Locations:
Search IconSearch

Childhood Injuries: Sprain vs. Fracture

Plus, six ways to tell if it’s a broken bone

Soccer player on ground with ankle pain

“I can’t move my arm!” “It hurts when I walk!” If you have active kids, you’re used to them telling you (dramatically) about all their bumps and bangs. Most of the time, they brush it off and a few minutes later are back on the monkey bars or sliding into first.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

But sometimes, it’s not just dramatics — you’re worried something may actually be broken. Since you haven’t developed X-ray vision eyes (well, YET), how can you tell if it’s a sprain or a fracture?

Orthopaedic specialist Michael Star, MD, breaks down the difference — and explains when it’s time to enlist a doctor’s help.

What is a fracture?

Put simply, fractures are broken bones. And broken bones come with one or more of these telltale signs:

  • Pain and swelling.
  • Deformity (“If something’s pointing in the wrong direction, it’s pretty obvious it’s a fracture,” notes Dr. Star.)
  • A crunching sensation or sound.
  • Numbness or tingling (“This can happen with sprains, too. But these feelings often indicate a more significant injury that a doctor should look at earlier.”)
  • Trouble bearing weight on the affected body part (“If you can’t walk on your leg, for example, it’s more likely a fracture.”)
  • Tenderness when you push on the bone.

What is a sprain?

A sprain is a ligament injury. Ligaments are the soft tissues that connect two (or more) bones at a joint, such as the ankle, knee or elbow.

While the signs of a sprain are often less obvious than fracture symptoms, there is some overlap:

  • Pain and swelling.

Tenderness in your soft tissue (“If you look at the back of your wrist on the pinky side, there’s a bone that sticks out a little bit. You can also push down on the thumb side and feel a bone there. If you have a sprain, it will feel swollen and tender all over the wrist and not just on the bone parts,” explains Dr. Star.)

Advertisement

How to handle a sprain: RICE it!

You can give the injury three days to improve if:

  • It’s not that painful.
  • Your child can move the injured joint normally.
  • Your child has the same pre-injury strength and sensations in the injured area.
  • Nothing is out of alignment.

Follow the RICE acronym for the first 24 to 48 hours to give your child some relief:

  • Rest: Limit activities that use or put pressure on the injured area.
  • Ice: Put ice on it as soon as you can. The general rule is to apply ice or a cold pack four to eight times a day for 20 minutes. To avoid adding frostbite to your list of concerns, wrap whatever you use in a towel.
  • Compression: Wrap the injury in an elastic bandage to reduce the swelling.
  • Elevation: Rest the injured area on a pillow higher than your child’s heart.

“If the swelling gets better and it’s less tender within a couple of days, your child is most likely OK,” relates Dr. Star. “But if it doesn’t get better within two to four days, then you should see a doctor.”

When in doubt, get the injury checked out

When it comes to sprains, kids aren’t adults in miniature. While some adults can tough it out, Dr. Star advises against using that approach with children.

“Kids can injure something called the growth plate. That can affect how they grow over time. So parents should treat their children’s potential sprains more rigorously than they would their own,” says Dr. Star. “Any child who’s still growing should be evaluated to make sure they don’t have a fracture. And the only way to rule one out is to get an X-ray.”

Dr. Star also emphasizes the need to see a doctor if a significant cut or other wound accompanies the injury. “The wound may need to be addressed separately. It also may need to be treated more aggressively with antibiotics and cleaning.”

What type of doctor should you see? Any doctor that can provide a basic evaluation and take an X-ray. Medical facilities that provide these services include:

  • Primary care or pediatrician offices.
  • Urgent care centers.
  • Emergency rooms.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Adult having a serious talk with a child in living room on a couch
December 20, 2024/Children's Health
How To Talk to Kids About Your (or Another Loved One’s) Serious Illness

It’s important to share the news in an honest and age-appropriate way and to open the lines of communication going forward

A parent holds a mug while their child is in bed with flushed cheeks
Should My Child Take Tamiflu?

Tamiflu can shorten your child’s illness and even help prevent the flu

Baby receiving a shot in their leg by healthcare provider
December 5, 2024/Children's Health
COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids: What To Know and Why It’s Important

Children as young as 6 months should get vaccinated, but dosage guidelines depend on kids’ ages and past vaccines

Happy, laughing child and caregiver sitting on couch holding video game controllers, playing video games
December 2, 2024/Brain & Nervous System
Are Video Games Good for You? Your Brain Thinks So

Imagination, completing tasks and social interactions are all key benefits for your brain

Parent hugging child within a glass house, with other siblings in the background outside of it
November 29, 2024/Children's Health
What To Know About Glass Child Syndrome

First things first: It doesn’t mean anybody did anything wrong

Baby, lying down, eyes closed, yawning
November 27, 2024/Children's Health
15 Signs That Your Baby Is Tired

Yawning is a clear signal, but frowning, ear-pulling and finger-sucking can be, too

Face of sleeping newborn baby, face being lightly touched by caregiver hand
November 19, 2024/Children's Health
Newborn Lip Blisters: What Causes Them and When To Seek Care

Your baby can develop lip blisters from an infection or because of the way they feed

Caregiver holding baby in babysling while pushing shopping cart in grocery store
November 18, 2024/Children's Health
Babywearing: What Is It and What Are the Benefits?

When done safely, carrying your baby in a sling or other device can free your hands and soothe your little one

Trending Topics

Person sitting on floor at night next to bed in deep thought, with partner sleeping in bed
Understanding Mental Load: What It Is and How It Affects You

When you get bogged down with mental tasks, you can experience mood changes, sleeplessness and more

Hands holding two different kinds of pain medications separated by a white line
Can You Take Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Together?

You can alternate these OTCs to help with pain management and fever reduction

Smiling person with headphones on, sweeping floor in living room
Understanding Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT Exercise)

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being

Ad