Answers to common questions about fracture care, healing time, surgery, and cast care.
Answers to common questions patients and families ask about fracture care.
Not every fracture requires surgery. Whether surgery is recommended depends on the specific bone involved, how displaced the fracture is, joint involvement, and your individual health. Your surgeon will walk you through the options for your specific injury.
Most patients can shower with a cast if it's protected with a waterproof cover. See our Cast, Splint & Brace Care guide for more detail, and call the office if your cast does get wet.
Online information, including this website, describes general patterns, not universal rules. Your surgeon tailors your treatment to your specific fracture pattern, displacement, age, bone quality, associated injuries, and how you're healing. Always follow the instructions given specifically to you.
The growth plate is the area of developing cartilage near the ends of a child's bones. Fractures involving the growth plate are watched extra closely, sometimes with follow-up over several months, because in rare cases they can affect future growth. See our Pediatric Fractures guides for specific examples.
Every fracture heals differently. If you have questions about your treatment plan, reach out to Dr. Kee's office.