "nonunion." A "delayed union" is when a fracture takes longer than usual to heal.

A patellar fracture is a break in the patella, or kneecap, the small bone that sits at the front of your knee. Because the patella acts as a shield for your knee joint, it is more likely to break if you fall directly onto your knee or hit it against the dashboard in a car accident. A patellar fracture is a serious injury that can make it difficult or even impossible to straighten your knee or walk.

While trying to break a fall with your hands may seem instinctive, the force of the fall could travel up your forearm bones and dislocate your elbow. It also could break the smaller bone (radius) in your forearm. Fractures of the radius often occur in the part of the bone near the elbow, called the radial "head."

The tibia, or shinbone, is the most commonly fractured long bone in the body. A tibial shaft fracture occurs along the length of the bone, below the knee and above the ankle.

A fracture, or break, in the shinbone just below the knee is called a proximal tibia fracture. The proximal tibia is the upper portion of the bone where it widens to help form the knee joint.

The radius is the larger of the two bones of the forearm. The end toward the wrist is called the distal end. A fracture of the distal radius occurs when the area of the radius near the wrist breaks.