How to know if you broke a bone

I created the Active Life Orthopedics Guides to help the people I can't see in my practice — practical guidance on recovering from orthopedic injuries and conditions — from a triple-board certified orthopedic surgeon — so you can get back to the active life you love. New titles releasing throughout 2026. 📚 Explore the series: amazon.com/stores/Dr.-David-Geier/author/B00HXJ…

I get hundreds of comments about these Ask Dr. Geier posts each month. Many of them describe an injury, and the person can’t decide if it’s serious. Often the person is concerned for a fracture of whatever body part he or she hurt. In this Ask Dr. Geier video, I share my thoughts on how to know if you broke a bone.

Please note: I don't respond to questions and requests for specific medical advice left in the comments to my videos. I receive too many to keep up (several hundred per week), and legally I can't offer specific medical advice to people who aren't my patients (see below). If you want to ask a question about a specific injury you have, leave it in the comments below, and I might answer it in an upcoming Ask Dr. Geier video. If you need more detailed information on your injury, go to my Resources page: drdavidgeier.com/resources/

The content of this YouTube Channel, youtube.com/user/drdavidgeier (“Channel”) is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The Channel may offer health, fitness, nutritional and other such information, but such information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. The content does not and is not intended to convey medical advice and does not constitute the practice of medicine. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. You should consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained on this Channel. You agree that Dr. Geier is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented on the Channel. Dr. David Geier Enterprises, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of the content. USE OF THE CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

How can you know if you broke a bone?

It might be surprising, but there is not one specific finding that tells orthopedic surgeons just by looking at you that you broke a bone. If that bone is clearly deformed, it would seem likely that a fracture exists. Not every body part is noticeably deformed with a fracture though.

Tenderness to palpation in a specific part of the bone when you press on it, swelling that won’t go away, inability to use it , inability to put weight on it if it’s the leg, ankle or foot, and others at least raise suspicion for a broken bone. Also, a small wound at the injury site that continues to ooze blood could represent an open fracture.

If there is any question, going to an emergency room or an orthopedic surgeon can be a good place to start. The doctor can examine you and then get x-rays to confirm or rule out a fracture.