Fractures vs. Sprains: How to Tell the Difference

Injuries happen unexpectedly, leaving you to figure out how you’ve been hurt and what you should do next. If you experience a fall, trip, or other accident, you could suffer from a fractured bone. However, these situations could also result in a sprain.

How do you know if you’re dealing with a bone fracture or a sprain? And what difference does it make in terms of the next steps you should take to seek treatment for your injury?

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Han and the team at Burlingame Orthopedics provide post-injury support to new and existing patients from around the Burlingame, California area, including fracture care.

If you’re unsure whether you or a loved one has experienced a sprain or a fracture, seeking professional diagnosis and care immediately gets you the answers you need. Here are some useful rules of thumb to use to assess injuries that could be bone fractures or sprains.

The difference between fractures and sprains

Tripping and falling leave you vulnerable to multiple types of injury, depending on which parts of your body sustain trauma or damage. Bone fractures occur when sudden pressure causes one or more of your bones to break. They can be severe, compound fractures involving bone ends sticking through the skin or more subtle stress fractures.

Even if your bones don’t sustain any damage, you could still suffer a musculoskeletal injury. You can strain, sprain, or tear the ligaments that support and connect your bones. This type of injury can also range from mild to severe.

Some mild sprains can heal with rest and simple at-home care. However, if you’re unsure what type of injury you have, your best bet is getting checked out by a medical professional. Both moderate to severe sprains and fractures need medical care to heal correctly.

Symptoms of sprains vs. fractures

In some cases, your symptoms may give you clues as to the type of injury you’ve experienced. However, sprains and fractures share some common symptoms.

Both sprains and fractures result in swelling after the injury. If you heard a snapping noise at the time of injury, or if your joint looks misshapen afterward, you’re more likely to have suffered a fracture.

You can also learn more about your injury by paying attention to the nature of your pain symptoms. Pain related to sprains tends to center on the soft tissue surrounding the affected joint. Pain related to fractures typically feels worse if you apply light pressure at the site of the injury. 

Additionally, fractures can cause tingling, numbness, and pain, while sprains result in pain alone.

Treating fractures and sprains

At Burlingame Orthopedics, we start your treatment by confirming the type and severity of your injury. X-rays can tell us whether you’ve suffered a sprain or a fracture.

Sprains can be treated with the RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). Severe sprains may need physical therapy for full recovery.

For fractures, you may need bone realignment, joint immobilization with a splint or cast, rest, and, in severe cases, surgery. It can take between a few weeks and several months to recover after a fracture.

No matter what type of injury you’re dealing with, the team at Burlingame Orthopedics is ready to help. If you have an injury, contact us online or over the phone to schedule an appointment.