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ensuring proper healing, and preventing complications. Proper classification helps guide
treatment options such as casting, splinting, external fixation, or surgical intervention.

1. Classification Based on Bone Disruption

• Complete Fracture: The bone is broken into two or more separate pieces, resulting in a
loss of continuity. These fractures require stabilization to prevent further displacement.
• Incomplete Fracture: The bone is partially broken but remains structurally connected.
Common in pediatric patients due to the flexibility of developing bones.

2. Classification Based on Skin Integrity

• Closed (Simple) Fracture: The bone is broken but does not penetrate the skin. These
fractures reduce the risk of infection but may still require surgical intervention if
misaligned.
• Open (Compound) Fracture: The bone breaks through the skin, increasing the risk of
infection and requiring immediate medical attention to prevent complications such as
osteomyelitis.

3. Classification Based on Fracture Line and Pattern

• Transverse Fracture: A horizontal break across the bone, often caused by a direct
impact or blunt force trauma.
• Oblique Fracture: A diagonal break across the bone, usually resulting from rotational or
angled force.
• Spiral Fracture: A fracture caused by twisting forces, common in sports injuries or
rotational trauma. These fractures are often unstable and require surgical fixation.
• Comminuted Fracture: The bone is shattered into multiple fragments. High-impact
trauma, such as car accidents, often causes comminuted fractures, requiring complex
surgical intervention.
• Greenstick Fracture: An incomplete fracture common in children, where one side of the
bone bends while the other breaks. These fractures heal quickly due to the pliable nature
of pediatric bones.
• Segmental Fracture: The bone breaks in two separate places, leaving a free-floating
bone segment. These fractures require careful stabilization to prevent malunion.
• Avulsion Fracture: A fragment of bone is pulled away by a tendon or ligament due to
excessive force. Commonly seen in athletes or trauma patients.
• Compression Fracture: The bone is crushed, often occurring in the vertebrae due to
osteoporosis or trauma. These fractures can lead to height loss and spinal deformities.
• Impacted Fracture: One bone fragment is driven into another, commonly seen in falls or
axial load injuries.

4. Classification Based on Mechanism of Injury

• Traumatic Fracture: Resulting from a sudden force, such as falls, collisions, or direct
blows.