How do I know if I've broken a bone? • Future

Broken bones can happen after an accident like a fall, or by being hit by an object.

The three most common signs of a broken bone (also known as a fracture) are:

pain
swelling
deformity

However, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether a bone is broken if it isn’t displaced.

If you have broken a bone, you may experience the following:

you may hear or feel a snap or a grinding noise as the injury happens
there may be swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injured area
you may feel pain when you put weight on the injury, touch it, press it, or move it
the injured part may look deformed – in severe breaks, the broken bone may be poking through the skin

In addition, you may feel faint, dizzy or sick as a result of the shock of breaking a bone.

If the break is small or it’s just a crack, you may not feel much pain or even realise that you’ve broken a bone.

You should seek medical help as soon as possible if you think you’ve broken a bone. If you think you may have broken your toe or finger, you can go to a minor injury unit or urgent care centre.

The broken bone must be properly aligned and held in place, often with a plaster cast, so it heals in the correct position.

If you don’t receive the correct treatment, you could develop a serious infection or a permanent deformity. You may also develop long-term problems with your joints.

It’s important not to eat or drink anything if you think you’ve broken a bone, as you may need a general anaesthetic (where you’re asleep) to allow doctors to realign it.

Older people and those who have osteoporosis should be particularly careful, as their bones are weaker and may break more easily.