What are the two types of fractures?

The two primary types of fractures are classified as open (also known as compound) and closed (also referred to as simple). An open fracture occurs when the bone breaks and pieces of the bone protrude through the skin, leading to an increased risk of infection due to exposure. A closed fracture, on the other hand, is one where the bone breaks but does not break the skin, which typically results in a safer scenario with a lower risk of infection. This fundamental distinction helps in determining the appropriate medical treatment and understanding the severity of each type of fracture.

Other classifications, such as simple and complex, greenstick and avulsion, focus on different characteristics of fractures rather than the basic categorization. Simple versus complex refers more to the nature of the fracture's complexity rather than the exposure of bone to wounds, while greenstick fractures involve incomplete breaks and are more common in children, and avulsion fractures occur when a fragment of bone is pulled off by a tendon or ligament. These terms emphasize different aspects of fractures but do not represent the primary categories used in most medical contexts.