What is a broken arm (arm fracture)?
The arm extends from the shoulder to the elbow (upper arm), and from the elbow to the wrist (lower arm, forearm). The upper and lower arms are joined by the elbow joint. When people speak of a “broken arm,” they’re usually referring to one or more of the three bones in the arm: the humerus (in the upper arm) or the radius and ulna (in the forearm). What causes a broken arm? A bone breaks when there’s more force applied to the bone than it can absorb. These breaks can occur from falls, trauma or a direct blow. Most childhood fractures result from mild to moderate (rather than severe) trauma that happens while they’re playing and participating in sports—with the rate of fractures peaking in adolescence. Why do kids break bones? A bone breaks when there’s more force applied to the bone than it can absorb. These breaks can occur from falls, trauma or a direct blow. Most childhood fractures result from mild to moderate (rather than severe) trauma that happens while they’re playing and parti
