Can You Break a Bone and Not Know It?

When you think about breaking a bone, you probably imagine a wildly uncomfortable scenario. And certainly, most people who fracture a bone know it right away. 

There are some cases, though, in which you can break a bone without that high level of sudden pain that usually indicates a fracture. 

As specialists in orthopaedic trauma like fractures, Karl Siebuhr, MD, and our team can help you determine if the pain you’re feeling is from a bone problem or another issue. Visit us at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida. We can use diagnostic tools like X-rays to find out what’s going on. This way, we can properly treat the injury and ease your pain. 

Common cases of unacknowledged broken bones

In instances when a person breaks a bone but doesn’t know it, the fracture is usually small. If you only cracked the bone a little bit, for example, it may still be able to largely function as it should without causing you too much pain. You might think you have a different injury, like a muscular strain, rather than a fracture.

This is more common in your extremities. People occasionally break their scaphoid bone — which is a small bone in the wrist — and don’t know it, for example. Because a break in this bone usually doesn’t cause much swelling, many folks simply think they sprained their wrist. 

Similarly, you might get a stress fracture in one of the bones in your foot and not know it. Because these fractures start as small cracks, they don’t have the obvious signs of a broken bone right away. Many folks think they’re dealing with a soft tissue injury rather than a bone problem. 

Long story short, you can absolutely break a bone and not know it. 

When to see a doctor

Soft tissue injuries can often heal on their own given enough support and ample rest. Bone problems, on the other hand, usually need more support. To properly heal, they might need to be realigned and you might need to immobilize the area. 

That means that if you think your injury might involve your bone, you should absolutely see Dr. Siebuhr. 

Some signs of a bone issue include:

• Swelling
• Pain, especially when you move or put weight on the area
• Tingling and numbness
• Inability to move the area like you could before

Another telltale sign is an injury that doesn’t seem to be improving. If you thought it was a sprain but a few days of rest haven’t helped at all, for example, it’s probably time to visit our office.

Here, Dr. Siebuhr and our team can determine what’s going on. Generally, this means using diagnostic imaging to take an X-ray of the area to see if there’s an issue with your bone. 

We then tailor treatment based on what we find. Dr. Siebuhr can ensure the bone is realigned (if needed) so it can heal properly. 

If you think you may have broken a bone, even if it’s only a slight suspicion, don’t hesitate to visit us. Call our office or request your appointment online today.