The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes a torus fracture, also known as a buckle fracture, as an incomplete break where one side of the bone is compressed against the other, bending the bone away from the growth plate. Growth plates are near the end of a child's bone and are comprised of cartilage. They determine the future shape of the adult arm. A wrist fracture is common to childhood breaks and is considered an impact fracture.
Pain
Severe pain is usually felt at or near the site of the break. Often, any movement of the wrist, arm or fingers will cause discomfort. A child's arm differs from that of an adult's in several ways, says the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Hawaii. The growth plate is still present; a thicker periosteum, or outer lining, of the bone is present, making the bones more stable; and the bones are more porous and less dense, allowing them to bend when compressed or bowed. Because of this, the arm may not be completely broken or appear traumatized, but movement is painful.
Deformity
Because a child's bones are soft, an actual breaking of the skin by the bone will not be evident with a torus fracture. Although there is a difference in the location and configuration of a child's break than with an adult, the University of Hawaii maintains that a torus fracture occurs due to axial compression or impact. This will show as a bending of the bone on an X-ray with swelling occurring at or around the site.
Location
"Emergency Radiology" states that one of the most common locations for a buckle fracture to occur is the wrist. When falling, a child will extend the hands and arms to break the fall. Because of the frequency of this type of injury, if a history of a fall is present, the physician will usually look to the wrist first for signs of trauma.
