Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor will inspect the affected area for tenderness, swelling, deformity, numbness or an open wound. Your child may be asked to move his or her fingers into certain patterns or motions to check for nerve damage. Your doctor may also examine the joints above and below the fracture.

X-rays can reveal most greenstick fractures. Your doctor may want to take X-rays of the uninjured limb, for comparison purposes.