Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Quantifying Pain Experience – An Illustrative Approach Using the Pain Body Diagram
09:00

Author Spotlight: Quantifying Pain Experience – An Illustrative Approach Using the Pain Body Diagram

Published on: July 7, 2023

4.5K

Pain Intensity and Risk of Bone Fracture in Children With Minor Extremity Injuries

Chiara Zanchi1, Manuela Giangreco1, Luca Ronfani1

  • 1From the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo".

Pediatric Emergency Care
|January 26, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pain intensity in children with extremity injuries is not a reliable indicator of fracture. Mild pain upon palpation or a small increase in pain suggests a low risk of fracture in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Orthopedic Injury Assessment

Background:

  • Pediatric emergency department (ED) visits are frequently due to injuries.
  • Extremity injuries are a common cause of these visits.
  • Accurate fracture detection in children is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the correlation between pain intensity and fracture risk in pediatric patients with extremity injuries.
  • To evaluate the diagnostic value of pain assessment in identifying fractures.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of children (8-17 years) with extremity injuries at a children's hospital in Italy.
  • Data collected included age, sex, spontaneous pain, palpation pain, and swelling.
  • Fracture detection was confirmed by X-ray; sensitivity and specificity of pain measures were calculated.

Main Results:

  • Out of 994 records, 34.6% had fractures.
  • No significant difference in median spontaneous pain between fractured and non-fractured children (P = 0.129).
  • Low fracture rates (3.2% and 0.97%) were observed in children with mild palpation pain or a minor increase in pain.

Conclusions:

  • Pain intensity alone is not a strong predictor of fractures in pediatric extremity injuries.
  • Mild palpation pain or a small pain increase indicates a low likelihood of fracture.
  • Further research may refine pain assessment's role in pediatric fracture diagnosis.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia13:08

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia

Published on: December 2, 2015

9.5K
Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury08:07

Paradigms of Lower Extremity Electrical Stimulation Training After Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: February 1, 2018

13.3K

Related Concept Videos

Fractures: Bone Repair01:27

Fractures: Bone Repair

Treatment for a fracture is based on the type of break, the bone affected, and the patient's age.
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the...
5.6K
Minor Losses in Pipes01:25

Minor Losses in Pipes

In pipe systems, minor losses refer to energy losses arising from components such as valves, bends, fittings, expansions, and other features that disrupt the steady flow of fluid. These disturbances cause energy dissipation through turbulence and resistance, which engineers quantify to manage system efficiency effectively.
Valves play a significant role in generating minor losses by obstructing or redirecting the fluid flow. When a valve is closed or partially closed, it restricts the flow...
2.0K
Relative Risk01:12

Relative Risk

Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.2K
Sound Intensity00:58

Sound Intensity

The loudness of a sound source is related to how energetically the source is vibrating, consequently making the molecules of the propagation medium vibrate. To measure the loudness of a source, the physical quantity of interest is the intensity. This is defined as the energy emitted per unit of time per unit of area perpendicular to the sound wave's propagation direction. Since the total energy is greater if the source vibrates for a longer duration and over a larger area, dividing the...
4.9K
Absolute and Local Extreme Values01:22

Absolute and Local Extreme Values

The highest and lowest values of a function, relative to a reference axis, are known as extreme values. These include absolute maximum and absolute minimum values, which represent the highest and lowest points the function reaches across its entire domain. Within a restricted portion of the function, the highest and lowest values are referred to as local maximum and local minimum values, respectively.Periodic functions, such as sine and cosine, show extreme values at infinitely many points due...
91
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
1.5K