Fractures (Broken Bones)

$Physiotherapist guiding walking after lower limb fracture during rehabilitation session$

Regaining walking confidence after fracture recovery

Early rehabilitation helps restore safe movement and confidence after a fracture.

Fractures, also called broken bones, occur when a bone is exposed to more force than it can tolerate. They can happen after a fall, sporting impact, accident, or repetitive loading. Some fractures are obvious straight away, while others may present more subtly and require imaging to confirm the diagnosis.

Early assessment helps protect the injured area, clarify the diagnosis, and support the bone healing process. It also helps identify whether you may need protection, immobilisation, referral, or rehabilitation support.

Quick guide: A suspected fracture needs prompt assessment, especially after a fall, sporting impact, accident, or sudden increase in bone loading.

Protect the injured area until it has been assessed.
Seek imaging when a fracture is suspected.
Begin rehabilitation only when the fracture is stable enough.

Young adult holding lower leg with mild pain after injury in physiotherapy clinic

Mild limb pain after a recent injury

Fractures often present suddenly after an injury or overload. Sudden pain and limited movement may indicate a fracture, especially when symptoms follow a fall, impact, twist, or heavy load.

Many people first notice a fracture as sharp pain, swelling, bruising, or difficulty using a limb after an injury. In some cases, symptoms are less dramatic, particularly with stress fractures, which may begin as activity-related pain that gradually worsens.

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What Should You Do If You Suspect a Fracture?

If you suspect a fracture, seek prompt assessment. Early diagnosis helps reduce the risk of displacement, delayed healing, and avoidable complications. Depending on the injury, diagnosis may involve X-rays and sometimes additional imaging.

Initial management may include protecting the limb, limiting weight bearing, using a splint or brace, and arranging further medical review where required. Once the fracture is stable, physiotherapy may help guide safe recovery.

Common Signs of a Fracture

Pain at the injury site
Swelling or bruising
Difficulty moving the limb
Reduced ability to bear weight
Visible deformity in more severe cases
Pain that worsens with loading or use

Types of Fractures

Fractures vary according to how the bone breaks and whether the pieces stay aligned. Common fracture types include:

Simple fractures – clean breaks with minimal displacement
Compound fractures – the bone breaks through the skin
Stress fractures – small cracks caused by repetitive load
Comminuted fractures – the bone breaks into multiple pieces

Learn more about stress fractures and how they develop.

$Physiotherapist explaining fracture using X-ray to patient in clinic$

Understanding fracture diagnosis and treatment

Understanding the fracture type helps guide treatment, protection, loading, and rehabilitation timing.

What Happens After a Fracture?

Once a fracture is diagnosed, treatment focuses on protecting the bone while it heals and gradually restoring movement. Depending on the fracture, this may include rest, bracing, a boot, a cast, surgery, or modified loading.

After the early healing stage, rehabilitation helps reduce stiffness, rebuild strength, and improve function. Recovery is usually gradual and should match the stage of healing and the type of fracture.

How Physiotherapy Helps Fracture Recovery

Physiotherapy plays an important role in fracture rehabilitation. Treatment often focuses on restoring joint movement, rebuilding muscle strength, improving balance, and helping you return safely to daily activity, work, or sport.

Rehabilitation programs are tailored to the person and the fracture site. Guided exercises, mobility work, walking progression, and progressive loading strategies are often used. Specific fracture types such as femoral neck fractures and ankle fractures commonly benefit from structured rehabilitation plans.

Is Physiotherapy Right After a Fracture?

If you have ongoing pain, stiffness, weakness, poor balance, or difficulty returning to normal movement after a fracture, guided rehabilitation may help improve your recovery.

Early support can reduce complications, improve confidence, and help you return to daily activities more smoothly. Your physiotherapist can also help you progress loading safely once the fracture has been medically cleared.

When Should You See a Physiotherapist?

You should consider physiotherapy once the fracture has been assessed and the injury is stable enough to begin rehabilitation. Early input may help reduce stiffness, weakness, poor movement patterns, and delayed return to activity.

If recovery feels slower than expected, pain remains high, or function is not improving, a physiotherapist can help review your progress and guide the next stage of rehabilitation.

Related Fracture & Recovery Guides

These guides may help you understand recovery pathways for different fracture types and bone health concerns.

Fracture FAQs

How long does a fracture take to heal?

Healing time depends on the bone involved, the severity of the break, your age, your health, and whether surgery was needed. Many uncomplicated fractures heal in about 6 to 12 weeks, but full recovery of strength, mobility, and confidence can take longer.

Can you walk on a fracture?

Some fractures allow limited or protected weight bearing, while others require you to avoid walking on the injured limb. You should not assume it is safe to walk on a suspected fracture until the injury has been assessed and you have been given clear advice.

How do you know if an injury is a fracture or a sprain?

A fracture and a sprain can both cause pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty using the injured area. A fracture is more likely when pain is severe, weight-bearing is difficult, deformity is visible, or symptoms follow a high-force injury. Imaging is often needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Do all fractures need physiotherapy?

Not every fracture needs extensive rehabilitation, but many benefit from physiotherapy. This is especially true when stiffness, weakness, poor balance, pain with walking, or delayed return to normal activity are affecting recovery.

When should you seek urgent medical care for a fracture?

You should seek urgent medical care if you have severe pain, marked swelling, obvious deformity, numbness, loss of circulation, an open wound near the fracture, or you cannot safely use the limb. These signs may indicate a more serious injury that needs immediate assessment.

What can slow fracture healing?

Fracture healing may be slower when the injury is severe, the bone has poor blood supply, the area is overloaded too early, or health factors such as smoking, poor nutrition, osteoporosis, or some medical conditions are present. Delayed healing is one reason follow-up and rehabilitation matter.

$Femoral stress fracture rehab with physiotherapist guiding return to running$

Guided rehabilitation supports safe return to movement and activity.

If you are recovering from a fracture, physiotherapy can help you regain movement, confidence, and strength in a safe, staged way.

What to Do Next

If you suspect a fracture or your recovery is not progressing as expected, early assessment can help clarify the diagnosis and guide the right treatment pathway.

A physiotherapist can help you restore movement, rebuild strength, and progress safely back to daily activities, work, or sport.

Book a physiotherapy assessment to guide your recovery.