HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

? about spiral fracture

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/12/2013 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
Okay so I've googled and googled and either I'm blind or really numb. But does anyone have any idea how it can actually occur? My daughter has no idea what angle her foot was when she landed. And I didn't think to ask when we saw the ortho today.

My 14 year old fell 2 weeks ago. She doesn't allow her brother in her room, so he packed her rummikub game up and put it in her doorway. She didn't realize it and stepped down into her bedroom and tripped. Her foot looked okay that night but by the next morning the entire top of her foot and toes tops and bottom were bruised and swollen and she couldn't feel or move her toes. So I took her over to Urgent Care.

Anyway they did there initial x-rays and said nothing was broken and put her in a special shoe, told her to wear it for 3 days. Well of course she barely wore it because as she said it looked better. We got a phone call the next day that it was indeed broken.

SO took her to the ortho today and they redid the x-rays. He said she has 2 spiral fractures. They wanted to put her in a boot, of course she refused and promised to wear the shoe. We go back in 2 weeks for a recheck on the fractures but there is also the possibility that she has also torn ligaments. This child is going to drive me nuts with the not wearing the boot and trying to practice her running for cross country. She's supposed to be running 25 miles per week and her first ofical track practice is Aug 19th. At this rate its doubtful she'll be participating in fall track, but will have to wait for winter track.
Posted 7/12/2013 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry this happened to your daughter as I have a teen I know how difficult they can be sometimes.

Spiral fractures are most often seen in toddlers learning to walk. ER staff also pay attention to these since they occur by way of a twisting of bones,say holding the arm of a small child and twisting it.

In teens it occurs exactly like you described. Her foot was planted on the floor and the knee was at a front angle when she twisted the bones between point A and B. Most occur in teens and young adults in the tibia.

You see these injuries from trampoline accidents,basketball players as they happen when one end of the bone is stationary.

Hope this helps some and she needs to do what they tell her especially if she has hopes of being a runner or athlete. The healing process is good if you keep the mobility of the injury to a minimum so it can heal.

Good luck!!
Posted 7/13/2013 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
As Vickie said, it's all about the dynamics of how the injury occurred.

I had a massive (2.5 inch) spiral fracture of my tibia when I was five...my older cousins were trying to lift me across a ditch on their property, but one slipped and dropped me part way. My foot planted with open space underneath, and she fell across me. I was in a cast for eight weeks...

Best wished to your daughter

Laura
Posted 7/13/2013 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
If you cannot talk any sense into her, then take her back to the doctor so he can describe what further damage she can and will occur by running on it. If she had worn the boot, it is likely the bones would have healed more quickly since they would not have the repetitive force placed on them with each stride. If the ligaments are actually torn, then she will have instability in the tear location. This weakness can cause her to possibly fall or roll the ankle, thereby causing more damage including fracture in another location.

I have two daughters, both adults now. One was a gymnast that competed in some national events. She had several injuries during her career. She NEVER wanted to take time off, but thankfully her coach would not let her train on any equipment the could possible stress the injured area. Is it possible for her coach to talk some sense into her?

Just remember, these years do pass and teen girls eventually learn that adults often do know what they are talking about....LOL!
Posted 7/16/2013 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Vickie, Laura and Ides. I kept saying I thought she must have spun when she fell but she was insisting that she didn't think she did. Oh what do I know I'm just the Mom. I have to remember that teenagers know everything. ha ha

Ouch Laura on the tibia fracture. I can't even imagine. Glad our daughter's isn't that bad.

Well she's been pretty good. lol She's been keeping that boot on because she knows she'll end up in a cast if she doesn't and we threatened not to pay for her driver's ed in September if she didn't keep it on.

She decided on her own not to do track right now. She already recieved her varsity letter last year anyway for indoor and outdoor track.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply