Why kids’ bones bend before they break

Posted on 8 July 2016

Have you ever thought that small children tend to bounce back from injuries more quickly than grown-ups? You’re right, they do – and the reason for that lies in their bones.

If a child suffers a broken bone – and depending on the position and severity of the break – they’re likely to have what doctors call ‘conservative management’, which means a non-surgical procedure.

The reason is fairly simple, says Dr Richard Finn, an orthopaedic surgeon at Mediclinic Worcester. ‘Children have a higher potential for bone regrowth and remodelling,’ he explains, adding that, rather than a broken bone (which you’d more likely find in an adult), children tend to have ‘greenstick’ fractures.

‘This is where one part of the cortex, or the outside of the bone, is fractured and the other side is intact,’ he says. ‘It’s like when you take a green stick and bend it: you’ll see the bark on one side will crack and the bark on the other side will stay intact. In children the periosteum – a membrane that covers the bones – is thicker. The outside of their bones are a lot thicker and more pliable, whereas in adults it’s a rigid structure.’

As you grow older your bones become calcified – more brittle and harder – so rather than bending, an adult’s bones are likely to snap or break like an old dry stick.

‘You won’t find greenstick fractures in adults, due to the structure of their bones,’ Dr Finn confirms. ‘An adult bone put under that kind of stress will suffer a complete fracture, whereas the elasticity of children’s bones allows for a greenstick fracture.’

It still hurts, though. As with a ‘normal’ fracture, the area around a greenstick fracture can be swollen and bruised – and could cause tremendous discomfort. If you think your child may have fractured or broken a bone – even if it’s just a bend! – take them to a doctor or hospital as soon as possible.